My first homily in 5 years!!

[Eye]

Today was the first time I've been to church in 5 years!

It was wonderful. But I had to share w/ you all. We had a visiting pastor talking about the catholics in China! I was like, what? ok, Catholics in China!!!

He told this story about a bishop who died this last May. Don't remember his name. But this man spent 15 years in prison. Then continued to teach Catholic Doctrine! Every couple of years he'd get caught/ And end up going to "re-education" Basically being tortured to stop him from preaching. The last time he was arrested, he had to spend 24 hours a day for 2 weeks straight listening to the Communist party's rules and doctrines on religion... And still the man left that prison, and continued to preach the Catholic teachings!

This is the year 2006! Catholics are still being tortured and prosecuted in China!! Unbelievable! You all may have heard of this but I have never in my life thought this was possible!

There is so much more to the story.. But I'm done for today.

Anyway, I just wanted to share!

 

[Carrye]

It sounds like you had a good return. Thank God for that.

 

[Eye]

Definately Carrye! But here's the thing

The only thing I could keep thinking about was the fact that these poor people have to FIGHT for their faith. They are tortured and procecuted for believing in the Catholic Church!!!

I have this freely, and I've chosen NOT to go!!

Wow! What a realization!

I spoke to the priest after, he hugged me, and said, "Don't discount your own struggle. I think that we need to re-evaluate our faith and come into our own as adults! " I can so relate to that!! I feel great tonight! Praise God!

 

[D'Ann]

Welcome home. I read a story similar to this about a month ago. I've been praying for China ever sense.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Carrye]

I spoke to the priest after, he hugged me, and said, "Don't discount your own struggle. I think that we need to re-evaluate our faith and come into our own as adults! " I can so relate to that!! I feel great tonight! Praise God!

I think he's absolutely right! I think we all do it in different ways, but if our faith is going to be personal and authentic, it must be tied to the Person of Jesus Christ, and owned.

I'm so thankful that you went to Mass today!

 

[Eye]

Thank you Carrye!! I feel great! It was definately the Holy Spirit at work.. And this priest even said so..

He said it's so weird how the spirit works.. I told him that his story made me think that I get this for free, but I don't use it... He shared w/ me that he was thinking the same thing on the alter, but didn't say it out loud. That here in America we can go to church w/o persecution. But I don't go.. And yet these poor Catholics in China, have to go underground to practice their faith!!! OMgosh! What does that say about me?!! Amazing!

 

[Carrye]

That here in America we can go to church w/o persecution. But I don't go.. And yet these poor Catholics in China, have to go underground to practice their faith!!! OMgosh!

My priest said something similar today, in other words. It's really hot here, and so his homily was short, but it was not lacking for substance. He said that while many of us were "working up a sweat" in the pews, that's what the Lord called his apostles to do. He sent them out to witness - and that today, by our presence at the Mass, we too were witnesses - to the power of God, to the world, and to the priest himself (to see so many of the Faithful committed). He said that it is truly our joy and privilege to be able to do as much. And he was right.

 

[Eye]

This was such an inspiration to me! This Bishop. He kept going back, and preaching..

All of these Catholics are Chinese. It's illegal to come from a foreign country and preach religion! My first question. how in the world did they learn the Catholic Faith!? LOL! This org. brings people from China to the US to train and learn the faith and how to teach it to others.

I'm just totally amazed. Could I tomorrow still go to church, knowing that I might be arrested and taken from my whole family and tortured. I don't know if I'm that strong. These people are so strong in their faith they don't question the works of the Lord!

God, please give me the strength to be so strong!

 

[cairaiii]

Welcome back to the Church!!!

Didn't China recently appoint Bishops? I think that saddend the Pope.

 

[D'Ann]

This was such an inspiration to me! This Bishop. He kept going back, and preaching..

All of these Catholics are Chinese. It's illegal to come from a foreign country and preach religion! My first question. how in the world did they learn the Catholic Faith!? LOL! This org. brings people from China to the US to train and learn the faith and how to teach it to others.

I'm just totally amazed. Could I tomorrow still go to church, knowing that I might be arrested and taken from my whole family and tortured. I don't know if I'm that strong. These people are so strong in their faith they don't question the works of the Lord!

God, please give me the strength to be so strong!

Amen, give us all this kind of strength.

 

[D'Ann]

Welcome back to the Church!!!

Didn't China recently appoint Bishops? I think that saddend the Pope.

It's a bit complicated with China. If I remember correctly and please correct me if I'm wrong, but there are two Catholic churches in China. There is the Catholic church which is truly ran by the China government and then there is an "underground" Catholic church that is truly Catholic and not controlled by the China government.

I think the priest in the story was probably sharing about Jesus in the government controlled Catholic church.

I believe the Catholic church ran by the China government is the one who appointed the Bishops. I could be wrong, but that is my understanding from what I can remember.

God's peace,

Debbie

 

[bostonlass]

Congrats on coming home!!

I've been there...having not gone for a few years and then going back and what a rush it is!

 

[Kusanagi]

As a person who is reverting back to the Catholic Church from agnosticism. Welcome home.

I was personaly nervous when I went to my first mass in about 16 years.

 

[Febe]

Welcome back home! I´ve just converted myself, this Easter, from a Lutheran church, and I´ve never been happier! Thanks for sharing the news from China! Yes, the true Church is counted illegal there... So what will happen? I guess it might grow stronger... The Church grow a lot in Rome, when Christians were thrown to the lions... So let´s all pray for our sisters and brothers in China!

 

[NiteClerk]

....... OMgosh! What does that say about me?!! Amazing!

As one of our songs this Sunday proclaimed

"...I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see."

(Amazing Grace.)

Welcome Home to Rome, Eye.

Bob

 

[Ave Maria]

Welcome back! I just entered in to full communion with the Catholic Church on Easter vigil of this year!