Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing          

February 4, 2014

February 5th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 6 Period II.

The Novena Rosary Mysteries 
for February 5th are Glorious.


Please pray - tune in on internet.

Retreat in Clearwater, Florida
February 2nd - 5th
1:30pm and 6:20pm
Please tune in or come!

Retreat in China
February 10th - 13th
Mass February 14th
Valentine's Day - China, Indiana

 


 

                February 4, 2014

 

 

                Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 6

SIX    The Christian and Sin (excerpt)

  1. The Nature of Sin

What is the nature of sin? Contemporary theology emphasizes that sin is not primarily a violation of a law, but a disruption of personal relationships. Sin is a refusal to love. Serious sin is a radical refusal to love. Venial sin is a partial refusal to love. 

The most obvious personal relationship that is affected by sin is that between God and the sinner. In sinning a man fails, to a lesser or greater degree, to accept God's loving gift of Himself. He fails also to respond with his own gift of love. In serious sin man refuses intimate friendship with God. In venial sin he dulls the ardor of that friendship. Man, in so far as he sins, maintains that he does not want his life to be directed by the loving hand of his heavenly Father. He wants to be a law for himself; he wants to be the one who decides what is good for himself and what is not. Schoonenberg observes: "Especially in the prophets sin is an aversion from and an unfaithfulness to Yahweh himself; hence it is placed in the heart rather than in the wrong deed. We see that aversion, that rebelliousness, that lack of faith which precede the act of transgressing the Law already in the story of the sin in paradise, where it is presented as the wish of possessing autonomously the knowledge of good and evil, of being independently the Law unto oneself. . .”1 

As we sin and fail to love God, we close in upon ourselves. We prevent a further growth in openness to transcendence, to God and to His grace. We block off the source of our only real self-development and fulfillment. To the extent that we close in upon ourselves in sin, to that extent we feel the misery of sin. This misery of spiritual "self-enclosedness" is a faint participation in the essential pain of hell. The damned are eternally and completely closed in upon themselves, completely deprived of God and other personal relationships. This, then, is hell the damned really experiencing no one but themselves. Hell is God's ratification of the choice which the unrepentant serious sinner has himself made. This choice is one of radical self-isolation. 

Sin is primarily a refusal to love God, a refusal to be loved by Him, to be guided by Him. In sinning, man seeks for a false fulfillment, and therefore actually becomes impoverished. The great St. Augustine puts it this way: "For when the soul loves its own power, it slips from the common whole to its own particular part. Had it followed God as its ruler in the universal creature, it could have been most excellently governed by His laws. But in that apostatizing pride, which is called 'the beginning of sin', it sought for something more that the whole; and while it struggled to govern by its own laws, it was thrust into caring for a part, since there is nothing more than the whole; and so by desiring something more, it becomes less. . .”2 

Yes, sin is an act disruptive of one's relationship with God. But sin has other dimensions also. It is a refusal to love other men as we should. For the Christian, sin is an offense against the covenant life of the People of God. In some way the sinfulness of the individual Christian makes itself felt in the corporate body which is the Church. The Christian, in sinning, is failing to love the corporate good of the People of God. He is failing to contribute his share to the progressive maturation in Christ of the total Christian community. The Christian in his sin becomes a burden to the People of God.  

Sin also is an obvious refusal to love others in those instances when one directly harms others through his transgression. So many sins come under this category: theft, all forms of uncharity, social injustice, scandal, detraction. Furthermore, not only does one man often sin against another, but he frequently leads another into sin. In God's plan man is supposed to help his neighbor achieve his temporal and eternal happiness, but how often, even among Christians, the opposite is true. Not to make a positive contribution to the true growth of others is failure enough, but to be a positive hindrance is a far greater evil. 

There is still another way in which the sinner refuses love to his fellowmen; when man sins he makes his contribution to the "sin of the world.”3 He thus adds to that huge, negative weight, nourished by the sins of the centuries, a weight which is always trying to draw man away from his God-given destiny. This mass of sinful ugliness, this "sin of the world," always has its considerable influence, but at times its hideousness makes itself especially manifest. The great race riots which have tragically risen up recently in various parts of the United States are examples of these special manifestations of the "sin of the world." Such events are not isolated instances of sins connected with race. In back of such tragedies there is a long history of grave social and racial sins, of seething hatred of white for black, and black for white. Such accumulated sinfulness in regard to race is part of the "sin of the world." 

There are many other examples of these special manifestations of the "sin of the world." There are the world wars and the lesser wars, with their share of unbelievable accounts of the hatred which man can impose upon his fellowman. There are the histories of the various crime syndicates throughout the world with all their blatant categories of human degradation narcotics, prostitution, terrorization and the rest. There are the sins of colonialism and the sins of communism. 

The "sin of the world" with its stark and bold manifestations is a sickening reality. But a reality it is. And each man's sinfulness adds a little to this universal world sin. Each man's sinfulness contributes to sin's divisiveness. Man is intended to help Christ progressively unify all creation more and more into Himself. When man sins, he contributes to the disruptive and disunifying force of the "sin of the world." 

Sin, then, because it is a failure to love God, man and the world, is selfishness. Sin seems to offer some sort of happiness, or advantage, or fulfillment. But this is a delusion. Sin can accomplish none of these things, because man's only real happiness and fulfillment comes from his authentic relationship in love with God, his fellowman and the rest of creation. Sin works against all these relationships. 

Sin is so hard to understand because it is an absurdity. But if we are to grow properly in the Christian life, we must have some basic realization of what sin is, and of God's attitude towards sin and the sinner. Our best source for such a mature realization is given to us in the crucified Christ. In this figure we can know all the Father wants us to comprehend concerning sin. First of all, Christ crucified tells us very starkly of the overwhelming heinousness of sin. We know that sin is overwhelmingly evil because it alone could nail Incarnate Goodness to the cross. Secondly, Christ crucified speaks to us concerning the justice of God. God's justice does ask satisfaction for sin yes, even that satisfaction which is the death of His Son. Thirdly, and very importantly for us poor sinners, the crucified Christ speaks to us unmistakably and overwhelmingly of the Father's great love and mercy towards us. Because of this love and mercy we can be so positive about human existence, for great as is the power of sin, the love and mercy of the Father, incarnated in His Son, is infinitely greater. This is our peace and consolation. 

God's love and mercy moves the sinner toward repentance, and when the sinner repents, God's love changes him. In Isaiah the prophet we read: " 'Come now, let us talk this over, says Yahweh. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.' " (Is 1:18). 

Included in our sorrow for sin is a resolve to take the proper means and precautions to avoid sin in the future. One of the reasons we fall into the same sins with the same frequency is that we tend often enough not to go to the root causes of our failures, and, consequently, we often fail to apply the more efficacious remedies. All this not to say that we should become morbidly introspective in looking at sinfulness. However, without succumbing to this type of introspection, we all must allow for appropriate self-examination and self-knowledge. 

Part of this self-examination and self-knowledge includes the manner in which I handle temptation in my life. The proper attitude toward temptation lies between two extremes. The person at one extreme is overly fearful of temptation, concentrates too much on avoiding it, and can even tend to equate temptation with sin. Such an attitude toward temptation breeds a negative mentality toward the Christian life, and detracts from the peace, joy and happiness which Christ wants us to experience. 

The opposite attitude is that which is careless towards temptation. To take reasonable and grace-inspired precautions against temptation is not to be negativistic, but realistic. It is to realize that I am a sinner, and that there are various ways by which I can be led to sin. I cannot avoid all temptations, but out of loyalty to Christ, man and the world, I should not recklessly bring temptation upon myself. 

Despite our best efforts there will always be some sin in our lives, unless God were to give extraordinary graces. There is only one human person, as far as our certain knowledge goes, who has been preserved from all sin. This person is Christ's mother, Mary. Let us remember this very important point, however. The Church's teaching that we cannot avoid all venial sin without a very special assistance from God refers to semi-deliberate venial sin. With God's ordinary graces we can avoid all fully deliberate sin, both serious and venial. It is this fully deliberate sin which is such an obstacle to our proper growth in the Christian life. Finally, let us remember that as we grow in Christ, even the number of semi-deliberate sins become fewer. ______

1. P. Schoonenberg, Man and Sin (Notre Dame, Indiana: Fides, 1965), p. 8.
2. St. Augustine, The Trinity, Bk. 12, Ch. 14 (Washington: Fathers of the Church, 1963), p. 356.
3. For one description of the "sin of the world", see Schoonenberg, Op. cit., pp. 98-123.

  

                R. So the sinner does put something
                before God. The sinner is wanting in
                their relationship to God. A person can
                want something so much for themselves
                they sin to get what they want which
                is violating their love of God and
                their relationship with God and
                others.

                    In a fit of passion or hatred,
                one may sin against God and
                others, and then, want to, when
                seeing what they have done,
                want to lie, to cover up their sin.

                    How does one who has seriously
                sinned, rid themselves of the guilt
                they feel, like the play Macbeth
                by Shakespeare. The blood on the
                dagger and the blood on her hands
                were forever in her mind. She could
                not wash the blood from her
                memory of the killing.

                    We are here to grow in our
                relationship with God and others.
                God created us to love, to build
                relationships, to be trustworthy,
                to be pure, always operating
                according to what God wants.

                    We see in the garden, Eve sinned and
                she listened to the devil, then Adam
                listened to Eve and he sinned. They
                could not hide their sin from God.

                    We see they felt shame, they hid
                themselves, they hurt their relationship
                with God. God told them what to do
                and they disobeyed God. They acted
                against God's will - hurting their
                relationship with God.

                    Life is about love, relationships,
                trust, truth, compassion, but
                obeying God's rules. When we sin
                we hurt our relationship with
                God. We can put our pride and
                affection for ourselves before
                serving God and do things against God
                for our own power and glory over men.
                What is important is love – It is the
                greatest commandment of God – It
                is a command – Even when someone
                wrongs us - we do not have a right
                to pull a hateful prank on them to get even –
                We do not have a right to kill anyone
                because they harmed us in some
                dealings with some matter –

                    Purity of heart means our focus
                is building things up – relationships
                with God first, with men next – We
                are concerned with loving others
                according to God's will.

                    A violinist knows how to play and
                make beautiful music, he can fix
                the strings or have the bow fixed, he
                has to fine tune the instrument and
                can make beautiful music, beautiful
                music, music in harmony with the
                tunes of God. God intended us to make
                music with our lives, music goes
                out and its sound reverberates as
                the sound travels, it can be a heavenly,
                harmonious sound traveling in the
                air.

                    If I played the violin, I do not know
                how at all, it would not sound
                so good. It takes practice to play
                to have beautiful sounds. It takes
                talent given from God.

                    In relationships we receive
                God's help. In baptism we receive
                a sharing in His life.

           

                    Excerpt from Response to God's Love - The Christian Virtues - Chapter 5

                                                                    The spiritual life, which is centered in the pattern of death-resurrection, variously expresses itself through the Christian virtues. Although we will not offer a treatment of all the Christian virtues, nor by any means an exhaustive presentation of any of them, we will present some considerations concerning a number of them, including, of course, the three main virtues—faith, hope, and love. Faith and love are the most important of the Christian virtues because they assimilate us most intimately to God's life. God's life is a life of divine knowing and loving, and through Christian faith and love we participate in these Trinitarian operations. Hope, for its part, gives a very special support to faith and love.

 

                    Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 8

However, in this present chapter, and extending through the next four, we will consider in a more detailed manner faith, hope and love, as well as certain other Christian virtues. The infused virtues, let us recall, are the supernatural faculties through which we express the paschal mystery in our lives.

 

                R. Faith is participation in God's
                    knowing –

                Fr. Carter "... we will complete our
                    treatment by considering faith as full
                    personal encounter with God
                    and man in Christ.

                    Faith gives the Christian a new
                capacity for knowing. It enables
                him to attain truths about God and
                His creation which would be
                otherwise unknowable..."

                    Faith as St. Thomas states
                assimilates us to the divine
                knowing.
2 Through faith we
                share in God's vision of reality and
                we view God and creation in some
                way as does God Himself."

                2. Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, In boeth. de Trinitate, q.3,a.1.

                    It has been foggy here in Clearwater.
                It is weird to see bright beautiful
                sun and then fog like I would think
                in London. As I write here, my
                lights don't work in my room
                at the Virgin Mary building, if
                I add the fog outside with the
                "no light" situation in here, I can't
                see too good, but God is shedding
                this light given to me on this writing.

                In baptism we receive gifts. Our
                knowing and loving capacity are
                elevated in this sharing in God's
                life.

                Faith, hope and love are theological
                virtues.

 

                Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S. J. - Chapter 8

                1.  Faith as Participation in God's Knowledge

Much of the current writing on faith stresses that this virtue constitutes a personal encounter.1 This is the emphasis we will also adopt. However, since this encounter of faith is initiated through the realm of knowledge, we will first discuss faith as participation in God's knowing. Then we will complete our treatment by considering faith as full personal encounter with God and man in Christ.

     Faith gives the Christian a new capacity for knowing. It enables him to attain truths about God and His creation which would be otherwise unknowable. Faith also enables us to know certain truths which are within the grasp of natural reason, but which are attained by many only with difficulty.

     Faith, as St. Thomas states, assimilates us to the divine knowing.2 Through faith we share in God's vision of reality, and we view God and creation in some way as does God Himself. This vision exists on a level of knowing which surpasses the intellect's natural capacity to grasp reality. Although faith gives only a faint share in God's vision compared to the divine knowledge itself, it is still the greatest vision of reality which is possible for man in his temporal existence.

     What are some of the characteristics of Christian faith? First of all, it is at the same time both certain and obscure. Faith is certain because it is a special sharing in the knowledge of God, God who is the highest truth. The strength of my faith, then, depends not on arguments and proofs from reason. These give a rational foundation to my faith, but they are not faith itself. Rather, the strength of faith depends upon the degree to which God takes possession of the Christian in grace. As the Christian grows in grace, the various infused virtues take deeper root, and the Christian lives more and more the life of God. In regard to faith this means that the Christian is being more vitally assimilated into the divine knowing. His faith becomes more firm. This does not mean that we always correctly estimate the strength of our faith. For various reasons we can at times think that our faith is growing weaker when it is actually becoming stronger. Such an impression can be present as faith is being purified. This process of purification will be touched upon in the present chapter, but also later in the chapter on prayer and the one on the mystical life.

     If faith is certain, it also has an obscurity about it, despite the fact that faith is also light. Faith is obscure because its realities are unseen. These truths of faith will be surrounded with a full brightness only in the beatific vision. Then faith will no longer be necessary. God and His truth will then be immediately present to us. "Now we are seeing a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known." (1 Co 13:12).

     Because the truths of faith are not possessed here below with the complete light of the beatific vision, temptations against faith are possible. If these do occur, we should not be unduly disturbed. Great saints, such as St. Jane Frances de Chantal and St. Teresa of Lisieux, have experienced this trial. If temptations against faith occur, how should we handle them? We should not confront the temptation directly, for this only deepens its impression. We should let the temptation pass by as calmly as possible, taking reasonable means to occupy our attention with something positive. If we react correctly to the temptation, our faith will be strengthened and purified. Faith certainly can be purified in other ways. Consequently, we should not think it necessary to experience these temptations to achieve faith's purification. It is merely a question of properly benefiting from such an experience if it does arise.

     Some seem to speak of temptations against faith in the same way as they do concerning difficulties about the truths of faith. We prefer to make a distinction. Although difficulties concerning faith can certainly lead to temptations to disbelief, it seems that such difficulties can be present without actual temptation against faith. This kind of difficulty or questioning can actually be a desire to understand more perfectly the mysteries of faith. Such questioning, as opposed to temptation to disbelief, can be handled directly through study, reflection and dialogue with persons competent in theology.

     We are presently discussing some of the characteristics of faith. We have said that it is both certain and obscure. It is also evolving.3 By this we mean that the Church, as she progresses through the ages, is meant to strive constantly for a more perfect understanding of the truths of revelation. This is one sense in which the Church's faith evolves. It evolves also in the sense that the Church, reading the signs of the times, must constantly endeavor to present Christ's revelation in categories which are relevant to each succeeding age.4 The Church must so act because of the very nature of revelation. God has revealed Himself in Christ in order to exact a response from man. The Church also has to be concerned about the response which any age makes to her continual presentation of God's revelation. Since one of the factors which will determine man's response to God's word is its discernible relevance to his here-and-now existence, the Church is obligated to make her teaching of the faith as meaningful as possible according to all the various exigencies of each and every age.

     The faith of the individual Christian likewise has an evolving dimension because his faith participates in the evolutionary growth of the Church's faith. But the Christian's faith evolves also precisely because it is the faith of an individual. One's understanding of the mysteries of faith can grow indefinitely. This growth will take place not only through the objective means commonly available to all within the Church, but also through the more subjective means which are peculiar to individuals as individuals. Consider the fact that one's faith evolves as his experience of life evolves. Faith is part of our total existence, and God often causes us to understand more perfectly the mysteries of faith by our actual experience of them in the concrete circumstances of our individual lives.

     Christian faith is certain, obscure to some extent, and evolving. There is a final set of characteristics we would like to mention. As with all aspects of our grace-life, faith is both incarnational and transcendent.5 At the basis of faith's incarnational dimension is the fact that faith is received within this world's material framework. Faith partly depends upon the tangible and concrete for its proper nourishment, growth and expression. One example of this is faith's relationship to the liturgy with its very obvious incarnational dimension. Another example is that faith must be exercised within the ordinary framework of the Christian's everyday experience of work, relaxation, pain and joy. Again, such a framework of daily life has a very obvious material or incarnational aspect.

     If faith is incarnational, it is more ultimately transcendent. The truths of faith, although having a relationship to man's material world, are themselves above it. This fact constitutes one aspect of faith's transcendency. Another aspect is the fact that our conceptual formulation and expression of the mysteries of faith do not completely exhaust their reality. This holds even for the Church's official teaching of these mysteries. It also holds true for theology's expression of the Christian mystery, and for the individual Christian's personal conceptualization of faith's realities, a conceptualization which must be, of course, in proper harmony with the Church's official teaching. Summarily, the mysteries of faith cannot be totally confined to our human categories of thought and speech. These are meant as means to lead us closer to faith's transcendent realities as they are in themselves, especially to the ultimate transcendent reality, our Trinitarian God.

     In light of the above mention of theology, it might be well to consider here a few points concerning its relationship to faith. Theology is the science of faith, and its proper study can be a definite means in developing one's faith. But theology cannot be completely equated with faith. It obviously embraces much of faith's content, but it also contains and makes use of other realities. An example of this is the fact that theology utilizes philosophical categories in expressing revelation. Theology also is not obviously the same as faith in the instances when certain advanced speculations of various theologians are eventually seen to be erroneous. The Christian, while highly valuing theology, must realize in what manner it differs from faith itself.

     This is especially necessary in our present age which is witnessing a ferment, renewal and vital growth in theology. It is always one of the tasks of theology to be in advance of the current official Church teaching.6 This necessary gap is especially evident today because of this very special age of the Church in which we live. This distance between the Church's official teaching and present theological effort seems to disturb many of today's faithful. If we hold fast to the above distinctions between faith and theology, we should be able to maintain our peace of soul and welcome the renewed vigor of today's theology. This vigor is making its own contribution to the growth of the Church's faith.

     1. Cf. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Divine Milieu (New York: Harper & Row, 1965), pp. 101-104.
     2. Cf. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan paperback, 1966), pp. 95-104.
     3. For one particular discussion concerning contemporary asceticism see E. Larkin, "Asceticism in Modern Life" in Concilium, Theology in the Age of Renewal, Vol. 19 (New York: Paulist Press, 1966), pp. 100-108.
     4. St. Thomas Aquinas, S.T., I-II, q. 24, a. 3.    

end of excerpt

 

Prayer for Union with Jesus

Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.

    I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.

    I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.

    When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.

-God's Blue Book, January 17, 1994

 

                    Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S. J. - Chapter 8

     In conclusion, let us be convinced of the following. What faith in Christ means for ourselves and others must engrave itself deeply within our souls. For only then will we have a desire to open ourselves up fully to this life of faith in Christ, and only then will we become the desired instruments in communicating this faith to others. Each of us in his own way must be caught up into the vision, the fire, the enthusiasm of St. Paul: ". . . I believe nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For him I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can have Christ and be given a place in him . . . I want only the perfection that comes through faith in Christ, and is from God and based on faith." (Ph 3:8-9).

 

                Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S. J. - Chapter 9

     Christ, despite the suffering in His life, rejoiced greatly in the accomplishment of His work. Let us also, despite the pain and the effort and the suffering involved, rejoice greatly in the Christian task allotted to each of us. Let us realize that such rejoicing mingled with suffering is part of the death-resurrection involved in evolvement of the secular city. Just as death-resurrection was present in the life of Christ, just as it is present in the life of the Church and each Christian, so it is present in the evolving world order. Through the process of pain and effort and suffering we believe that the world is slowly but surely being more perfectly inserted into newness of life, into Christ's Resurrection. Through our Christian hope we desire to make our contribution to hasten the process. As we so labor with Christ we look ahead to the hour at which Christ will bring to completion His redemptive work. Then, as all becomes subject to Christ in perfect harmony, hope or expectation will be fully realized in regard to the entire universe. Let us recall the words of St. Paul: "After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father. . . . And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all." (1 Co 15:24-28).

 

                Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S. J. - Chapter 10

TEN  Christian Love (Excerpt)

         1. Our Need to Love and Be Loved

Christianity is fundamentally a life of love. The Christian is one who opens himself to God's love, and responds with a love of his own. The Christian also realizes that his life is not only a love relationship with God, but also a going out of his self-centeredness to other human persons in various forms of Christian love. Finally, the Christian is one who realizes that in one way or another he needs the love of others and is willing to open himself to this love.

    The Church, the People of God, must increasingly give witness to these multiple dimensions of Christian love. To the extent that the Church fails to do so, to that degree does she fail to be a faithful continuation of the Incarnation. For the Incarnation is above all a manifestation of love, and this in various ways. First of all, Christ is the tangible and irrevocable expression of God's determination to communicate Himself in love to men: "Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life." (Jn 3:16).

    Christ is also the visible expression of mankind's response to God's love, for as man, Christ made this perfect response in love to His Father. Further, Christ is the overwhelming concretization of what it means to love one's fellowman. Finally, He is the visible manifestation of one who perfectly opens Himself to receiving love from others.

    We Christians, the People of God, must continue these various manifestations of love contained in the Incarnate Word. By our lives we must give witness to the fact that we have opened ourselves to God's loving self-communication, and that we are responding to that love with all that we are. We must give evidence that we want to give ourselves to others in a life of loving service, and that we are open to the love which others graciously extend to us.

    It is of prime importance that all forms of loving, human relationships flourish in the life of the Church. Examples of such relationships are those found in marriage and family life, religious life and other friendships. These relationships not only witness to our willingness to love others and be loved by them, but they are schools for such reciprocal love. These relationships increase my capacity to love others and increase my openness in receiving love. Furthermore, these various interpersonal relationships help me to be open in receiving God's love and responding to it. However, if these relationships are to be fully authentic, they themselves must be rooted in our love relationship with God.

 
        
2. Love of God

It sounds so commonplace and obvious to say that God loves us. But if we could more perfectly realize what it means to be loved by God, our chances for complete transformation in Christ would be enhanced. With God's grace we must keep striving for a deeper comprehension of God's love. This love has brought us into existence, has redeemed us, and has given us a special mission in life. God in His love is ever with me, preserving me in life, asking me to accept Him more and more, desiring to take deeper possession of me in grace. God loves me, and He is my supporting rock, the one who will never fail me, the only one who can be my complete fulfillment.

    God is the tremendous lover. And yet, we know that only too often we fail to respond to Him as we should. But we must keep trying. We must keep trying to fulfill more completely the commandment Christ has given us: "But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, 'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law? ' Jesus said, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbor as yourself. . .' " (Mt 22:34-40).

    St. Francis de Sales, a great spiritual master and a Doctor of the Church, aptly describes how we are to love God: "We have two principal ways of exercising our love for God; the first is affective and the second effective, or as St. Bernard calls it, active. By the first we have affection for God and what he loves. By the second we serve God and do what he ordains. The first joins us to God's goodness; the second enables us to fulfill his will. The first fills us with complacence, benevolence, and spiritual impulses, desires, aspirations, and fervors, and causes us to use the sacred infusions and minglings of our spirit with that of God. The second pours into us the solid resolution, firm courage, and inviolable obedience required to carry out the ordinances of God's will, and to suffer, accept, approve, and embrace all that comes from his good pleasure."1

. . .

         3. Love of Man

"My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love.  . . . Anyone who says, 'I love God', and hates his brother, is a liar, since a man who does not love the brother that he can see cannot love God, whom he has never seen. So this is the commandment that he has given us, that anyone who loves God must also love his brother." (1 Jn 4:7-21).

    Our God is a God who knows and loves. This divine knowing and loving exists not only among the divine persons themselves. Father, Son and Holy Spirit also go out in knowledge and love to man and the rest of creation. Consequently, since our life in Christ is a share in God's life, we are called to love not only God, but also man and the rest of creation. The Christian has structured within his life of grace this deep desire – sometimes very latent – to give himself to his fellowman in various forms of love. If this desire is not thwarted, it can truly help change the face of the earth.

    What are some of the characteristics of our love for others? First of all, our love of neighbor should exclude no one. It should embrace every single person the world over. As Christ's love for man was universal, so must ours be. And as Christ truly achieved good for men in His love for them, so must we. In other words, in our universal love for men we must be willing to act to help promote their good. We can at least do this in our prayer for their various material and spiritual needs. This constitutes no slight contribution of love, for prayer is one of the great means of channeling God's gifts to the world.

    Secondly, our love for man must take the form of a life service in one form or other. Christ came to serve. He was fully the man for others. Can our lives be orientated in any other direction? Through our lives of loving service we make our contribution to God's creative and redemptive effort. God's love brought about creation and redemption. Our love united to His continues the process. Man and his universe are making their way back to the Father in Christ through the dynamism of love. It is interesting to note that this fact is at the heart of Teilhard de Chardin's cosmic evolutionary process in Christ.3 Teilhard, in contemporary thought patterns, is enunciating a traditional Christian truth.

    Whatever the service is that we offer – as engineer, as doctor, as priest, as teacher, as mother, as nurse – it must be permeated with love. If it is not, it does not achieve its full effect in promoting God's creative and redemptive efforts. 

    At times it is only the motive of love which will keep a person faithful to his particular form of loving service. What but a deep love for her children supports a woman who has been deserted by her husband? What but a deep love of God and man can make a young man give up his family, the prospect of marriage, his homeland – all so that he may become a missionary priest? What but a deep love for the underprivileged can support an inner city worker amidst the squalor, the disease, the bitterness, the hopelessness which he meets daily? No, redemption cannot be continued without love – God's love or ours.

    There is a final point concerning our service of love. We serve not only as individuals. At times we will be able to make our greatest contribution as a member of a group. This is an application of the communal dimension of Christianity. This common service could be as a member of a parish or civic organization, as a member of a religious order or a secular institute. There are numerous possibilities. One important thing members of such groups must realize: it takes love, sometimes great love, to remain properly selfless in group activity. There is no room in such group enterprises for the person who is always mistakenly looking for the wrong type of self-fulfillment at the expense of the particular organization. He who seeks his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life shall find it.

    There is a third characteristic which must accompany our love for others. We must be willing to love without receiving love in return. This is a hard lesson for us to learn, but a most necessary one. Our Christian love is a participation in the love of Christ. And what is one outstanding feature of Christ's love? He has first loved man, and He has not always been loved in return. Yet Christ continues to love. In our love for others we also must be willing to take the initiative. God in His providence wants us to receive love from others also. But if this love seems to be lacking at times, or only faintly manifest, then God can supply for the lack. The important thing is that we ourselves keep on trying to love. 

    There is another characteristic of our love for man which pertains to those whom we directly encounter. Our love for these persons must manifest an appropriate human warmth. We are supposed to love God and man with our entire being. This means, in part, that our love is emotional. This is the way Christ as man loved, with His entire human nature. In the proper sense, Christ was a deeply emotional man. He wept in love over Jerusalem, and He wept in love at the tomb of Lazarus. We know also that the children loved to flock to Christ. He must have been a warm personality, for children shy away from those who are cold and austere. Our love, like that of Christ, must also be properly influenced by the emotions. Otherwise it is not a fully human love, and, therefore, not a fully Christian love. 

    In regard to our direct encounter with others, it is necessary that we be cognizant of another very important point. To a considerable extent, these persons experience God's love for them through ourselves and others like us. This is an application of the law of incarnation. God has loved man through the tangible, visible humanity of Christ. Christ no longer walks this earth, but the same principle holds true. We Christians are extensions of the heavenly Christ. In union with Christ we help in continuing the tangible, visible presence of God's love in this world. Through the love of our visible, concrete persons we continue incarnational love. In loving those whom I directly encounter in this manner – and let us remember I can love a person with a basic Christian love without "liking" things about him – I help to give them the courage to be and to become. Love received is a powerful force in developing the goodness in a person. Truly, when I love a person I help that person become what God destines him to be.

    Furthermore, we in part show our love for others by allowing them to love us. A person grows by loving. In receiving love from others, therefore, we are loving them by giving them this opportunity to grow. We ourselves need this love which others give us. We are not self-sufficient beings; we are social beings who need others in so many different ways in going to the Father in Christ. We have to learn to open ourselves up to others and allow ourselves to be loved by them. At times in our pride we shrink away from this truth: that we need others – a need, of course, which must be always regulated by God's will. But we must resist these moments of pride that tell us we are self-sufficient. Remember, no man is an island.

  

                Friendship with God and
                    others –

               

        c) Friendship as a School of Love

Friendship is a form of Christian love. It is therefore intended by God to help make me a Christian who loves more sincerely, more deeply, more selflessly. Friendships are not meant to close in upon themselves. Through friendship we should be learning how to go out of ourselves anew in love to God and man. This is true because I cannot authentically love a friend without at the same time growing in my capacity to relate more deeply in love to God and others. In friendship I should be learning how to love more perfectly.

    Since friendship is a school of love, it is evident why it cannot be exclusive. A friendship which makes me less loving towards others needs examination. Although, I have a special love for my friends, exclusiveness must be avoided. Jealousy or neglect of duty arising from a friendship are other indications that not all is right with the relationship. These and other possible negative characteristics should not overly surprise us if they appear, especially in a minor way. If they appear, they are merely a sign that we are still learning to love, and that at times we fail to some extent. However, negative characteristics, especially those of a serious nature, must be either eliminated or properly controlled. If there is a case of a serious disorder which cannot be corrected, the course of action seems obvious. The friendship – or what was a friendship – should be terminated, for the relationship has ceased to be a form of real Christian love.

    As always, though, we should accentuate the positive. We should be optimistic about our friendships, confident that with God's grace they will always remain what they should be. This grace of God has been made concrete for us in the person of Christ. For the Christian, Christ should be present in every friendship. It is in His presence and with His help that our friendships are to be rooted. In this way they will flourish and become more beneficial, more profound and more beautiful.

 
         5. Christian Love Exercised According to the Various Vocations

Since the Christian life is rooted in love, all of its various vocations are primarily vocations to love. The single life in the world, the married life, the religious life and the priestly life, are all various life-forms in which the multiple dimensions of Christian love are to be exercised and experienced. In this context of Christian love we will make brief observations concerning each of these vocations. . . .

    Finally, we now consider the celibate love of priests and religious. This type of love is also a life-form of loving. This form of Christian loving has its own particular contribution to make to the Church and world. One facet of this contribution is the powerful witness value of celibate love. The celibate priest and religious give an unmistakable manifestation that God has entered this world and given Himself in love to man. For celibate love, with its renunciation of marriage, is a striking testimony that God can seize a person with His loving grace and enable that person to sacrifice one of man's most treasured gifts, marriage. This visible witness of God's love among us is always a necessity in the Church, and no other vocation can give this witness in the same way as can that of publicly professed celibacy. . . .

    In conclusion, we repeat that every state of life within the Church is fundamentally a particular life-form of Christian love. According to his vocation it is the primary task of the Christian to open himself to God's love and to respond to that love, to love man and to open himself to receive love from other human persons. These various dimensions of love are at the heart of our participation in Christ's death-resurrection. It is in trying to love properly that we really learn what it means to die with Christ. Receiving God's love and giving ourselves in return can cost us much, very much, at times. And to love others and open ourselves to their love can involve its own share of pain, hurt and frustration. Yes, to love properly truly means to die with Christ. Yet more importantly, to love properly also means to share in His Resurrection, His newness of life. Life here and hereafter is essentially a life of love. Without love there is no real happiness, no real joy, no real peace. If we are not willing to pay the price of loving, then we do not really wish to experience life in its fullness. For the Christian especially, to live is to love.

       1. St. Francis de Sales, On the Love of God, Vol. 1, Bk. 6, Ch. 1 (New York: Doubleday Image Books, 1963), p. 267.      
       3. Cf. R. Faricy, Teilhard de Chardin's Theology of the Christian in the World (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 185-196.      

   

                R. Our knowing and loving capacity
                    is elevated in baptism –
                    We share in God's knowing
                    and loving capacity.

                We must see this evolving with
                    God's grace as we develop
                    in our love for God and
                    others –
                    as we die to our selfish
                    ways and
                    know through the eyes of
                    God and
                    love through God.

                As we live in Him –

 

Galatians 2: 19-20

...I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.

 

 

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 1

    The Incarnation, as we have briefly pointed out, was and is a rich and varied event. The truths that accompany Christ's descent into our world are numerous and capable of not only originally elevating us to a new life, but also constantly leading us to a deeper, richer, and more vibrant participation in that life. This is why Christ came to live in our midst—to give us life in abundance:

The Word became flesh
                                    and made his dwelling among us.
                                    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
                                    Of his fullness
                                    we have all had a share—
                                    love following upon love.

Jn 1:14-16

 

                R. The Incarnation goes on in us!

                The incarnation goes on in us.
                We are living in Him –
                    putting on Christ –

                    Loving as He loves in us.
 

Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.

    ... In reference to Christianity, God himself is the ultimate mystery. Radically, God is completely other and transcendent, hidden from man in his inner life, unless he chooses to reveal himself. Let us briefly look at this inner life of God.

    The Father, in a perfect act of self-expression, in a perfect act of knowing, generates his son. The Son, the Word, is, then, the immanent expression of God's fullness, the reflection of the Father. Likewise, from all eternity, the Father and the Son bring forth the Holy Spirit in a perfect act of loving.

    At the destined moment in human history, God's self-expression, the Word, immersed himself into man's world. God's inner self-expression now had also become God's outer self-expression. Consequently, the mystery of God becomes the mystery of Christ. In Christ, God tells us about himself, about his inner life, about his plan of creation and redemption. He tells us how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit desire to dwell within us in the most intimate fashion, how they wish to share with us their own life through grace. All this he has accomplished and does accomplish through Christ.

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 2

       The word of the LORD came to me thus:
       "Before I formed you in the womb I
               knew you,
               before you were born I dedicated
               you,
               a prophet to the nations I appointed
               you."
       "Ah, LORD GOD!" I said,
               "I know not how to speak; I am too
               young."
       But the LORD answered me,
       "Say not, 'I am too young.'
               To whomever I send you, you shall
               go;
               Whatever I command you, you shall
               speak.
       Have no fear before them,
               because I am with you to deliver
               you, says the LORD."
                                                         —
Jer 1:4-8

                . . .

       And finally, there are those Christians who initially answer God's call and continue to answer it in an eminently generous manner. They develop their uniqueness marvelously and become forceful shapers of the world's Christic destiny. Their good actions are deeply etched into the human process, although they may well be hidden from public acclaim. Because of them and their actions, the world's goodness is enhanced, and mankind has come considerably closer to fulfilling its temporal and eternal destinies.

       Today's Church needs more of this type of Christian. The Church and the world in which she is situated are experiencing a time of crisis—perhaps the most critical time of all history, for at what other time in human history could life as we know it on this earth end so suddenly in a nuclear holocaust? Yet, although we live in an age of special crisis that has tremendous and numerous problems, we also live in an age of great opportunity. God, for his part, always provides for the needs of both the Church and the world in which the Church is meant to serve. Surely, in this age of great need and opportunity, God will not fail to call Christians of all vocations to completely and eminently dedicate themselves to the task at hand. We should pray that everyone will respond according to their own uniqueness and make their own special contribution to the work of Christ.

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 3

    Our incorporation into the mystery of Christ at baptism initiates us into a life that God intends to develop into full maturity. Our life in Christ as guided by the Spirit is not a static given, a life that is received in baptism and then simply clung to. It is not a life that we are merely to avoid losing through serious sin. Rather, it is our task to develop this life through a process of evolutionary growth. God has truly placed us in a situation of becoming. Our personal uniqueness is meant to gradually unfold into its full stature in Christ as we increasingly fulfill God's will in deepening faith, hope, and love. . . .

       We all follow the one and same Christ and we must all have an attitude of complete openness, of expectancy concerning the unpredictable, an attitude that will allow the Spirit to lead us according to his way of forming us in the image of Christ. At times we might have a too minutely preconceived idea of how we will become in Christ and we are, therefore, somewhat rigid about the whole process. Although the following of Christ is basically the same for all, how can we be sure what particular path of imitation—mapped out in rather complete detail—the Spirit has prepared for each of us? We can certainly be tempted to think that we know with considerable certainty the way in which our becoming in Christ should logically evolve. We must learn, however, to balance an attitude of stability that is rooted in a certain way of life, a certain way of following Christ, with a spiritual freedom that makes us really open to what the Spirit wants of us, however surprising, novel, or unusual this may seem.

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 4

Our incorporation into the mystery of Christ at baptism, and the gradual maturing of that life in the process of becoming, is centered in the pattern of death-resurrection. Indeed, the theme of death-resurrection is at the heart of salvation history. Let us briefly consider its place in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and in God's ongoing self-communication, always remembering that any form of death—that is, any form of suffering—is meant to lead to greater life, greater peace, and greater happiness.

       The theme of death-resurrection is at the heart of Old Testament history. The Jewish people, under the leadership of Moses, experienced death-resurrection as they were formed into the people of the covenant—Yahweh's people. In the great Exodus event, they escaped Egyptian slavery, went on to Mt. Sinai where the covenant was ratified, and then progressed to the Promised Land. As members of the Mosaic covenant—as Yahweh's people—the Jews experienced a religious transition; they passed over to a higher level of religious existence, to a more intimate union with God.

       This religious transition contained death-resurrection. For the Jews to become people of the covenant, to remain so, and to grow in the life of the covenant, it was necessary that they undergo a mystical or spiritual death. In short, the Jews had to be willing to pay a price; they had to be willing to bear with that which was difficult in covenant life; they had to be willing to die to that which was not according to Yahweh's will. This mystical death, however, had a very positive purpose; it was directed at life in the covenant and at growth in that life. This spiritual death, in other words, was aimed at resurrection.

       Christ perfectly fulfilled the Old Testament theme of death-resurrection. In doing so, he, too, was experiencing a religious transition. He was passing over—gradually, at first, and then definitively in his death—to a new kind of existence, to the life of his resurrection, which he achieved not only for himself, but for all mankind. To achieve this new life of resurrection, Jesus was willing to pay the price; Jesus was willing to suffer, even unto death. That it had to be this way—that the only way Christ could have achieved resurrection was through suffering and death—was pointed out by Jesus himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: "Then he said to them, 'What little sense you have! How slow you are to believe all that the prophets have announced! Did not the Messiah have to undergo all this so as to enter into his glory?' Beginning, then, with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to him" (Lk 24:25-27).

                Though he was harshly treated, he
                             submitted
                       and opened not his mouth;
                Like a lamb led to the slaughter
                       or a sheep before the shearers,
                       he was silent and opened not his
                             mouth.
                Oppressed and condemned, he was
                             taken away,
                       and who would have thought any
                             more of his destiny?
                When he was cut off from the land of
                             the living,
                       and smitten for the sin of his people,
                A grave was assigned him among the
                             wicked
                       and a burial place with evildoers,
                Though he had done no wrong
                             nor spoken any falsehood.
                                                                 —Is 53:7-9

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 6

       The Church is the Body of Christ. One of the truths that is emphasized by this concept is the idea of community. The communion that binds the members of the Church together is, in turn, connected with that wider idea of community that embraces the whole of mankind. . . .

       The Christian community, in turn, develops when those who make up that community develop as authentic Christians. Just as each divine person contributes perfectly to the community life of the Trinity according to the perfect fullness of his personhood, so each Christian contributes to community life in proportion to the degree of his or her personal development.

       Authentic interpersonal relationships help to develop community. The Trinitarian community is a community of profound relationships. Because we reflect Trinitarian community, we are intended to have relationships not only with the persons of the Trinity, but likewise with one another. Authentic interpersonal relationships not only unite in a deeper knowledge and love the persons directly involved, they also make a person more capable of loving others more deeply and, therefore, more capable of deepening the bonds of total community. If a person is growing in the capacity to love his or her friends, for example, that person is concurrently growing in the capacity to also love others—both those who are members of the Church and those who are not.

       The concept of the Church as Body of Christ certainly emphasizes the sense of corporateness that should permeate the consciousness of the Church's members. We must think in terms of both what is good for the entire Church and, through this Church, what is good for the total human community. Even when we disagree among ourselves, we do so not because we want to glory in having the upper hand, but because we believe that to disagree here and now is necessary so that the truth might better emerge for the good of the community. St. Paul speaks to us about this sense of corporateness: "In the name of the encouragement you owe me in Christ, in the name of the solace that love can give, of fellowship in spirit, compassion, and pity, I beg you: make my joy complete by your unanimity, possessing the one love, united in spirit and ideals. Never act out of rivalry or conceit; rather, let all parties think humbly of others as superior to themselves, each of you looking to others' interests rather than his own" (Phil 2:1-4). . . .

       As we end our discussion of the Church, the Christian community, let us recall the words of St. Paul: "Let us, then, be children no longer, tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine that originates in human trickery and skill in proposing error. Rather, let us profess the truth in love and grow to the full maturity of Christ the head. Through him the whole body grows, and with the proper functioning of the members joined firmly together by each supporting ligament, builds itself up in love" (Eph 4:14-16).

 

                From Blue Book 11

Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.
Founder of Shepherds of Christ - Rita's Spiritual Director
Rita Ring, Co-founder of Shepherds of Christ
 

                Excerpt from Response in Christ - Chapter 4 by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.

     In schematic outline we have discussed the manner in which the baptized Christian extends his Mass to his daily existence. As he so lives out his Mass, he is becoming more Christlike. He becomes a more perfect priest and victim for his next participation in the eucharistic sacrifice.42 The beautiful cycle which the Mass contains lies exposed before us. As part of this cycle the Christian is intimately involved in the process of continued redemption. The Mass is the center of the Christian life: ". . . the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fount from which all her power flows."43

42. For a current treatment of the varied richness of the Eucharist, cf. J. Wicks, "The Movement of Eucharistic Theology" in Chicago Studies, Vol. 10 (1971), pp. 267-284.
43. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, No. 10.

 

                November 21, 2013

Jesus: I call you to live your lives as devout members of the mystical body of Christ. I have given these writings that men will realize that they are to live united deeply to the Mass going on around the world. Your lives, given as an offering, a sacrifice every moment in union with the Mass going on around the world. Your life, a sacrifice, offered to the Father, in union with the Mass in oneness with Me, in the Holy Spirit through the intercession of the Blessed Mother with all the angels and saints and the souls in purgatory.

    Your lives given as members of My mystical body can help to bring down great graces for the priest, the Church and the world.

 

Excerpt from Response in Christ - Chapter 4 by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.

"How does the Christian help Christ redeem the world? (Henceforth the term "world" is to be understood as including both rational and nonrational creation.) As previously stated, the Christian helps Christ redeem the world by reliving Christ's mysteries. The same "events" or mysteries which accomplished the objective redemption further the subjective redemption also. Since at the heart of Christ's mysteries are His death and Resurrection, it is especially these that the Christian must relive. As the Christian dies mystically with Christ through loving conformity with the Father's will, he rises with Christ to an ever greater share in the Resurrection, in the newness of life, in the life of grace. As the Christian in this manner relives the paschal mystery of Christ, he is accomplishing not only his own redemption, but he is also, in a mysterious yet real manner, helping Christ redeem the world."

 

Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 7

       When Jesus speaks of his blood as "the blood of the covenant," we are reminded that blood sealed or ratified the Mosaic covenant at Mt. Sinai. Moses sprinkled blood upon the altar, which represented God, and upon the Jewish people. Because blood was a distinctive symbol of life for the Jews, such an action had a deep significance for them. This action of Moses symbolized the sealing or ratification of the covenant—a new life relationship between Yahweh and the Jews.

       The blood of Jesus has also formed a covenant—the new covenant. In the shedding of his blood, Jesus has established a new life relationship between his Father and mankind. Forming a core focal point of redeemed mankind are the people of the new covenant, namely, the members of the Christian community, the Church. The Eucharist, in recalling and sacramentally re-enacting the shedding of Jesus' covenant blood, is the Church's great covenant act. The Eucharist sustains the life of the covenant, nourishes it, causes it to grow to greater maturity. Through participation in the eucharistic liturgy we should be growing in covenant attitudes—in a sense of community, in a deep love of the Church, in a desire to contribute our share to the building up of this Body of Christ. We should be learning to curb our selfishness because it deadens a dynamic concern for the Christian community and makes us a burden to the brethren. Participation in the Eucharist should also be curbing divisive jealousy, forming us more and more as persons who want to deeply love one another so that it can more often be said of us, "See those Christians, how they love one another." The Eucharist can more radically shape us according to these covenant attitudes if we allow it. We repent concerning the times we have resisted; we rejoice concerning the times we have opened ourselves to the Eucharist's transformative power.

 

R. The 3 Loves

    Love of God
    Love of self
    Love of neighbor

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 8

The true Christian is imbued with consciousness of others. That is to say, the true Christian is keenly aware that, to a great degree, God intends each of us to press on toward maturity in the spiritual life through a proper encounter with others. Indeed, the Christian imperative reminds us that we are to walk life's path, not in   isolation, but hand in hand with our fellow human beings.

To authentically encounter others we must be properly aware of who they really are; we must, in short, be able to penetrate beyond surface appearances, which may or may not be appealing to us, and contact others in their core existence. When we are truly in touch with others at the core of their beings, we are simultaneously aware of their awesome dignity. We are conscious that these persons are created and redeemed by God in his love. Fortified with this proper awareness, we are thus in a position to relate to them as we should.

In order to be in touch with the inner self of others, we must be aware of or in touch with our own inner or true self. This awareness, in turn, is an awareness that our self is likewise made in the image of God, that it has been divinized in Christ and is to be oriented toward God and neighbor. Here, then, we see the profound interaction between the three awarenesses and loves—awareness and love of God, self, and neighbor. As Christians, consequently, we should have a maturing sense of how our existence is, in varied ways, profoundly interlinked with the existence of others. This feeling of union with others is not limited to those we directly encounter, but, in some sense, is directed to all members of the human family.

 

                R. We seek to develop mystically –

                We seek insight into the
                    Divine Mysteries –

                Deep love union with
                    God and others –

                A MYSTERY

                The invisible string

                Christ came and showed us the
                    way –
                    The Christ-event –
                    The Christ-event was
                    centered in death/resurrection,
                    the PASCHAL MYSTERY



                We also see our incorporation
                    into Christ at baptism
                    centers our own
                    Christian existence
                    in the same pattern
                    of death - resurrection.

                Jesus lived out death - resurrection
                    within the frame-work of
                    incarnationalism and
                    transcendence; as He
                    did this, so do we –

                We help in the work of redemption.

                The gift of giving oneself
                    united to the Mass and
                    helping the whole world
                    is beyond our
                    understanding –

                It takes grace to know what
                    God wants with our
                    calling to love, lavishly
                    by giving our life as God intends
                    this self-giving of ourselves
                    according to His rules of love.

 

                Excerpt from Response to God's Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. - Chapter 13

The Christian, then, who tends to rebel against structure, is actually rebelling against the law of Incarnation. The Church's structure is meant to serve the Christian community in relating properly to God and the world in faith, hope, and love. To put it another way, the Church's structure is intended to aid her members in living according to the Holy Spirit.


 


 

In this weather we need to
    pray for all those suffering
    from the weather.

We need to make reparation for all
    the sins against God's will
    Mary and Jesus have said.

Here is a tremendous offer Jesus
    told us to make.

The Lady of Lourdes Statue
    with Glass.

This statue is very beautiful –
    It is hand painted and
    handmade
With the image glass from
    Mary's image head.

Great grace is promised to those who
    pray the Shepherds of Christ Prayers

    . as a Prayer Group
    . as a Family

Novena al Espiritu Santo  English

Novena al Espiritu Santo  Español

Novena al Espiritu Santo  Français

Novena al Espiritu Santo  Português

Novena al Espiritu Santo  Italiano

Novena al Espiritu Santo  Polska

 

  Special Lady of Lourdes
Offer

Celebrate Mary's
Immaculate Conception
with a gift for Valentine's Day
for yourself or someone you love.

In honor of Our Lady of Lourdes

Postage Free in US
or come to our Centers!


12" Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes
with glass from Mary's image face plus
the DVD of the Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima
and Blue Book 8


All for $78.00
while supply lasts!

Call Regina 1-727-776-2763
Call Rosie 888-211-3041

 

Special Sale Statues with image glass

     

12" Sacred Heart of Jesus
Originally $200 - on Sale for $100

15" Pilgrim Virgin Fatima
Originally $200 - on Sale for $85

12" Our Lady of Fatima
Originally $160 - on Sale for $75

11" Our Lady of Fatima
Originally $150 - on Sale
for $50

 plus shipping
while supplies last

Call Regina 1-727-776-2763
Call Rosie 888-211-3041


 

 

Blue Book 11 - $5.00 plus postage
Call Rosie 1-888-211-3041
Give a gift that counts.

 

March 22, 2012

Jesus: My dear people,

    Today March 22, 2012, I want you to make available the statues: Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Guadalupe with the glass, so people will honor Mary and pray the prayers as I have requested before the statue praying for the priests, the Church and the world.

    Pray the prayers before the statues with glass for healings and blessings for your family, for your country, for the Church and the world. I promise special graces to those praying these prayers, and graces drawing them closer to My Heart and My Mother's heart. I want all to know My Mother's love as their mother. Put the statues with the glass in your homes and Churches, your schools and places of businesses and pray these prayers given to Fr. Carter, S.J., founder of Shepherds of Christ, in the prayer manual for the priests, the Church and the world. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock.

 

 

March 1, 2004

   

 

March 1, 2004

 

 

 
Fatima/Clearwater Glass Statues

 

                Jesus told me to put the glass from Mary's
                    image face in the statue.

                I gave a statue to a woman and she
                    did not have to have surgery after 3
                    doctors told her she needed her kidney
                    out because of cancer.

                Jesus said we should pray the Shepherds of Christ
                    prayers before the statue
                    and have the statues in the homes,
                    Churches, etc.

                Others have come running to me after
                    they prayed the prayers (Shepherds of
                    Christ Prayer Manual) before
                    the statue and said
                    crying

                    "Oh Rita, since you gave me the statue
                        with the glass and I prayed the
                        prayers —
                        my son has returned to Church —"

                    Another woman said, "My husband
                        who was in need of prayer is
                        building a grotto for the statue,
                        and he has changed."

                Give these statues for Christmas
                    We will have 10" statues before Christmas.
                    We will have 12" statues before Christmas.
                    We have 18" statues now — home
                        made, hand painted and the
                        crown is handmade —

                It is beautiful and
                    it has the glass from the image
                    in the cloud.

                We have beautiful 27" statues               

                Call Regina
 
                    1-727-776-2763

                Call Rosie now

                    1-888-211-3041

 

Yes — All the ends of the earth have seen
the power of God.

 

     God has called us to be united as a family in
the Shepherds of Christ.

     This is a vocation — to pray deeply for
the priests, the Church and the world and
to help support the Newsletter and the
Ministries.

     Remember the image of Our Lady
of Clearwater on the building. We have
very special Fatima statues so you can
have a special place of prayer in your
homes, praying the rosary for your family
and for the priests, the Church and the
world. If you are interested in these
very special Fatima/Clearwater statues
e-mail me with your phone number
and address 
info@sofc.org.

     Those using the special statues
will be united to us in a special way —
We want you to pray the Shepherds of
Christ prayers for the priests, the Church
and the world from your special place
in your home.

     When people have set up a prayer corner/niche
with this statue, Fatima/Clearwater glass, they have
reported that their families have received special
blessings. With this statue it is important to pray
the prayers in the red prayer manual and consecrate
your home and family to the Sacred Heart and
Immaculate Heart.

Call Sheila or Doris about statues or go to China or
Clearwater.
 

1-888-211-3041 or 1-812-273-8405

 

 

                April 21, 2012

                Message from Jesus!

                R. Jesus appeared in the most
                    beauteous light — radiant
                    faces — I cannot explain —

                Jesus speaks:

                    I wish the Sacred Heart Statues
                with the glass in all homes
                and My Mother's statue with
                glass. She is the Queen of Peace.

                    I am faithful to My Promises.

                    I promise to bring down great
                graces for all praying the
                prayers before the statue —
                Healing graces —
                graces in abundance for families —
                I want this devotion to the Sacred Heart
                and Immaculate Heart in homes.

                May is the month of Mary
                June the month of the Sacred Heart —

 


The rainbow lasted for over an hour during the prayers.

 

The rainbow lasted for over an hour during the prayers.

   

        

   

 

     

 

Healings

from

The Building of the Two Hearts
   

1. A gentleman from Florida called and said since he got the Fatima Statue with glass his life has been transformed. 3/3/2009

2. After using the Jesus water, pain and non-movement (for 3 years) in my fingers was healed instantly. Now fingers are cracking and working and no pain. Has taken x-rays. 10-19-2008

3. Ruptured ACL Ligament and PCL ligament left leg (knee) and damaged meniscus. 3-4 weeks excruciating pain. MRI showed damaged ligaments - went to do surgery and scopes revealed no damage other than meniscus injury. Day before surgery we came here to pray for healing. Wife anointed knee with Jesus water. Were told prior to surgery that would be out of work 3-6 months and surgery would be 4 hours. Surgery was only 40 minutes and recovery time is 1-2 weeks.  8/13/2008

4. My best friend (a couple) was granted a son, which now is my godson. They've been married for a long time but never had a child until they both came to see the Virgin Mary's image.  8/4/2007

5. I just wanted to tell you we have had so many prayers answered most especially since we have had the image statue in our home a few months ago. Prayers being miraculously answered for our children & grandchildren, our daughter's heart has literally almost healed ... she is also pregnant and that is also a miracle that she carried the baby this far, she is so thankful and also her cardiologist can't figure out how she is doing so well, and even agreed with her it must be prayers being said for her. He also told her in her 4th month to abort the baby, maybe he will have a conversion, we hope. Others in my family have changed since we got the statue. They are more understanding and patient and love being a Catholic more than ever before ...We thank Jesus, Mary, Rita and you all. Praise all of heaven. We are also so eager to have many more prayers answered. We are giving our married children a 10 inch statue each for their homes and red prayer manual if they would also like to say the prayers if they so choose to. The statue we know will help them with many graces as they pray before it as it has helped us in our home and lives. Love you all.  8/3/2007

6. Pregnancy. (A long note about how a woman got pregnant after she came to the Virgin Mary Building.) 3/21/2008

7. My mother was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in April 2005. She received the Jesus water of Clearwater that my brother brought to El Salvador. She was treated at Instituto Salvadoreno del Segino Social. She was expected to live 3-6 months. She lived well for 2 years. Now she rests in peace with Lord Jesus and Virgin Mary. She died of Pneumonia March 21, 2007.  4/27/2007

8. The CAT scan showed a dark spot and they thought they would have to remove my right kidney. My family went to the Blessed Mother and asked for prayers and help. They also got the healing water. Well all our prayers were answered. There was no cancer or tumor. Thanks for all your prayers and help, and thanks to the Lord above.  4/18/2007

9. Knees were injured from motorcycle accident July/August 2006. His mom got the water in Florida right after the accident and took it to him and he used it every day and now his knees are completely healed. He knows Jesus water did it. 1/9/2007

10. Suspected blood clot. Pain in leg with swelling. Jesus water was used and pain went away and swelling. 12/31/2006

11. Barretrs – My husband brought Jesus water to hospital and put on my stomach. Biopsy came back fine.  12/27/06

12. A man from South Carolina came to thank Jesus and Mary for his healing. His brother sent him Jesus' water when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Three doctors told him there was nothing they could do for him. He started using Jesus' water and started feeling better (He could hardly walk, he was using a wheelchair a lot). He went back to the doctor and tests showed no more cancer — gone! The doctor told him he never saw this happen before. He is around 70 years old and walks and feels normal.   2006

13. A lady from Egypt wrote asking St. Mary for a baby for 3 years. She helped me and now I have a little daughter. Her name is Mariam after St. Mary name by my language. Thank God and Thank St. Mary. She always remembers me. - Egypt  10/25/2006

14. This woman filled out a healing form at the site. I am so blessed by the Blessed Mother that she has been there for me on more than several occasions. She performed a miracle on all occasions, one in particular was cancer of the right leg. The doctors wanted to cut my leg off the cancer was in the bone. When I returned to New York and went to a plastic surgeon he saw the cat scan and said my chances weren't good. When he did the surgery the cancer was not in the bone. It was superficial.  9/2/2006

15. Stroke. Healed August 2006. 9/2/2006

16. A year ago he went to Orlando for a test on his prostate. It was positive. He came here in May and got some Jesus water out of the trough. He went back to the doctor and he was healed. - Venezuela  8/25/2006

17. Infertility. Conceived and gave birth exactly 9 months after our first visit to Clearwater in August 2000. Our son was born exactly 9 months after our visit (May 20, 2001). I've had surgeries on both ovaries in 1998 and had very little chance of conceiving. Mother Mary gave us our blessing and wish. 7/21/2006

18. Peter was operated on for cancer he had for 10 years on his leg and because the wound was so big, they had to take some skin from another part of his leg to be able to fix it but it did split. So Monday the doctor said that another surgery was needed but thanks to Jesus water on Wednesday on that same week he was healed. - Argentina   7/2/2006

19. Cancer of the lungs. A friend of ours who we visit from Canada. He told us of his illness and we came and prayed at the Virgin Mary's appearance on March 28, 2006. He had Jesus' water put on him the night before his surgery. His surgery was on March 31 and the cancer was gone. Thank you for your blessings.  4/2/2006

20. Lower back muscle strain. After straining my back I used the Jesus water before using pain crème. After putting on the water I no longer needed the crème. The strain was gone.  3/16/2006

21. Neuropathy. He had gotten Jesus water a few days ago and went to the doctor yesterday.  3/15/2006

22. Pregnancy. I could not become pregnant. I came here to ask Mary to extend her hands on me, to be able to have a child. The miracle happened. I did not know that other women had become pregnant by asking Mary. My son is 3 years old. I am convinced that he is called to be special in his life, he has a mission. When she went to see the doctor, specialists, they said forget it, she couldn't have a baby, and she went to many different ones. Came here to pray and became pregnant. All the doctors never understood what had happened. They said he is a miracle child. 3/8/2006

23. Pregnancy. Became pregnant of twin girls after we prayed in 2005 and even have a statue of the Virgin Mary in our yard. After 15 years of concubinage Virgin Mary finally blessed us. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Jesus water was used to help conceive. 2/2/2006

24. A woman came in today from New York and said she was here last March (2005) and got the Jesus water. Her cousin who was very healthy and had just retired at age 60 suffered a massive stroke. He was taken to the best neurological hospital in New York and the doctors said he had no chance of recovery. He had a blood clot at the base of his brain stem. He was in intensive care and the woman with the other family members were visiting him and she put Jesus water on him and they prayed over him, while he was laying in bed in a fetal position unable to talk was paralyzed. After she had left (only 30 minutes of visitation in Intensive Care) the woman received a call from her cousin's wife saying the man had sat up in bed after they left and was miraculously healed. He is back at home now. The doctors came in and said this was a miracle. This was 2 months ago.  1/24/2006

25. Dermatomyositis (a form of Muscular Dystrophy). I was given 6 months to live. I was really depressed ready to give up when, while being in town for my girlfriends niece's Christmas Party. I heard it on the news. (December 17, 1996) Decided why not let's go, when I got here I was not expecting to see what I saw. I couldn't believe what I saw. Within an hour I put the cane down, slowly but surely got better enough where I wasn't paralyzed or dead. Thank you Jesus and Mary.  12/16/2005

26. Small Bowel Syndrome. Infant acquired surgical intervention at birth. 4 months care at home. Healed completely as of May 2005.    11/24/2005

27. Newborn very sick - 2 lbs. My mother came to visit me. We used to live in the post apartments by Target. I brought my Mother to the Virgin Mary Building in Clearwater and she prayed for my niece, who was in Guatemala. When my Mother returned to Guatemala she took the picture of Virgin Mary and put it in my niece's room. When my niece was born, she needed a tube feeding. She couldn't eat on her own. She was very thin and very sick. Many people told my sister and my mother (including the doctors) that my niece was so sick that she probably would died. Thank to our Lady Virgin Mary, my niece is a healthy gifted 9 year old girl. - Guatemala - Healing was at 6 months old. 11-22-2005

28. My daughter was told she had thyroid cancer, after having one side of the thyroid removed they found the cancer was gone. This had to be due to Mary and Jesus Water and her belief in the Mother and Son.  9/17/2005

29. Virus. He was in Egypt. His relatives came to the site and asked for prayers for healing for him. That same day they were here he was completely healed of his Liver virus. He is a physician.  8/31/2005

30. After waiting about 8 months for the baby to get bigger for the surgery, the doctor checked him and couldn't believe it, but she said, "It just fixed itself." He was 4 months premature and this surgery would have lowered his sperm count significantly and its already been lowered by a double inguinal hernia surgery. 6-14-2005  

31. Burst tube with unexpected pregnancy. Was internal bleeding. Doctor told was miracle, surviving from this kind of operation. She (the mother) had come to the site and prayed to God if this Image (Our Lady of Clearwater) was from God to grant her a miracle. Her daughter who was in Lithuania at the time was in the hospital and the above miracle happened during the 2 hours the mother was praying at the site.  5/4/2005

32. Heart failure. He was not breathing. Jesus water was poured on him while praying. He started breathing again. 4/23/2005

33. When I was pregnant, my baby was sick. My baby born was well. Thanks.  4/18/2005

34. Flu. Both sitting in car, praying rosary both sick of flu. He very sick, not getting better. Both used the water, felt pain leave body, didn't say anything, but after few minutes he said "I feel pain is gone." They drove back to tell us that they were healed. 4/18/2005

35. Asthma. Put Jesus water on neck. Breathing much better. 4/17/2005

36. Severe back pain. Have a bad back from laying brick for years and sometimes I bend over and the pain is severe and it takes at least 3 or 4 or more weeks for it to go away. I put Jesus water on it and it went away in 2 days. Alleluia.  4/16/2005

37. I must admit that some days I forget to wash in the water. But I have felt the same feeling once again a few days ago as I did on March 2nd, the first time I applied it to my knees. On the movie that you took, I am walking on the beach without a cane. I don't know if you noticed. I didn't use the cane yesterday, and I have no pain. I'm still slow at climbing the stairs, but I'm seeing a tremendous improvement. I'll keep a journal, and continue updating you I pray a lot, as I'm applying the medicine. Part of my prayer is "If it be your will." Thank you. I'll be in touch soon. 3/11/2005

38. My husband had a good friend and he was diagnosed with cancer and given less than a few weeks to live. Jesus told me to take him the Jesus water. I never really met him, but I went to the hospital. He was so sick. He bounced up and said I knew it - I will be healed. And he lived over two years longer.  2005

39. Leukemia went into remission February 7, 2003. Her doctor can't believe how well she is doing. She has the worse kind of Leukemia there is and she is doing extremely well. He said this does not happen, so soon, we told him its because of all the prayers, everyone is saying for her. The day after we visited the Blessed Mother Building, her blood count was excellent. Thank you so much. As of 11/3/2004 she is still in remission and doing very well, a happy 10 year old little girl. We are all so thankful for all the prayers from everyone, we truly believe, if we hadn't had our faith and by going to the Virgin Mary building so often, we wouldn't have been so fortunate to have her. Prayer is still the most powerful and healing process. Thank you so much.  11/3/2004

40. Spinal Manangitas. December 16th, 2002 we almost lost our little grandson. He was taken flight for life to Madison where they worked on him for hours. They told us he would either be blind - deaf - brain damage, or he might not walk. Today he is a happy - healthy little boy full of life. Thanks to everyone's prayers to our Blessed Virgin and our heavenly Father, without them we would not have him. Thank you. As of this date November 3, 2004 our little grandson is doing very well, a healthy happy little boy, and so full of life, and without any complications. Our prayers and by going to the Virgin Mary building truly helped this little boy. Thanks to everyone for all their prayers. 11/3/2004

41. After my family visited the Virgin Mary and returned to hospital, I showed no sign of having a stroke. Doctors at hospital said I would not recover.  4/2001

42. A couple today told of a friend who has a priest friend who was unable to move his legs (possibly a stroke) and they put Jesus water on him and he is now walking and has gone back to the Philippines. I gave them a healing form to give to their friend. They said he uses the water every day on his legs. 11/2008
 

   

                    All 5ths - Our Lady of Clearwater Florida


July 5, 2000


September 5, 2000


October 5, 2000


November 5, 2000


December 5, 2000


January 5, 2001


February 5, 2001


March 5, 2001


April 5, 2001


May 5, 2001


June 5, 2001


July 5, 2001


August 5, 2001


September 5, 2001


October 5, 2001


November 5, 2001


December 5, 2001


January 5, 2002


February 5, 2002


March 5, 2002


April 5, 2002


May 5, 2002


June 5, 2002


July 5, 2002


September 5, 2002


October 5, 2002


November 5, 2002


January 5, 2003


February 5, 2003


March 5, 2003


April 5, 2003


May 5, 2003


July 5, 2003


August 5, 2003


September 5, 2003


October 5, 2003 


November 5, 2003


December 5, 2003


January 5, 2004


                         February 5, 2004


March 5, 2004

   
 



 

In Spanish with the Imprimatur

Also we are ready to print
5000 copies of the
Parents and Children's Rosary Book
in SPANISH.
Can you help with a donation?

  

Give the gift that counts.

                Give to your priests Fr. Carter's Books plus postage.

Tell My People                     $5.00
Response to God's Love    $8.00
Response in Christ              $8.00

   

  

    God's Blue Books 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7, 8, 9, 10
        $4.00 each plus postage


Blue Book 4


Blue Book 5


Blue Book 6A


Blue Book 6B


Blue Book 6C


Blue Book 7


Blue Book 8


Blue Book 9


Blue Book 10

 

 

Old Mass Books with the Imprimatur 
$2.00 plus postage

New Mass Book with Imprimatur   
$8.00 plus postage

New Parents & Children's Book with the Imprimatur
$8.00 plus postage

Fr. Joe's Cycle A - Steadfast to the Sun - Starts in Advent
$5.00 plus postage

Give the gift that keeps on giving!

Give to your priest.


Fr. Carter's Priestly Newsletters Book II
$6.00 plus postage

     

Special sale statue with glass

27" Statue of Our Lady of Fatima
$175 plus postage

 

Get a canvas print of Mary's image
with a sliver of glass and a little
bottle of Jesus and Mary water.
The glass will be fixed behind the
back of the picture.
$200.00 plus postage

 

Dan called and gave the report to me, when I hung up I saw this rainbow and took a picture for him.

 

Rita Ring

Books written by the cofounder of Shepherds of Christ Ministries

Mass Book
A Journey Into the Heart of Jesus - Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 12.00 plus postage

  Mass Book, by Rita Ring: Many of the entries in the Priestly Newsletter Volume II from a spiritual journal came from this book. These entries
  are to help people to be more deeply united to God in the Mass. This book is available in English and Spanish with the Church’s Imprimatur.
  $12

Rosary Meditations for Parents and Children
From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 10.00  plus postage

 

  Rosary Meditations for Parents and Children, by Rita Ring, Short Meditations for both parents and children to be used when praying the
  rosary. These meditations will help all to know the lives of Jesus and Mary alive in their Hearts. Available in both English and Spanish with
  the Church’s Imprimatur. $10

God's Blue Book I
Teachings to Lift You Up. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book I by Rita Ring. Open Anywhere — This book will change your life. These are beautiful love letters to us from Jesus. A million books have been printed and circulated. Jesus loves us so much — He wants a personal relationship with us — He wants us to go to the Eucharist and be with Him before the tabernacle. $10

God's Blue Book II
The Fire of His Love. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S. J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book II by Rita Ring. Letters from Jesus about His on fire love — Jesus wants this great intimacy with us — On fire love — Personal love letters from Jesus about the love of His Heart — A book on surrender Fr. Carter said! $10

God's Blue Book III
Love God, Love One Another. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book III by Rita Ring. Fr. Carter's favorite book — It is about loving and forgiving each other — Being pure in heart — A book for unity in family, community, in life!! $10

God's Blue Book 4
The Love of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Author: Rita Ring
$ 5.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book IV by Rita Ring. This book is about the love Jesus has for Mary and Mary has for Jesus and Jesus and Mary have for us — It is truly the Love of the Two Hearts. Mary appeared every day at the Holy Spirit Center — Fr. Carter was there. Mary's first apparition July 5, 1994. $5

God's Blue Book 5
So Deep Is the Love of His Heart. Author: Rita Ring.
$ 5.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book V by Rita Ring. Jesus wants to be the bridegroom of our soul — He is our beloved — Jesus tells us about pure love — how we are to be pure of heart and love God and love others. It is a must, to hear about love from Jesus — Jesus is love — $5

God's Blue Book 6A
He Calls Us to Action Author: Rita Ring.
$ 10.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book 6A by Rita Ring. Rosaries from Their Hearts during apparitions. Jesus and Mary appeared every day and I received rosaries from Them and They were transcribed from a tape. Also messages of love from Jesus on days of January, 1995 — About Baptism — writings from Fr. Carter and the Scriptures. $10

God's Blue Book 6B
He Calls Us to Action Author: Rita Ring.
$ 10.00  plus postage

God's Blue Book 6B by Rita Ring. Jesus and Mary appeared every day in February, 1995 — So beautiful — transcribed from a tape — the Stations, 7 Sorrows, prayers in the Prayer Manual, the Holy Spirit Novena Book and the Song Book. Pure love — loving and forgiving — a book about Jesus' love, baptism, grace and Fr. Carter's Newsletter. $10

Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume I
Red Rosary Book - Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 1. Mary appeared in Clearwater December 17, 1996 in rainbow color and these rosaries left the printer the same day from Apparitions of Jesus and Mary — transcribed from a tape. $10

Blue Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume II
$ 12.00  plus postage

Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 2. This is a book of so many rosaries - transcribed from a tape. So many beautiful rosaries.   pages  $12

Short Rosary Meditations for the Ederly, Ill, and Homebound
From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary: Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
This book is 8 1/2" by 11" and you can open it up and sit it on your lap.
$ 10.00  plus postage

Short Rosary Meditations for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This book is so important with pictures they can open it and lay it on their laps and pray the rosary. $10

  Messages From Jesus
  Given by Jesus to His Messenger Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
  This book is 8 1/2" by 11" and you can open it up and sit it on your lap.

  $ 10.00  plus postage

Messages for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This is a big book of loving messages for nursing home people and homebound from Jesus and Mary — Their lives are so important — united to the Mass offering up their suffering, their lives for the souls of this earth. $10

Daily Messages From Heaven 1
From the Florida Apparition Site Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

Daily Messages From Heaven Volumes 2 thru 5 (Spiral bound)
From the Florida Apparition Site Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.

$25.00 each plus postage

Daily Messages from Heaven. First book of Daily Messages. $10

Rosary Meditations for Little People and Elderly
Short Meditations for the Rosary
$ 3.00  plus postage

Color the Lives of Jesus and Mary, Books 1 thru 5
A Coloring Book with Short Meditations on the 15 mysteries of the rosary. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 5.00 each plus postage

Color the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 1 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each.

  Coloring the Lives of Jesus and Mary Books 6 and 7
  Mysteries of Light
  $ 5.00 each plus postage

  Color the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 6 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each.

 

  God's Blue Book I on CD, Disk #1
  God's Blue Book I, Disk #1 Read by author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
  $ 10.00 plus postage

 

  Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
  Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume I
  $ 5.00
  plus postage 

 

  Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
  Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume II
  $ 5.00
 plus postage 

 

  Apostle's Manual
  Shepherds of Christ Overview: Very carefully discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S. J.
  $ 20.00  

 Apostles Manual. About the Movement - the structure of the Movement — All Ministries - from the time 3 months before Mary appeared in Clearwater and 3 months after. Rosaries of the 13ths, Fr. Carter's Newsletters. Messages from God the Father — Reaching the priests, the Church, the schools and the world. $20

 Songs From Jesus
  Given by Jesus to His Messenger Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
  $ 3.00  

Songs from Jesus Songbook. These loving songs were given from Jesus. So beautiful — Love Songs from Jesus of His love - helping us have pure and loving hearts. $3

 

   

Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena
  Holy Spirit Novena by: Rita Ring
  $ 1.00
  plus postage

 Holy Spirit Novena Booklet. In four languages with the Imprimatur with 18 scripture readings for two complete novenas – this very powerful Holy Spirit Novena has prayers for prayers for Protection by the Blood of Jesus, Healing, Strength and Light, To Be One with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One with Jesus, To Dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Prayer for the Holy Spirit and His Gifts, and the Word Alive in Our Hearts. All these prayers take about 10 minutes daily recited out loud. $1

 

  Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena CD
  Holy Spirit Novena Read by: Rita Ring
  $ 10.00
 plus postage


  Holy Spirit Novena CD. Prayers and scripture readings from the Holy Spirit Novena Booklet read by Rita Ring. $10

  Colorea 1 thru 5
  las vidas de Jesús y María (recibido el Imprimátur)
  $ 5.00 each plus postage 

 

  Para Comprender Mejor La Santa Misa
  Una Jornada Hacia el Corazón de Jesús
  $ 10.00  

 

  Meditaciones del Rosario
  para Pequenos y Ancianos
  $ 10.00  

 

 

Fr. Joe Robinson

Guiding Light - Reflect on the Word
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle B of the Liturgical Year
$ 15.00 plus postage

Guiding Light homily series - Reflect on the Word - Cycle B —  The Word leaves an impression on our souls. In my thoughts and reflections are born a more tangible understanding of these eternal concepts presented in the Gospels and the readings. Anyone can read a sentence, but not anyone can absorb it's true meaning. Truth, in this day and age, is almost a matter of opinion or individual entitlement. We believe that Christ's truth is our Roman Catholic Church. We, as priests, champion it's teachings; we are ambassadors for the Pope and Christ to those faces looking at us. We are the light by which our congregation reads to reflect upon real truth and we do it hand in hand. $15

Guiding Light - Steadfast to the Son
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle A of the Liturgical Year
$ 15.00 plus postage

Guiding Light homily series - Steadfast to the Son - Cycle A — The sunflower is a great example of how we should be steadfastly guided by light. What a powerful thought that this exceptional plant is not stuck in one pose day in and day out, yet adaptable and magnetized to the sun. We feel the same about our Son. Our heads turns to face Christ as each day presents its challenges to find light. We join together like plants in a field and soak up the Son through the pulpit. We are a warm circle of strength using the wind of our breath to carry our priests' words, Christ's words, to new rich soil. $15

Guiding Light - Feed My Soul
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle C of the Liturgical Year
$ 10.00 plus postage

Guiding Light - Feed My Soul
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle C of the Liturgical Year
$ 15.00 plus postage

Guiding Light - Feed My Soul - Cycle C — In a world rapidly advancing and encouraging personal gain, we are faced with modern problems. There is a challenge to find time in our busy schedules for Sunday Mass or a family meal. We are able to research, shop, bank and even work without hearing one human voice. It is no wonder that we may often feel disconnected and famished at our week's end. In Fr. Joe's third book of homilies from Cycle C, we are reminded of the charity that Christ intended us to show each other. We have a calling to turn the other cheek and be the Good Samaritan to others. We are rewarded with the Father's kingdom and love when we are not worthy. We are not left alone or hungry. $15

Guiding Light - Focusing on the Word
Inspiring Homilies Covering Cycle B of the Liturgical Year
$ 15.00 plus postage

Guiding Light - Focusing on the Word - Cycle B — At times we may feel that our path to Christ is a bit "out of focus". Like the disciples in the Book of Mark, this ordinary life clouds our vision of Christ's Divinity. We may doubt the practicality or possibility of applying His teachings and example to our modern life. Cycle B's homilies are a "guiding light" to help us realize Jesus' Messianic greatness and His promise of better things to come. $15

Guiding Light - The Word Alive in Our Hearts
Inspiring Homilies covering partial year of Cycle A by Fr. Joe Robinson
$ 10.00 plus postage

Guiding Light - The Word Alive in Our Hearts. - Cycle A (partial) Homilies by the Reverend Joe Robinson given at St. Boniface Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a tremendous honor Fr. Joe has allowed us to share these great gifts with you – for greater holiness and knowing more and more about God. $10

Fr. Edward J. Carter

Books written by the founder of Shepherds of Christ Ministries

Response to God's Love
–.God Himself is the Ultimate Mystery
$ 10.00  plus postage

Response to God’s Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. In this book Fr. Carter speaks of God as the ultimate mystery. We can meditate on the interior life of the Trinity. Fr. Carter tells us about our uniqueness in the Father's Plan for us, how the individual Christian, the Church and the world are in the state of becoming. Imprimatur. $10

Shepherds of Christ Spirituality Newsletters 1
Selected Writings on Spirituality—for All People Editor: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 10.00  plus postage

Shepherds of Christ - Selected Writings on Spirituality for all People as Published in Shepherds of Christ Newsletter for Priests. Contains 12 issues of the newsletter from July/August 1994 to May/June 1996. $15

Shepherds of Christ Spirituality Newsletters 2
Selected Writings on Spirituality — for All People Editor: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 12.00  plus postage

Shepherds of Christ - Volume 2: by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. Contains issues 13-29 of the newsletter (September/October 1996 - Issue 5, 1999) $15

Shepherds of Christ Spirituality Newsletters 3
Selected Writings on Spirituality — for All People Editor: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

Shepherds of Christ - Volume 3 by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. Contains Newsletter Issues 1 through 4 of 2000 including Fr. Carter’s tremendous Overview of the Spiritual Life $10

Tell My People
Messages from Jesus and Mary Author: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimi Potest  
$ 10.00  plus postage

Tell My People. Messages from Jesus and Mary (As given to Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.) — One of Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.'s Synopsis of the Spiritual Life — From Jesus to Fr. Carter "On Holy Saturday, 1994, Jesus told me that on the following day, Easter, I would also begin to receive messages for others. Our Lord also told me that some of these were eventually to be published in a book—and here is that book." $10

Spirituality Handbook
Shepherds of Christ Associates Spirituality Handbook - A Way of Spiritual Life
Author: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimi Potest

$ 3.00  plus postage

Spirituality Handbook. Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. did 3 synopsis of the spiritual life. The Spirituality Handbook, the Priestly Newsletter 20he Tell My People book. The way of spiritual life proposed to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates is centered in consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. All aspects of the spiritual life discussed below should be viewed as means to help members develop their lives in consecration to Christ, the Sacred Heart, and to Mary, the Immaculate Heart. $3

The Spirituality of Fatima
Fatima: The Setting, The Message, The Spirituality of Consecration
$ 5.00  plus postage

The Spirituality of Fatima by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. The Fatima apparitions and messages received official Church approval in 1930. In giving her official approval to the Fatima event, the Church tells us that what took place at Fatima involving the three young visionaries is worthy of our belief. $5

  Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual
  Shepherds of Christ Associates Prayers
  Author: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.

  $ .50
 plus postage

Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual. The Shepherds of Christ has prayer chapters all over the world praying for the priests, the Church and the world. These prayers that Father Carter compiled in the summer of 1994 began this worldwide network of prayer. Currently the prayers are in eight languages with the Church’s Imprimatur. We have prayed daily for the priests, the Church, and the world since 1994. Associates are called to join prayer Chapters and help us circulate the newsletter centered on spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart and helping to renew the Church through greater holiness. Please form a Prayer Chapter & order a Prayer Manual.

 

 

Shepherds of Christ 6:20 Prayers CD
Holy Spirit Novena, Associates Prayer Manual and the Rosary Led by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00  plus postage

 

Priestly Newsletter 2000 Issue 1
Audio CD - Read by Father Edward J. Carter
$ 10.00  plus postage

Priestly Newsletter - 2000 #1 - CD. - Christ is Our Strength - Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. read it the year he died. It is so beautiful. "This brief passage contains one of the greatest lessons of the spiritual life. As we progress along our spiritual journey, we become increasingly aware of how weak we are in our-selves, but how strong we are in Christ. To experience our weakness involves suffering. The degree and kind of suffering can vary. The suffering can include the experience of the classical dark night of the spirit as described by St. John of the Cross. One of the main purposes of the dark night is to make a person keenly aware of his or her helplessness without God." quote by Fr. Carter from the newsletter $10

Priestly Newsletter 2000 Issue 2
Audio CD - Read by Father Edward J. Carter
$ 10.00
 plus postage

Priestly Newsletter - 2000 #2 - CD. - Suffering: A Source of Life - Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. read it the year he died. Fr. Carter knew suffering that year. His voice is so powerful as he read each Newsletter from his heart and soul. "Every man has his own share in the redemption. Each one is also called to share in that suffering through which the redemption was accomplished. He is called to share in that suffering through which all human suffering has also been redeemed. In bringing about the redemption through suffering, Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the redemption. Thus each man in his suffering can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ–." quote by Fr. Carter from the newsletter $10

Special 27" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
27" Statue with crown
$ 450.00 plus shipping

Special 18" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass  
$ 250.00 plus shipping

Special 15" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
White gown with gold trim around mantel
$ 200.00 plus shipping

Special 12" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
White gown with gold trim around mantel
$ 160.00 plus shipping

Special 18" Our Lady of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass  
Blue and Pink gown with a rosary over her hand.
$ 250.00 plus shipping

Special 11" Our Lady of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
Blue and Pink gown.
$ 150.00 plus shipping

Crucifix by Felix - Hand Carved
Crucifix with incredible detail!
$ 750.00 plus shipping

Imitation of Two Hearts
Giclee Art Print on Canvas
$ 150.00 plus shipping

Lucia's Vision
Giclee Art Print on Canvas by Harold Kellner
$ 150.00 plus shipping

 
  Mary's Image
  12 x 16
  Giclee Art Print on Canvas
of Mary's image with a sliver of glass and a little bottle of Jesus and Mary water. The glass will be fixed behind the back of the picture.
  $ 200.00
plus shipping

 

 

 
 
Blue Crystal Rosary
  Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
  6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
 
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping

 

  Red Crystal Rosary
  Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
  6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
  8mm - $ 40.00
plus shipping

 

 

  Clear Crystal Rosary
  Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
  6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
  8mm - $ 40.00
plus shipping

 

 

 

  Mug
  Mug with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
  $ 15.00
plus shipping
 

 

 

 

Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
or
1-727-725-9312

 

Statues  

OL-Guadalupe
w/glass - 28

OL-Grace
w/glass - 24

OL-Mt. Carmel
w/glass - 24

OL-Lourdes
w/glass - 24
 

IH-Mary
w/glass - 24

IH-Ivory
w/glass - 24

SH-Jesus
w/glass - 24

SH-Blessing
w/glass - 24

Sorrow M
w/glass - 24

Inf.-Prague
w/glass - 24

OL-Lourdes
w/glass - 18

OL-Mt. Carmel
w/glass - 18

I Heart
w/glass - 18

I Heart - Ivory
w/glass - 18

OL-Grace
w/glass - 18

SH-Jesus
w/glass - 18

OL-Guadalupe
w/glass - 12

 

PV-Fatima
w/glass - 27

PV-Fatima
w/glass - 18

PV-Fatima
w/glass - 15

OL-Fatima
w/glass - 18

PV-Fatima
w/glass - 12

OL-Fatima
w/glass - 11

St. Padre Pio

St. Joseph

St. Therese

St. Francis

St. Anthony

St. Claire

Limpias

St. Jude
 

Divine Mercy

Holy Family

Angel

St. Philomena

Pieta - Marble

Pieta - Color

Holy Family 12

St. Anthony - 18

St. Francis - 18

St. Joseph - 18

St. Therese - 18

St. Rita - 18

St. Clare - 12
 

St. Rita - 12

St. Padre Pio - 12

Divine Mercy - 12

St. Michael - 11

Limpias - 8

       
           
           
           
           

 


Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P. O. Box 627
China, IN  47250

 

Toll free - 1-888-211-3041
Local - 1-812-273-8405
fax - 1-812-273-3182
web:
www.sofc.org
e-mail:
info@sofc.org

 

 

Size

Price

Quantity   

 Holy Family

 24"

$180

 

 Limpias

 24"

$125

 

 St. Anthony

 24"

$125

 

 St. Claire

 24"

$125

 

 St. Francis

 24"

$125

 

 St. Joseph

 24"

$125

 

 St. Jude

 24"

$125

 

 St. Padre Pio

 24"

$125

 

 St. Therese

 24"

$125

 
 Divine Mercy 22"

$125

 
 Angel 22"

$100

 
 St. Philomena 20"

$100

 
 St. Philomena 16"

$65

 
 St. Joseph 18"

$65

 
 St. Francis 18"

$65

 
 St. Anthony 18"

$65

 
 St. Rita 18"

$65

 
 St. Therese 18"

$65

 
 Pieta - Color

15"

$125

 
 Pieta - Marble

15"

$125

 
 Holy Family 12"

$75

 
 St. Padre Pio - standing 12"

$100

 
 St. Padre Pio - sitting 9"

$100

 
 St. Michael 11"

$40

 
 St. Rita 12"

$40

 

 Divine Mercy

12"

$50

 
 St. Claire 12"

$40

 
 Pieta - Color

8"

$75

 
 Pieta - Marble

8"

$75

 
 Limpias 8"

$25

 
 Our Lady of Guadalupe w/glass 28"

$500

 
 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel w/glass 24"

$500

 

 Immaculate Heart of Mary w/glass

 24"

$500

 

 Immaculate Heart - Ivory w/glass

 24"

$500

 

 Infant of Prague w/glass

 24"

$500

 

 Our Lady of Grace w/glass

 24"

$500

 

 Our Lady of Lourdes w/glass  

 24"

$500

 
 Sacred Heart of Jesus w/glass

 24"

$500

 
 Sacred Heart -Blessing w/glass

 24"

$500

 

 Sorrowful Mother w/glass

 24"

$500

 
 Immaculate Heart of Mary w/glass 18"

$300

 
 Immaculate Heart - Ivory w/glass 18"

$300

 
 Sacred Heart of Jesus w/glass 18"

$300

 
 Our Lady of Lourdes w/glass   18"

$300

 
 Our Lady of Grace w/glass 18"

$300

 

 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel w/glass

18"

$300

 
 Our Lady of Guadalupe w/glass 12"

$200

 

 Fatima w/glass

11"

$150

 

 Fatima w/glass

 18"

$250

 
 Pilgrim Virgin w/glass

 12"

$160

 
 Pilgrim Virgin w/glass

15"

$200

 
 Pilgrim Virgin w/glass

18"

$250

 
 Pilgrim Virgin w/glass 27"

$450

 


Call for Shipping Price (1-888-211-3041)
 

  Name
   

 Sub-Total

  Address
         

 IN Tax (7%)

  City
  

 Shipping

  State                                            Zip
  

 Donation

  Telephone
   

 Order Total

  

Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
or
1-727-725-9312

 


Table of Contents

Previous Daily Message


Main Shepherds of Christ Page


SofC LogoCopyright © 2012 Shepherds of Christ.
Rights for
non-commercial reproduction granted:
May be copied in its entirety, but neither re-typed nor edited.
Translations are welcome but they must be reviewed for moral and 
theological accuracy by a source approved by Shepherds of Christ Ministries 
before any distribution takes place. Please contact us for more information.
All scripture quotes are from the New Jerusalem Bible, July 1990, published by Doubleday.
Revised: January 1, 2012

URL: http://www.sofc.org
Contact Information for Shepherds of Christ
Email: info@SofC.org


Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 627
China, Indiana 47250

Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (812) 273-8405
FAX: (812) 273-3182