Building Disciples and Community

There are a multitude of ways for you to grow, share, and express your faith, in our communities.
Please explore our many offerings here which include opportunities to serve others, share your skills, and enjoy great videos at home or in small groups. 
There are ministries for spiritual growth, for women, for men, for youth and young adults, and for everyone!
We have ministries that serve the needy and disadvantaged, and we are near to many wonderful faith-based organizations who would welcome your time, talent and/or treasure.
We also have many time-tested and ancient organizations that offer opportunities for service and spiritual growth, and bereavement groups that provide invaluable compassion and support to those in need after the tragedy of loss.

Finally, we would like to draw your attention to the many on-line resources that are available, which allow for learning more about our faith and Church, as well as providing some enteratining videos for all ages. 

Not sure what yoiu are looking for? Contact us and we will help you find what you are looking for.

Thanks to Patti Armstrong, Father Larry Richards, Deacon Greg Kandra, et al

1. Give a return on your gifts. When using a gift, say a prayer for the giver. For instance, Patti says a Hail Mary for the person who gave me a geranium every time I water it. When using clothing or jewelry someone gave to you, say a pray for the giver. Be grateful, always!
2. Commit random acts of prayer. Pick someone to pray for throughout your day. It could be a politician you hear promoting abortion, or someone in a passing car, or a shopper in the grocery line. If someone cuts you off in traffic, pray for them, and your anger will subside — and you will both be blessed.
3. Give thanks before every meal. Do it at home, do it at restaurants, do it wherever you are having a meal.
4. See Jesus more often. Make a weekly appointment to visit Jesus in the tabernacle. The more time you spend with Jesus, the more he can give to you. Adoration is time perfectly spent.
5. Bounce-back. As kids we used to say: “I’m rubber, and you’re glue; whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.” Jesus told us: “The measure with which you measure will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:10). Be kind. Forgive.
6. Become invisible. Look for invisible ways to do good. Do random acts of kindness. Skip over a parking spot near the door and pray for the one who will park there instead of you. Put away a shopping cart and pray for the one who left it and the next shopper to use it. “Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). 
7. Read the Word. Put a Bible somewhere convenient and open it up once a day. 
8. Call the manager and praise an employee. When you’ve been given good service, call the manager and report it. It will make that employee’s day. For a bonus, say a prayer for them.  
9. Ask God to arrange your seating and conversations. I know people who have had amazing experiences asking God to direct who we sit next to at events or on planes and to direct our conversations (even when socially distanced). Try it, and I think you will be surprised.
10. Fasting. Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning his ministry. To integrate fasting into a daily sacrifice, take something out at meals. Skip the fries or ketchup, or don’t put butter on your bread.  Take a day to give up something like coffee, wearing jewelry or makeup, watching TV, going on social media, or whatever. Of course, a true fasting day is powerful and also recommended. Try one weekly!
11. Enjoy the wait. What do you do while waiting for the microwave or while waiting for someone to answer their phone? Turn inconsequential moments into prayers of consequence. 
12. End your purchase with a surprise. “Thank you and have a good day” is so ordinary that cashiers barely hear it. Try saying, “Thank you, and God bless you” with heartfelt expression. They will hear you.
13. Use sirens and flashing lights as prayer signals. Pray for the person needing the ambulance speeding by and also for whomever is at the end of a police call. For whatever reasons, they could use some extra prayers. 
14. Forget about yourself. Humility leads to holiness. Avoid correcting others if it doesn’t matter. Be last in line. Thank God for failure and ask him to lead you to what he wants for you. 
15. Talk to people no one can see. Get to know the saint of the day and ask him or her to pray for you. Pray to your Guardian Angel.
16. Give away something you love. It’s fine to donate the things you don’t use, but occasionally give away a favorite item. It’s the difference between Cain and Abel’s offerings to God. 
17. Wear a crucifix. It’s a silent witness to Jesus’ love and sacrifice. Wear a scapular, miraculous medal, or a saint’s medal. It may inspire conversation and conversion!
18. Have a no-complaint day. Dedicate an entire day each week to not complaining.
19. Do a house blessing. Ask a priest to bless your house in 2021.
20. Give unexpected gifts. Release someone from a debt, anonymously give a gift card or money to someone on hard times, or send a pizza or baked goods to a police station or to a nursing home or to hospital employees or to a big family. 
21. Spend time in service. Serve the needy, the imprisoned, the homebound, the sick, or the lonely. Work at a food pantry or soup kitchen, shovel a neighbor’s snow, or run errands, or say hello. Send a note and/or Bible to the imprisoned, lonely or hospitalized. Pray for them.
22. Pray at an abortion facility. Pray for the Holy Innocents, for the mothers, for the fathers, for the doctors and nurses and other participants. Pray for healing and the conversion of hearts.
23. Pray the Rosary: The Rosary is our most powerful lesson. Take the time to meditate and reflect on each mystery. Start with one bead, then two, then a decade. You will enjoy the journey. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a great supplement/alternative.
24. Go to Confession. Let Jesus take your burdens! Resolve to be reconciled regularly!
25. Pray with others. Pray with family, friends or strangers. Join us on the 13^th of each month for the Rosary at the Fatima Shrine at St. Catharine’s in Spring Lake.

“Most of all: resolve to have a truly blessed new year — one that is new, focused on growing, learning, hoping. Every page of the calendar is blank. By the grace of God, every day holds promise and possibility. Recall the stirring and hope-filled words from Revelation: “Behold, I make all things new” (21:5).” Deacon Greg Kandra

Be purposeful: Commit to something every day. Tell Jesus your gift to Him that day.

 

40 Things To Be Thankful For Today!
(https://www.aggiecatholic.org/blog/2016/10/40-things-to-be-thankful-for-today)

1. God - He loves us enough to become one of us. To die for us
2. Life - What a gift. You exist!
3. Faith - Treasure it. Not everyone has it.
4. Family - Even if not perfect, your family is something to thank God for.
5. The Church - Fullness of grace and truth. Family of God.
6. Your parish - Again, not perfect, but has many treasures.
7. Food - You probably don't have to wonder where your next meal is coming from.
8. Water - Millions don't have access to clean water in our world. Still.
9. Love - God loves you. He made you for love. Thanks God!
10. The Bible - God gave you his love letter. Open it today!
11. Hope - We are made for another home, heaven.
12. Forgiveness and Mercy - We are sinners and God loves us anyway.
13. Your home - You have a place to sleep tonight.
14. Creation - It was all made for us.
15. Prayer - You get to connect with God!
16. Laughter - Everyone likes to laugh.
17. Joy - Deeper than mere happiness. Joy is a disposition God gives us.
18. Freedom to make choices - What a gift. So many don't have this.
19. Political freedoms - Same here. While we need to work to keep them, we still have them.
20. Modern luxuries and conveniences - Air conditioning. Cell phones. Etc.
21. The crosses you bear - Even in this, we rejoice. God makes us like himself.
22. The gifts and talents you have - All is a gift from God.
23. Health - Maybe not perfect, but you can probably still see, hear, walk, etc.
24. God's providence - He is in charge!
25. Your own inadequacies - Which make you rely on God more!
26. Medical care - Best the world has ever seen in all places and times.
27. Pets - Another gift - Fido and Tiger.
28. Marriage - Even an imperfect marriage can teach us something about God's love.
29. That God is thinking about you & caring for you right now - Whoop!
30. God understands what it is like to suffer - Cross!
31. Heaven is real - More than anything else.
32. Music - Let your heart dance.
33. Education - World class education...and most of us have it.
34. Friends - Those who know you so well and still stick around.
35. You have a purpose - God made you for a reason. You rock!
36. Beauty - Creation (and you) cry out with beauty to God!
37. The Cross of Jesus, which saves us - Amen.
38. Clothes - Some have nothing to change into.
39. Peace in our community - Even though it isn't a perfect peace, we aren't at war either.
40. Salvation - God saves!