I tend to write long posts sometimes (ever since second grade I had a secret wish to be a writer) so you must suffer the consequences to get the point of my post. Sorry 
I have three Churches all the same distance from me (that I know of) and I had been drawn to one in particular, but I've decided to go to all three to see which is the fastest to get to for Masses. I have one left to go to, it has the least Masses, no outside religious classes or activities that I know of, but it was the one I was baptized in before we moved.
Anyway on to the one that has really drawn me even before I entered it. It's Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I looked up it's Mass Schedule yesterday and saw that I had just enough time to get ready and go and my good luck that they were holding a Scripture Study right afterwards. Well the Mass was touching and it held more meaning for me because I looked up the Lectionary schedule and had already read the Bible passages ahead of time (I recommend this for everyone, it helps so much) He talked about Polycarp, who I've read briefly about (I also recommend reading a little about the Saints on their Feast Day, which I just realize as I type this, probably everyone here already does) and he added a few things that really connected the story to me. More about that if you want later.
Well, I saw people arriving mid and late Mass (I don't fault them really, because it was an evening weekday Mass and we ALWAYS have bad rush hour traffic after work gets out) with their Bibles and I grew nervous because I had left my Bible in my car and was worried about having enough time after Mass to go get it and come back in time to find out where the Scripture Study was to be held and if I had needed to sign up or register for it. (I always worry about stuff like that) I practically sprinted whenever they started the last song (I never like leaving until after it's all finished because it's just rude). And when I start back I see a different priest with a group of people gathered around outside and of course I crane my neck and for some reason it seems like I already know him, he sees me and since I have a look of recognition on my face he thinks he recognizes me to and he waves and calls out "Hi!" (I should have known this was going to start out in a good way)
When I get inside a MOB of people are around this poor sweating rotund man who is selling these glossy like notebooks. I just shimmy on up and ask a nice lady next to me if these are for people who have already ordered them. She says no she doesn't think so. Well, she thinks that I'm too timid in the rush to catch the guys attention, so this little elderly lady takes my money and puts it with her check squeezed farther in and waves it around until the man sells her the books. I am a little shamefaced about now, but I perk up whenever I see that it is a Course Book from Scott Hahn. Now I don't know about you, but as a recovering lapsed Catholic. Scott Hahn is like a celebrity group leader of present day apologetisists. I had recently considered driving three hours to go to a presentation he and his wife would have in Houstan. I later saw that not everyone was able to buy a workbook and I felt guilty because they had known about the Scripture Study and had planned for it while I had just gotten lucky. (So I shared loose leaf paper that I brought in and pencils with my whole pew)
Ok, anyway. The priest from outside came in and I find out he is Msgr. Micheal Heras, and he is like the priest I had in Mississippi (all the CYO, and CCD people just adore him. Even non-Catholics love him, he's in his mid-thirties and just so full of verve).
Well, the study was about Revelations and the Apocalypse. He also talked a little on how the Passion was related (he's taking 1000 people to go see it). There was so much I learned just from one Chapter of the study. He had the Church practically packed.
As I said I lived in Mississippi, I loved our priests (mostly Irish) they are absolutely great. But I love living in south Texas mainly because of the Hispanic Culture. This priest is Hispanic and he made jokes and comments that I could REALLY relate to, and not just me, but to Caucasians as well (the one's that live in a Hispanic populated areas).
I don't know if I'm getting across how great it was. He got so excited about the stuff he was talking about that he had to calm himself down. One funny part was when he started ripping up a paper to show how people can take verses out of the bible or ignore them. We were all a little uneasy because it looked to us like he had ripped it out of the Bible. Someone said something and he reassured them that he didn't and in showing them what the paper was he got all embarressed and started apologizing to camera lense because it was the Bishop's Appeal (from our Church Bulliten) and he picked up the papers. He had us all in stitches.
Well, this post is not just to wax poetic (or unpoetic) about my fabulous night, but to say that they were taping it. I believe that they will offer the tapes for sale once the course is over. And I think he has tapes of his homilies and other Studies for sale also. Not cause he's full of himself or anything but if you hear and see him you will know what I mean.
So here is the link
Msgr. Micheal Hera's Tapes You can click on the different tabs to get the other Bible study tapes they have so far.
I have three Churches all the same distance from me (that I know of) and I had been drawn to one in particular, but I've decided to go to all three to see which is the fastest to get to for Masses. I have one left to go to, it has the least Masses, no outside religious classes or activities that I know of, but it was the one I was baptized in before we moved.
Anyway on to the one that has really drawn me even before I entered it. It's Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I looked up it's Mass Schedule yesterday and saw that I had just enough time to get ready and go and my good luck that they were holding a Scripture Study right afterwards. Well the Mass was touching and it held more meaning for me because I looked up the Lectionary schedule and had already read the Bible passages ahead of time (I recommend this for everyone, it helps so much) He talked about Polycarp, who I've read briefly about (I also recommend reading a little about the Saints on their Feast Day, which I just realize as I type this, probably everyone here already does) and he added a few things that really connected the story to me. More about that if you want later.
Well, I saw people arriving mid and late Mass (I don't fault them really, because it was an evening weekday Mass and we ALWAYS have bad rush hour traffic after work gets out) with their Bibles and I grew nervous because I had left my Bible in my car and was worried about having enough time after Mass to go get it and come back in time to find out where the Scripture Study was to be held and if I had needed to sign up or register for it. (I always worry about stuff like that) I practically sprinted whenever they started the last song (I never like leaving until after it's all finished because it's just rude). And when I start back I see a different priest with a group of people gathered around outside and of course I crane my neck and for some reason it seems like I already know him, he sees me and since I have a look of recognition on my face he thinks he recognizes me to and he waves and calls out "Hi!" (I should have known this was going to start out in a good way)
When I get inside a MOB of people are around this poor sweating rotund man who is selling these glossy like notebooks. I just shimmy on up and ask a nice lady next to me if these are for people who have already ordered them. She says no she doesn't think so. Well, she thinks that I'm too timid in the rush to catch the guys attention, so this little elderly lady takes my money and puts it with her check squeezed farther in and waves it around until the man sells her the books. I am a little shamefaced about now, but I perk up whenever I see that it is a Course Book from Scott Hahn. Now I don't know about you, but as a recovering lapsed Catholic. Scott Hahn is like a celebrity group leader of present day apologetisists. I had recently considered driving three hours to go to a presentation he and his wife would have in Houstan. I later saw that not everyone was able to buy a workbook and I felt guilty because they had known about the Scripture Study and had planned for it while I had just gotten lucky. (So I shared loose leaf paper that I brought in and pencils with my whole pew)
Ok, anyway. The priest from outside came in and I find out he is Msgr. Micheal Heras, and he is like the priest I had in Mississippi (all the CYO, and CCD people just adore him. Even non-Catholics love him, he's in his mid-thirties and just so full of verve).
Well, the study was about Revelations and the Apocalypse. He also talked a little on how the Passion was related (he's taking 1000 people to go see it). There was so much I learned just from one Chapter of the study. He had the Church practically packed.
As I said I lived in Mississippi, I loved our priests (mostly Irish) they are absolutely great. But I love living in south Texas mainly because of the Hispanic Culture. This priest is Hispanic and he made jokes and comments that I could REALLY relate to, and not just me, but to Caucasians as well (the one's that live in a Hispanic populated areas).
I don't know if I'm getting across how great it was. He got so excited about the stuff he was talking about that he had to calm himself down. One funny part was when he started ripping up a paper to show how people can take verses out of the bible or ignore them. We were all a little uneasy because it looked to us like he had ripped it out of the Bible. Someone said something and he reassured them that he didn't and in showing them what the paper was he got all embarressed and started apologizing to camera lense because it was the Bishop's Appeal (from our Church Bulliten) and he picked up the papers. He had us all in stitches.
Well, this post is not just to wax poetic (or unpoetic) about my fabulous night, but to say that they were taping it. I believe that they will offer the tapes for sale once the course is over. And I think he has tapes of his homilies and other Studies for sale also. Not cause he's full of himself or anything
but if you hear and see him you will know what I mean.So here is the link
Msgr. Micheal Hera's Tapes You can click on the different tabs to get the other Bible study tapes they have so far.
