Corpus Christi Blog

Relics

10-28-2020Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A. in Theology and Catechetics

This week we have some exciting news to share! Recently, our parish’s Order of the Secular Franciscans was gifted a relic of St. Clare of Assisi, follower of St. Francis of Assisi and founder of the Order of the Poor Clares. The relic was gifted to a professed member of our parish Fraternity when, providentially, the original plans for its display elsewhere fell through. On Nov 1, the relic will be installed near the stained-glass representation of St. Clare (by the St. Joseph statue in the back of the church).

READ MORE

Stewardship of Treasure

10-25-2020Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A. in Theology and Catechetics

As we conclude our discussion of Christian stewardship this week, we will take a brief look at our final gift to share, which is our treasure.

The mission of the Catholic Church and the reason for her existence is for the salvation of souls. As a member of the Catholic Church, you presumably believe in that mission and therefore have a share in it. On a smaller and more focused level, our parish shares in the same mission right here in our local community. We have ministries that provide opportunities for parishioners to grow information and discipleship. We have a beautiful Adoration chapel (hopefully soon to be open 24 hours again!) where everyone, not just parishioners, can go to seek refuge and solace with Jesus at the foot of the cross. We have a beautiful parish campus that our staff works hard to maintain as a beautiful, safe, and inviting environment for anyone to feel wanted and welcome. All of these things require our help through the gift of our tithing, not because we are obligated, but because we believe in the mission of our Church.

READ MORE

Stewardship of Talent

10-18-2020Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A. in Theology and Catechetics

Continuing with our reflection on Christian stewardship, this week we will take a closer look at how we can use the gift of our talents on our mission of discipleship in this life.

Remember last week we discussed Jesus’ great commission when he told his apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, and how that this call to action applies to us as well (Mt. 28:19). After a period of intentional, focused prayer, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and enabled them to speak many different languages so that they might use that gift in order to convert others to Christianity, which they did (Acts 2:1-41). The ability to speak to different groups of people was not something they sought out or worked to cultivate by their own human desire, but rather a gift of talent, freely given to them by God with an implied invitation to use the gift in their mission of creating disciples. You also have talents given to you by God, which He invites you to use for the good of His Kingdom on Earth.

READ MORE

Stewardship of Time

10-11-2020Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A. in Theology and Catechetics

October is a month in which we like to examine how we’ve utilized our gifts of time, talent, and treasure in serving God and others over the past year and decide how we might commit to growth in the coming year. Last year, you may recall, we filled out commitment forms detailing how we might be better Christian stewards in the coming year. Needless to say, the year did not go as any of us planned and it very likely impacted the commitments we made.

It is important to note that circumstances in life can always change, at any time, for any reason. Loss of employment, loss of a loved one, illness, and unexpected bills are all examples of things that can get lobbed at us, throwing us off course. Not one of us is promised anything in this life, particularly stability. Life is constantly in flux because that’s the nature of it. That being said, we can still plan, while remaining flexible and trusting that God has everything under control.

READ MORE

Mary's Spiritual Motherhood

10-04-2020Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A. in Theology and Catechetics

We have now reached the fifth and final week of this Marian series. We covered the four Marian dogmas and will now conclude with the one doctrine which the Church teaches regarding our Blessed Mother. If you remember from the first week, the doctrine is to be held as true and a matter of our Faith to be believed, but it has not yet been elevated to the level of dogma, which could be for any number of reasons. This doctrine defines Mary’s spiritual motherhood over the Body of Christ through her three-fold role of co-redemptrix, mediatrix, and advocate. Generally, it makes sense that we should call Mary our own spiritual mother. After all, she gave physical birth to Jesus, who is the head of the mystical body, the Church. If we are all members of that mystical body, joined to the head, then, by extension, she’s a mother to the full-body, not simply just the head. In his encyclical Ad Diem Illum Laetissimum on the Immaculate Conception, Pope Pius X says:

READ MORE