_edited.png)
Men of Signum Crucis, happy month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
Why is the month of June devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?
According to Francesca Pollio Fenton, author of an article published by the
Catholic News Agency yesterday, “in 1856, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday
following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the universal
Church. Ever since, the month of June has been devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and his immense love for us all.” Read more here about the apparition of Jesus to St.
Margaret Mary Alocoque in 1673 disclosing the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which also
explains our devotion to First Fridays of the Month (the First Saturday devotion that Dr.
Rowan spoke about during our May gathering is a “companion” to the First Friday
observation). Mr. Fenton states in his article that “the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
is a solemnity, the highest-ranking feast in the liturgical calendar, although it is not a
holy day of obligation.” I hope you will set plans now to attend Mass on Friday, June 16
to observe this special day. My guess is that every parish in the diocese (or almost) will
offer Mass that day, so check your bulletin or parish website for Mass times.
Men, speaking of special Mass observations, tomorrow is the First Saturday of
the Month. In Jefferson City, both St. Joseph Cathedral and Immaculate Conception
Church offer Mass at 8:00 a.m. (thank you Father Nelen and Father Flatley!). Both
parishes also offer the Rosary at 7:30 a.m. before the Mass. I am sure some of the
outlying parishes also offer Mass on First Saturday. Again, check your Church bulletin
or website for Mass times and this website to remind yourself of the acts we take for five
consecutive First Saturdays in reparation for the blasphemies and ingratitude committed
against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Attending Mass on weekdays or Saturday mornings might not be a part of your
current routine, but I encourage you to be that Man of Signum Crucis who becomes
even more devoted to his faith, thereby leading his family and friends to a deeper faith
through prayer and example. Remember that being a Man of Signum Crucis can
mean that we need to “choose hard” when the opportunity presents itself.
Men, on another note, I hope that you have heard of the miracle that was
“discovered” at the Monastery of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, in
Gower, Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Read this article from The Pillar to learn more
(by the way, I highly recommend subscribing to The Pillar for all your up-to-date news
regarding the Roman Catholic Church in America and abroad).
I have attended Mass several times in the monastery in Gower (one time with the
good fortune of being able to serve as Acolyte at the Mass). Remember in 2020 when
we were unable to attend Easter Mass here in the diocese due to the coronavirus
pandemic? My wife and I had the good fortune of being invited to attend Mass in Gower
that Easter Sunday (thanks, Ed). I have many good memories of the Monastery of the
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, and I have been listening to their beautiful
Gregorian Chant ever since. Maybe someday you and your family or friends can jump
in the car and see for yourself that there is a thriving monastery of cloistered nuns here
in Missouri praying for the Church Militant everyday. It’s an inspiration to see.
Men, I have met recently with Barb Prasad, the Director of Women’s Ministry for
the Diocese of Jefferson City to collaborate and share ideas. Barb has asked if the Men
of Signum Crucis would provide help for their retreat on October 6 and 7 later this year.
I assured her we would have all the manpower she needs to staff the registration desk
and help serve the meals. It will be held at the Cathedral. This will be a great way to
help the ladies in our area so that those attending can focus full attention on the retreat
itself. So, men, please check your calendars and pencil these dates in your calendars.
More details with requests for your commitment to follow. Men who volunteer will be
able to hear the keynote presentation by Teresa Tomeo, the host of Catholic
Connections, aired most weekdays at 8:00 a.m. on Catholic Radio. To learn more about
Teresa Tomeo, click here.
Finally, as I alluded to in our May gathering, we are planning to officially head into
summer during a special fraternity event at our June 21 gathering (the first day of
Summer!). Three men (Father Clark, Deacon Ray Purvis, and Jamie Smith) will lead us
in a Study on the need for and benefits of fraternity, and the need to become more
devoted to our faith through fraternity from a Theological, Scriptural, and Humanistic
perspective. Afterwards, we will head outside the Commons entrance where men will
be preparing mansize cheeseburgers and hamburgers with all the trimmings on flat iron
grills. We’ll step back inside the Commons to grab a drink and a seat and hopefully
begin to implement the type of fraternity that our presenters just spoke about, with a
couple of brief testimonies prior to our Litany of St. Joseph at 7:55 p.m.
The topic we will hear about will encourage us to seek relationships with others
who can help us move beyond a faith that is “one inch deep and one mile wide,” to a
faith that is “one mile deep and one mile wide.” Iron does sharpens iron, you know….
I realize that summer presents different opportunities for each man. For some,
you have more time to attend events like Men of Signum Crucis gatherings. For
others, the summer is busier. Regardless of whether you have been able to attend
recently or not, I hope you will come on June 21 and learn the importance of fraternity
and what a difference it can make in your life, and to officially kick off summer with a
group of likeminded, Christ-focused men.
As always, the evening will begin with an optional Rosary at 6:00 p.m. in the St.
Pius X Chapel at Helias We will officially begin the evening at 6:30 p.m. with our Study
of Fraternity. Please come, and bring a son, father, brother, uncle, or friend. Whether
you know it or not, each man present makes a difference to someone else who is there,
regardless whether they speak to one another or not.
A few other announcement/reminders:
● As I have mentioned several times recently, Dr. Ray Guarendi, otherwise known
in Catholic circles as the host of the Catholic Radio show, “The Doctor Is In,” will
be the keynote speaker at the 10th Annual Catholic Radio Mass and Barbeque
Fundraiser, to be held at Helias in the Chapel and Commons on Saturday, July 8.
I and some other members of the Men of Signum Crucis Planning Group (and
some of you) have been instrumental in planning this annual event over the past
ten years. If you have not listened to Dr. Ray before, you can get a load of his
dry wit Monday through Friday at noon on either 88.1 FM (St. Thomas/Jefferson
City) or 94.7 FM (Columbia). I hope you will mark your calendars now for this
one-of-a-kind experience here in Jefferson City. The RSVPs are coming in faster
than ever, so if you wish to come, please let me know before all spots are taken.
● I hope that each of you will invite at least one new man from your family or circle
of friends to the Men of Signum Crucis gathering on June 21. We are now up to
160 members of the Men of Signum Crucis, but there is no doubt that there are
still hundreds of men waiting to be asked to join our circle. Please continue to
share the “wealth” of the Men of Signum Crucis with other men in your circle.
Remember that men do not have to be Catholic to be a member of our fraternity.
Although re-gifting is not usually considered a manly thing to do, it is always
manly to re-gift our faith. I hope after our June 21 gathering, you will never be shy to
speak about or exhibit your faith to others. If nothing else, remember what St. Francis
of Assisi purportedly said: “Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.”
Thank you for your fidelity to this fraternity of Men of Signum Crucis.
Men, remember that St. Joseph “chose hard.” Let’s choose to do the same.
St. Joseph, Foster Father of the Son of God, and patron saint of the Men of Signum
Crucis, pray for us.
In hoc signo, vinces,
Mark Rehagen
P. S. In hoc signo, vinces: https://veterumsapientia.org/in-hoc-signo-vinces/
Future Gatherings:
June 21, 2023
July 19, 2023
August 16, 2023
Comentários