St Jude's Page

St. Jude's Church in Farmington, New Mexico is a very active parish and, not having its own web site, merits its own page in the HCCWR In America web site.

Selected Articles From St Jude's August 2008 Newsletter

Unconditional Love A love of life, a love of others A love for our human sisters and brothers Not given for more love to be received But to fulfill a giving need Unconditional love is there to give A desire for others their lives to live In richness and in happiness With unquestioning forgiveness A love that comes from beyond the heart One that makes some stand apart Not about sex but passionate still With no expectations to fulfill Accepting others for who they are A desire for all to reach that star That drives them through this earthly life With minimal pain and little strife It is listening for another soul's pain Giving what's needed to become whole again It is respecting another's inner thoughts Without uttering shoulds or should nots Age and gender play no role In this love of universal soul It is a love of all mankind A heart set free from the ties that bind Janet Mifsud

Wisdom

There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.
Henry Kissinger

God does not play dice with the universe.- Albert Einstien

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don’t know the answer. Douglas Adams

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.
Jean Giraudoux

Saints of the Week
August 17-24

August 17 St. Hyacinth

Dominican missionary called “the Apostle of Poland.” Born in Oppeln, Poland, he received the Dominican habit in 1217 or 1218 from St. Dominic. Hyacinth preached in Poland, Pomerania, Denmark, Prussia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Russia, China, and Tibet. He died in Cracow, Poland, on August 15. Hyacinth was canonized in 1594. His feast is now confined to local calendars.

August 18 St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Her father made daily religious discussion fun, allowing the children to talk about anything -- even controversial topics. Despite the early financial worries, she and her husband shared "one heart and one soul." They were devoted to each other and to their four children. One way Jane shared her blessings was by giving bread and soup personally to the poor who came to her door. Often people who had just received food from her would pretend to leave, go around the house and get back in line for more. When asked why she let these people get away with this, Jane said, "What if God turned me away when I came back to him again and again with the same request.  Her commitment to God impressed Saint Francis de Sales, the bishop who became her director and best friend. Their friendship started before they even met, for they saw each other in dreams, and continued in letters throughout their lives. With Francis' support, Jane founded the Visitation order for women who were rejected by other orders because of poor health or age. She even accepted a woman who was 83 years old. When people criticized her, she said, "What do you want me to do? I like sick people myself; I'm on their side." She believed that people should have a chance to live their calling regardless of their health.

 In Her Footsteps We have been told the secret of happiness is finding: finding yourself, finding love, finding the right job. Jane believed the secret of happiness was in "losing," that we should "throw ourselves into God as a little drop of water into the sea, and lose ourselves indeed in the Ocean of the divine goodness." She advised a man who wrote to her about all the afflictions he suffered "to lose all these things in God. These words produced such an effect in the soul, that he wrote me that he was wholly astonished, and ravished with joy." Today, when any thoughts or worries come to mind, send them out into the ocean of God's love that surrounds you and lose them there. If any feelings come into your heart -- grief, fear, even joy or longing, send those out into the ocean of God's love. Finally, send your whole self, like a drop, into God. There is no past no future, here or there. There is only the infinite ocean of God.

Prayer: Saint Jane, you forgave the man who killed your husband. Help me learn to forgive a particular person in my life who has caused me harm. You know how difficult it is to forgive. Help me to take the steps you took to welcome this person back into my life. Amen

August 19 St. John Eudes

John Eudes shared with St. Mary Margaret Alacoque the honor of initiating devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (he composed the Mass for the Sacred Heart in 1668) and the Holy Heart of Mary, popularizing the devotions with his "The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus" (1670) and "The Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God", which he finished a month before his death at Caen on August 19^th.

August 20 St. Bernard of Clairvaux

 After the death of his mother, fearing the snares and temptations of the world, he resolved to embrace the newly established and very austere institute of the Cistercian Order, of which he was destined to become the greatest ornament. St. Bernard, with thirty young noblemen, presented himself to the holy Abbot, St. Stephen, at Citeaux. He founded numerous other monasteries, composed a number of works and undertook many journeys for the honor of God. He was commissioned by Pope Eugene III to preach the second Crusade. In obedience to the Sovereign Pontiff he traveled through France and Germany, and aroused the greatest enthusiasm for the holy war among the masses of the population. St. Bernard was eminently endowed with the gift of miracles.

August 21 St. Pius X

 Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and the restoration of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism, gave great impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. From St. Pius X we learn again that "the folly of the Cross", simplicity of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life, for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness.

August 23 St. Rose of Lima Patron of Latin America and Philippines

St. Rose of Lima is the patroness of Latin America and the Philippines. This South American Saint's real name was Isabel, but she was such a beautiful baby that she was called Rose, and that name remained. She became afraid that her beauty might be a temptation to someone, since people could not take their eyes off her. Therefore, she rubbed her face with pepper until it was all red and blistered. St. Rose worked hard to support her poor parents and she humbly obeyed them. Her love of Jesus was so great that when she talked about Him, her face glowed and her eyes sparkled. Rose had many temptations from the devil, and there were also many times when she had to suffer a feeling of terrible loneliness and sadness, for God seemed far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles to Him. In fact, in her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman use to pray: "Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart." Many miracles followed her death. She is represented wearing a crown of roses