| TRUTH SERUM | 
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This week's thoughts for deeper living
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| ST. IGNATIUS CALENDAR | 
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| POOR BOX COLLECTION | 
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Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. To learn about next weekend's collection
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| WORLD WATCH | 
Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters!
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The Watters' Edge
THE POPE'S ALMONER--A PRIEST WHO CARES FOR THE POOR--BECOMES A MODEL FOR US ALL
Archbishop Konrad Krajewski
My Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
On January 31st Archbishop Konrad Krajewski who is the "hands-on-extension" of Pope Francis' outreach to the poor in the city of Rome celebrated a Memorial Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere for the homeless and abandoned who had died in the Eternal City. This special Mass is an annual event attended by the poor and their friends. Last Friday there were 500 guests who came to the lunch after the celebration. This annual Mass is only one of the many ways Archbishop Krajewski reaches out to touch and visit the poor, thus making the presence of Christ, the Church, and the Pope especially close to the needy and homeless of Rome.
In 1988 Konrad Krajewski was ordained a priest in his native country of Poland. Ten years later he was sent to Rome on a "three-year loan" to work at the Office of Liturgical Celebrations for the Holy Father. Still at the Vatican in 2005, he found himself at the bedside of Pope John Paul II as he lay dying. Appointed Master of Ceremonies for the Pope's Solemn Mass of Christian Burial, Monsignor Krajewski remained in service to Pope Benedict XVI for the next eight years.
It was during this time that he made a special effort to take care of the poor and the needy. In the evening he would visit the homeless sleeping under the porches of Via della Conciliazione close to St. Peter's Square.
Involved with the March 2013 preparations for the Papal Conclave, he was unaware--as was the rest of the world--that Benedict's successor would be "a street priest" who, even as a Cardinal, left his home in Buenos Aires at night in order to be with the poor with whom he would dine and share their joys and sorrows. On the other hand, neither did Pope Francis know at the beginning of his pontificate that one of his masters of ceremony was also "a street priest" like himself. When Francis found out about Krajewski's concern for the poor, he quickly appointed him to be his personal almoner to look after the poor of Rome on the Pope's behalf.
When Monsignor Krajewski was ordained an Archbishop this past September, Francis himself arrived unexpectedly at the Mass vested only with a simple stole over his usual white robes. Turning to the Archbishop's family and friends, Francis explained the functions of the papal almoner saying, "Look; these are my arms; they are limited in length. If we extend them with Konrad's arms, we will be able to reach the poor all over Italy."
Subsequently, the Pope instructed his new almoner about how he should carry out his new mission as papal almoner to the poor. "You can sell your desk--you don't need it. Don't wait for people to come ringing. You need to go out and look for the poor."
Encouraged by Francis to be constantly in contact with the poor, Archbishop Krajewski has told journalists that he knows for a fact that the Pope himself would like to go out and meet the homeless of Rome though he has never done so because of security issues. As the Pope's almoner, Krajewski feels greatly blessed and is reminded of this reality whenever he recalls the Pope's words to him, "You have the most beautiful job."
It is that beautiful job that Jesus calls us all to be about in having a special care for the poor and the needy. At St. Ignatius we are greatly blessed to provide for and work with the poor through our Ignatian Spirituality Project (four retreats a year for the poor...see article below), our Back to School Supplies for St James and John, the Angel Tree and Jesse Tree ministries, support for Viva House, our Loaves and Fishes ministry that feeds the homeless, the continued financial support for both St. Ignatius Loyola Academy and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, and the many projects we provide money to through our weekly POOR BOX donations. We also engage in helping the needy by participation in assisting My Sisters' Place and the Esperanza Center. We are full of gratitude that, like Archbishop Krajewski, we can reach out to the needy and live the Gospel of the Poor through the outreach ministries of our parish.
In truth, this Sunday's scripture reading from Isaiah the Prophet challenges us to do so: " Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn." (Isaiah 58:7-8) In the Gospel we hear Jesus confirm Isaiah in his words to us: "Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." (Matt 5:16)
Gratefully, In Christ,
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From the Vatican Insider:
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Two Feasts, One Celebration!
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This past weekend we combined two separate events into one at the weekend Masses. The celebration was the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This of course refers to the occasion when Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple forty days after his birth to perform the ritual of purification. This is also known as Candlemas, the feast of light and hope. With the presentation of Jesus at the temple, the candles are blessed by the priest and sent home with the people who keep them as a sign of Christ 'the light of the world' and an expression of faith. To learn more about the Presentation of the Lord, or Candlemas, click here.
The second event that was celebrated was the Feast of St. Blaise, which technically was on Monday, but we added it into the weekend Masses because that's when we were all gathered together! St. Blaise has become known as the Patron Saint of Throats, which is why we enjoyed the traditional 'blessing' of the throats in this season of frigid weather and sicknesses flying about. If you'd like to learn more about how he came to be known for his 'throat ministry' we've provided both an article (click here), and the video below. Enjoy!
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The Feast of St. Blaise and the Blessing of Throats
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Sock Drive to Keep the Homeless Warm
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providing socks for the homeless. the joy of sox
NEW SOCKS WANTED
"Do you have any socks?" - That's the question our Loaves and Fishes volunteers get asked most frequently when they are serving patrons on the street during the winter. In these extremely cold temperatures, warm socks are not just an accessory, they're a necessity. To help meet this demand, on February 16 we'll be collecting NEW men's socks, large sizes and the warmer the better. Special boxes will be in the vestibule upstairs and outside Ignatian Hall downstairs. We thank you in advance for your generosity in meeting this important need.
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A Note From the Justice and Peace Committee
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The Justice and Peace Committee is the outreached hand of our St Ignatius parish community, giving us the opportunity to give our time, our resources, our talents, and, by God's grace, our entire selves to those most in need, in the Jesuit tradition. J&P is committed to education and advocacy, primarily by circulating materials or organizing events that clarify and advocate the Church's social teaching on economic and political issues which impact people throughout the world. It also identifies programs and organizations working for peace and justice in which parishioners may actively participate. The Committee organizes periodic collections of groceries for the Catholic Worker Viva House, and sponsors Movie Nights. Pope Francis, himself a Jesuit, has noted, "The pilgrim Church is missionary by her very nature." In that spirit, let us come together in order to offer ourselves to God and our neighbors within Baltimore, the country, and the world. We invite everyone to attend our first meeting of the year on Thursday, February 20th at 7:30 P.M. in Ignatian Hall. Please feel free to email Justin Brady or Candra Healy if you would like to get involved, receive a copy of the meeting agenda, or have any questions.
In addition to our February 20th first meeting of the year...we have a Movie Night planned for Friday, February 28th. This film, Inequality for All, featuring former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, examines America's widening income gap and its impact on the economy. Click here for flyer - Click here for more information about the film.
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Ignatian Spirituality Project Retreats
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You Can Truly Help Transform A Life Through A Brief Effort!
 | | Video: ISP Retreats |
One of the truly amazing ministries that members of St. Ignatius Church are involved with is the Ignatian Spirituality Project. IPS overnight retreats and days of recollection are offered to men and women who are in transition from homelessness and addiction. As you've seen in the video above, lives can be dramatically changed. ISP is always looking for people who will give some time during the retreat weekends to help in many different ways. If you would like to know how you can significantly touch someone's life with the changing power of Jesus Christ, click here. If you would like to talk it through with the Baltimore Area Team Director, email George Schuette.
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Future Events to Put On Your Calendar Now
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Catholic Lobby Night 2014
- Monday, February 17
Join Maryland's bishops and hundreds of fellow Catholics on Presidents' Day - Monday, February, 17 - for the 30th annual Catholic Lobby Night in Annapolis and become Activated by Faith.Tell legislators that we all have a duty to serve the poor and vulnerable, build up the common good and respect human life and dignity. Lobby Night is an advocacy event that gives Catholic voters the opportunity to speak in person with their elected officials about issues. Registration is required. The event and a light supper are FREE.
2nd Annual Ignatian 5K: "Runners For Others"
- Saturday, April 5
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 5, the second annual Ignatian 5K run/walk in Patterson Park. It's so much fun! Anne Haddad is representing our parish on the race committee and needs a core group of fellow parishioners to help plan for race day. To volunteer contact her at anne.haddad1@gmail.com.
St. Ignatius Parish Retreat at Loyola on the Potomac
- Fri April 25 thru Sun April 27
A wonderful 'weekend away' retreat that we encourage our parishioners to participate in. This year's theme will be "Rivers of Living Water," and focuses on the image of water as a symbol of how God acts in and through our human life, guided by the Blessing for Baptismal Water. Retreatants will be invited to ponder:
- the life-giving power of water (Creation);
- the purifying/healing power of water (Noah);
- the liberating power of water (The Exodus);
- and finally the person of Jesus from whom "rivers of life-giving healing, liberating waters" flow.
Each of these topics is developed in a presentation given by a member of the retreat team and is followed by a period of extended personal prayer. For more information, click here.
All Church "Get Away Weekend" and Parish Picnic
- Friday, July 11 through Saturday, July 12
A good way to get through the cold winter we've been having is to dream ahead to the "Get Away Weekend" being held the weekend of Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12. Come away for a "mini vacation" of camping (either in tents or houses), outdoor activities of hiking, nature walking and swimming. If you can't make the whole weekend, that's ok, come for the culmination of the St. Ignatius All Parish Picnic on Saturday. We want to make this year's time the most well attended, most fun event yet! To accomplish this, we need your presence! Be sure to place this weekend on your calendar now; more information will be available soon. To view last year's event, click here.
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Philip Seymour Hoffman: "Were Jesus Alive Today, He Would be Causing Havoc"
 Philip Seymour Hoffman with James Martin (left), preparing for his role in "Doubt." (Photo courtesy James Martin)
We can too easily think of addiction as a young man's game, something a person deals with when they're suggestible and coming up in the world. Something for people like Cory Monteith or River Phoenix. And it's true that heroin use is on the rise among teens from well-off families in some parts of the country, but with Philip Seymour Hoffman's death on Sunday from an alleged heroin overdose, we also see in stark reality how tight a grip the disease of addiction can have on high-achieving, beloved family men. - (To continue article, click here).
The Anti-Catholic Prejudice Outbursts
Finally, as you may know, two outrageously anti-Catholic outbursts took place in the public forum over the past few weeks. The first was an article in U.S. News and World Report by syndicated columnist Jamie Stiehm in which she argued that the Supreme Court was dangerously packed with Catholics, who have, she averred, a terribly difficult time separating church from state and who just can't refrain from imposing their views on others.
The second eruption was even more startling. In the course of a radio interview, Governor Andrew Cuomo blithely declared that anyone who is pro-life on the issue of abortion or who is opposed to gay marriage is "not welcome" in his state of New York. We offer to you Fr. Robert Barron and his video commentary about about these two rather loud outbursts of Anti-Catholic Prejudice. Enjoy!
 | | Fr. Robert Barron on Anti-Catholic Prejudice |
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e-zine compiled by John. C. Odean
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