The Family & A Lenten Reflection

"Everything the Church has taught about being created for joy, about being created in the image of God, about needing to love and be loved, applies equally to celibate and married persons." Love is Our Mission the Family Fully Alive. Philiadelphia, 2015.

Dear Faithful in Christ,

Since its founding, Sanctum Ioseph Foundation has embraced its mission to serve & gather the families in light of tradition. It is essential that as we seek to live out the gospel in the world today that we include others in this mission. Can we deny the assistance of the Simons of Cyrene to help bear our crosses? Can we deny the Veronicas to wipe our sweat and tears? Can we celebrate without the company of the disciples of Christ? With this said, serving families does not leave out the celibate, it does quite the opposite! In a world that focuses on me, our team will focus on the us. There is much fruit to be had in families fully alive in Christ - where many can enjoy the blessings that come with it, especially the celibates who often find themselves alone.

In the December Newsletter, we have mentioned the potential of establishing a retreat center for the community. Unfortunately, that fell short - This would not halt the momentum! Sanctum Ioseph has made efforts to launch its first podcast episode to focus on the fundamental cell of society - the family. It will seek to answer the questions: How do we respond to the news of the world today with the timeless news of Christ? Is the way of life of Christ possible in the current year and beyond? Join us as we hope to bring families fully alive, while we seek to answer relevant questions with a dynamic panel of married and special guests.

Stay tuned!

A Lenten Reflection

by Scott Anderson

Scott Anderson is a professional writer & blogger. He is a father and recent Catholic convert who has offered his time to aid in the Mission of Sanctum Ioseph through his writings.

Greetings,

This month, we start the Lenten season. We also celebrate the month of St. Joseph and St. Patrick’s Day. If there’s a theme, it’s our need to petition God to redress the injustices against Him and His body, the Church, at the joined hands of godless revolutionaries who seek to cast off their chains and rise up against His Christ, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Lent

At the moment, evil seems to triumph. But we have a promise from our Lord to avenge us of our enemy – the devil – if we seek His Holy Face.

And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint, saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man. And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary. And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man, Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me. And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard? I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth? Luke 18: 1-8

Painting by: Cavaliere d' Arpino (Giuseppe Cesari) (Italian, 1568–1640)

So how do we get the Almighty Judge’s attention to hear our cause? We have 3 principal means. Let’s make sure our Lord and Judge finds us faithful.

 To help us in these dire times, God gives us extra graces to be able to seek His Holy Face. He also gives us His beloved saints, including two giants – the Terror of Demons, St. Joseph, and the Bishop of Ireland, St. Patrick, who converted the pagans and banished all serpents from the land.

God and His saints offer us prayers of protection and a promise to hear and rescue us. We hope this newsletter encourages you to pray with us, knowing that our Father does hear our prayers and assures us of victory over all our enemies.