Saturday, May 31: How See Us

MASS READINGS  TODAY
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

•  All the readings together
•  Zephaniah 3:14-18
•  Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6
•  Luke 1:39-56

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014  DAY 6 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation
•   56 priest spiritual directors serving as spiritual directors during the seminarians' 8-day silent retreat

Today is the first full day of the seminarian's eight-day silent retreat. Tonight's conference will offer encouragements in regards to God's looking at us differently than how we look at ourselves.

"Love of neighbor is thus shown to be possible in the way proclaimed by the Bible, by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. ... Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave."
— Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, no. 18

"A step or two before the place where I have to contemplate or meditate, I will pause for the space of an Our Father, with my consciousness raised on high, considering how God our Lord is looking at me, and will make an act of reverence or humility."
— Saint Ignatius, Spiritual Exercises

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Isaiah 43:1-7 ... ask the Lord to show what He sees when He see you.

7 QUESTIONS ABOUT PRAYER  QUESTION 2
   

LET'S GET READY FOR MASS THIS WEEKEND



FR. ROBERT BARRON  ASCENSION SUNDAY
Click here to listen to Fr. Robert Barron's homily for this weekend.

Friday, May 30: There

MASS READINGS  TODAY
Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

•  All the readings together
•  Acts 18:9-18
•  Psalm 47
•  John 16:20-23

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014  DAY 5 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation
•   56 priest spiritual directors serving as spiritual directors during the seminarians' 8-day silent retreat

Today marks day five at the Institute for Priestly Formation 2014 summer programs. Today the seminarians conclude their first course, "Christian Prayer and Virtue," a course designed to teach the men how to pray. Today the men will unpack the following quote: "If our wanting is to be wholehearted it must be connected to the rest of reality.” (Robert Johann, Wanting What We Want) In this morning's class conversation, the men will learn more about the connection between prayer and virtue. Essentially we'll discuss how our experience of God during prayer has to impact the rest of our lives outside of prayer.

In addition, tonight the men will enter into silence and begin their 8-day silent retreat. During the eight days, the men will pray four times a day. Each prayer experience, lasting a full hour, begins with a specific Bible passage, centers on conversation with God, and ends with review of what happened during the hour. In addition to the four hours of prayer, the men will meet with their priest spiritual director for an hour of spiritual direction daily. Finally, each night at 6:30 PM there is a brief conference for all 169 seminarians, special guests, and spiritual directors. The conference offers encouragement around basics of the spiritual life relative to where the men may find themselves at this stage of the retreat.

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Pray with the following passage from the Catechism:

"God calls man first. Man may forget his Creator or hide far from his face; he may run after idols or accuse God of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. In prayer, God's initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, this drama engages the heart. It unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation."
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2567

Psalm 37:1-7 ... ask God to reveal the desires of your heart for Him and the desires of His heart for you.

PRAYER: PART 4  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

7 QUESTIONS ABOUT PRAYER  QUESTION 1
   

Thursday, May 29: Choosing to Choose

MASS READINGS  TODAY
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter

•  All the readings together
•  Acts 18:1-8
•  Psalm 98
•  John 16:16-20

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014  DAY 4 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation

Today marks day #4 at the Institute for Priestly Formation 2014 summer programs. Today the seminarians have their third full day of class in their first course, "Christian Prayer and Virtue," a course designed to teach the men how to pray. Today the men unpacked the following quote from Pope Benedict XVI:

"In the words ‘I do,’ spoken at our priestly ordination, we made this fundamental renunciation of our desire to be independent, ‘self-made.’ But day by day this great ‘yes’ has to be lived out in the many little ‘yeses’ and small sacrifices. This ‘yes’ made up of tiny steps which together make up the great ‘yes’ can be lived out without bitterness and self-pity only if Christ is truly the center of our lives. If we enter into true closeness to him.”
— Pope Benedict XVI, 2009 Chrism Mass

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and 2nd Samuel, chapter 11 ... ask God to strengthen your desire to choose Him, especially when you don't desire to choose Him.

PRAYER: PART 2  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

PRAYER: PART 3  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

Wednesday, May 28: Living Deeper

MASS READINGS TODAY
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

•  All the readings together
•  Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
•  Psalm 148
•  John 16:12-15

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014 DAY 3 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation

Today marks day #3 at the Institute for Priestly Formation 2014 summer programs. Today the seminarians have their second full day of class in their first course, "Christian Prayer and Virtue," a course designed to teach the men how to pray. Today the men went deeper into the "geography" of the soul, learning more about how one can experience consolation or desolation at both distinctly spiritual and non-spiritual (psychological or "human") levels of the heart.

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Mark 10:17-22 ... ask God to strengthen your desire to live "deeper" with eyes focused on Heaven.

PRAYER: PART 1  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

Tuesday, May 27: Aware

MASS READINGS TODAY
Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

•  All the readings together
•  Acts 16:22-34
•  Psalm 138
•  John 16:5-11

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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•   Click here to listen on YouTube
© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014 DAY 2 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation

Today marks day #2 at the Institute for Priestly Formation 2014 summer programs. Today the seminarians have their first full day of class in their first course, "Christian Prayer and Virtue," a course designed to teach the men how to pray. Today the men will learn about the "geography" of the soul, learning more about the heart and how to pray with the things in their heart.

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Psalm 131 ... ask God to help you become more aware of your interior life.

THREE HEARTS  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

HOW TO PRAY  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION WHAT DO WE DO?

Monday, May 26: Desire

MASS READINGS  TODAY

Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest

•  All the readings together
•  Acts 16:11-15
•  Psalm 149
•  John 15:26-16:4A

IF YOU WERE HERE THIS SUMMER  FR. MARK'S HOMILY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

Click here to see the entire series, the entire summer!

SUMMER 2014  DAY 1 AT IPF

Who is at IPF today:
•   169 seminarians for the 10-week Summer Program of Spiritual Formation

Today marks day #1 at the Institute for Priestly Formation 2014 summer programs. Today IPF welcomes 169 seminarians from 65 dioceses from across the country. Today the seminarians begin orientation, introducing the men to the general context of the summer. This afternoon the men will begin their first course, "Christian Prayer and Virtue," a course designed to teach the men how to pray.

Click here for learn more about the Institute for Priestly Formation

IF YOU WERE THIS SUMMER  TODAY YOU WOULD PRAY WITH ...

Psalm 63 ... ask God to elicit the deepest desires from your heart. If you could ask the Lord for anything, what would you ask for?

THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION  WHAT DO WE DO?

AN INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER  FR. SCOTT TRAYNOR

May 1, 2014: Everything

MASS READINGS TODAY
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
•  All the readings together
•  Acts 5:27-33
•  Psalm 34
•  John 3:31-36

FR. MARK'S HOMILY TODAY

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© Fr. Mark Toups, 2014

POPE FRANCIS QUOTE FOR THE DAY
"I ask everyone with political responsibility to remember two things: human dignity and the common good."

POPE FRANCIS' HOMILY TODAY
•   Click here to read text from Pope Francis' homily