Big Story

By Reverend Christopher Martin, Vocation Director

Every year the Church offers to the faithful an entire week dedicated to vocation awareness. What does this mean?

Certainly it is an opportunity for us as a people of faith to be grateful to the many men and women who inspire us by the very lives they lead. But, it is also a time for us to reflect on the fact that we all have a vocation.

The Church reminds us that Jesus calls us each by name to follow Him in faith and love by living our lives no longer for ourselves but for Him. This is what is referred to as the universal call to holiness. Beginning at baptism, each of us is destined for heaven. So becoming a saint is not so much an option for a few, but the pre-requisite for all to enter into heaven.

Jesus calls individuals to follow Him in three primary ways; priesthood, marriage, and the dedicated single life (including consecrated life). Read more »

Gospel Lk 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn. Read more »

Have you ever seen that commerical. . . Life doesn't happen the way you want it to happen and you hear the voice over that says - "Need to getaway"?  Well of course, we all need to get away.  Sometimes in the midst of ministry we are the last ones to say, Hey, it's time to take care of myself - I myself have had trouble in the past saying that to myself, so I know we all have that same problem. 

Well, it is time to get away!  Fr. Dave Pivonka is inviting you to come getaway with God and take this Journey of Faith.  He is planning a well rested weekend for you to spend time with God. 

January 27-29, 2012 is the dates.  The location is at Todd Hall in Columbia, Illinois, just 20 minutes from St. Louis. Read more »

HEY!  GUESS WHAT?

Yes, thats right, Monday, October 10th, registration for The Way, The Truth, The Life opens for group leaders.

We will be taking 650 teens and chaperones to our Nations Capitol to protest the Supreme Court decision on January 22nd of 1973.  This Archdiocean trip includes programming for the teens, a day of touring in Washington DC, Mass with Archbishop Carlson, and the march itself, where thousands of protesters will silently and prayerfully march to the Supreme Court protesting that decision.

Click here for more information.

Click here to go to the registration page.