catholic websites

Its been a long while since anyone has blogged here..

I was reading and surfing the web for good sites to read, when a good friend of mine recommended quite a number of interesting catholic websites with interesting articles and resources.

Let me list out a few:

1. http://www.catholicculture.org/
2. http://lifeteen.com/
3. http://catholicexchange.com/
4. http://www.catholicintl.com/

Do take a look at each of them. You might be able to find something that relates to you.

Let me just share an article from Catholic Culture, titled Grace & Rationalization: Closely Linked. I studied Sociology as a major in university and theories are all I studied. Of course, I cant escape from rationalization, the basis of many things. When reading this article, it suddenly dawned on me how fine the line that separates grace and rationalization, yet also blurs the separation of both. It has put a new perspective in looking at how these 2 go parallel to each other, somehow. I have copied the article here, do take the time to read it. (:

Grace and Rationalization: Closely Linked
By Dr. Jeff Mirus November 17, 2011 8:28 PM

In studying the Catholic doctrine on grace, a fascinating connection emerges between rationalization and grace—or rather resistance to grace. I believe this explains quite a bit of what we instinctively sense about those who live and foster immoral lifestyles. It explains why those who are sensitive to these things always wonder what people are running away from when they come up with the usual inadequate reasons for their behavior.

The Catholic doctrine of grace holds first that grace is offered to all men, second that we are incapable of doing any good thing in a meritorious way without it, and third that we are nonetheless fully responsible if we do evil instead. Here’s how it works:
God gives us a grace which causes the intellect to recognize some good and the will to take an initial complacency in that good.

Recognizing this, we either initially resist the grace through the free exercise of our will, or we do not resist it but instead initially simply do nothing at all.
If we do nothing at all, the grace moves us toward the good and, utilizing the power of grace, our own wills freely choose the completion of the necessary good action in cooperation with the grace.

But if we initially resist, the grace that has been given fails in its effect, and we choose to sin. We are capable of doing this under our own power because sin is a deficiency, and man is capable of deficiency unaided by grace.

Now note what resistance to grace consists of. It consists of a turning of the will away from the good God has brought to our attention through grace. And part of this turning occurs when the will commands the intellect to cease to recognize the goodness it has apprehended.

Then the intellect serves the will either by a simple darkening or, more likely, by the exercise of its natural ability but in such a way as to satisfy the will’s command that what was momentarily apprehended as good is really not good at all, or at least not a necessary good. This, of course, is the beginning of rationalization.

If we are habitually properly responsive to grace, we learn to recognize this sort of rationalization in ourselves, either looking back on earlier situations, or in present moments of weakness. Those who are habitually responsive to grace also perceive it very clearly in those who are not. But it remains very difficult to convince people that they are rationalizing, for the whole point is that the will refuses to permit the intellect to admit the truth because the will has rebelled against this particular good.

I suspect our readers will see this, now that I’ve pointed it out: Rationalization is what the intellect does when the will commands it to turn away from some good that grace has enabled it to apprehend.

Love, angele

Unconditional Love

In the secular world, there is a saying " There is no free lunch in the world"

which means nothing comes free in the world

For anything that we give out, we always expect something in return

But in the spiritual world that we are so blessed with..there is NO small print, no hidden T&Cs to obtain His love.

Now what more can we ask for? (:

Love, angele

More tips on how to be a facilitator =)

Heeeaalloooooooooooooooooooooooww,

I miss all of you! Although I'm far far away...I'd still love to contribute =p I just went for a workshop and part of it gave some really useful tips on how to tackle common group situations.

As facilitators, we need to keep to time and try to complete the task at hand with our group, but what's more important is how you make your group mates feel after the activity. Would you want them going away saying "wow, I felt that was edifying" or "man I hate sharings! Why did I even come?!". It's very much to do with the process and how we respond to non-ideal situations. In reality...ideal situations hardly happen haha!

1. Let your group know...

Sharings will be more rewarding if there is participation from everyone.

No ideas are stupid.

It is purely each individual's perspective.

If an individual has nothing to share, then just share with the group that there is nothing in mind to share yet. =) Some people need more time to think about things.

Let everyone agree that the sharing is confidential.

2. LISTENING

This really is about observing non-verbal cues as well. If someone is not contributing, but you see that they are following the discussion, then leave them be. Some people like to contribute when they think they've got the right answer. If someone is not contributing and is not listening, don't pick on them!

*One technique to help with this is to ask them to chat in pairs. They do not have to share their answers with the whole group (let's say >5) if there isn't a need to. It's just to get them thinking and getting comfortable with talking about things. Some people are more willing to voice their own ideas with less risk of embarrassment.*

*another technique is to give your group a piece of paper each to jot down their thoughts. Give them enough time to mull over the question. Ask them to share just one of the many answers on their paper.*

Remember the aim is to get people comfortable.

3. TRUST

It is through our welcoming actions and NOT picking on them that we gain their trust. To prove that we are not there to be against them, or to cause any reason to put up their defences.

4. LEADERSHIP

Do know that as a leader, you are not there to do most of the work. If there are 5 people in the group then you will contribute your 1/5 of the work to make the group work. Let the rest know that the group needs their participation too. Setting up simple and agreed "ground rules" (Stuff that will help make the group work) as mentioned in point 1. will help to facilitate the group. Then you can remind them "Do you remember what we agreed on to make this group work?" , if they go wayward/disruptive.

If you get a talker -- someone who "knows it all" and likes to talk, giving no one else time to share their thoughts; teach the talker to be sensitive to the others.

*Technique 1: Cut in when he/she is taking a breath to say "Thank you (name) for your thoughts. (Another name) what do you think/feel about... " OR "Thank you (name), you have contributed a lot, let us hear from the other group mates on what they think."

*Technique 2: Give sweets each time to anyone who responds. If someone is getting all the sweets, jokingly say "Oh you need to give others a chance!"

If you have the peacemaker...someone who thinks disagreement is failure, then let your group that it is ok to disagree. Help the group develop simple rules for disagreeing. Conflict occurs naturally in a healthy group. It is when there are different views that we get a better perspective of things.

Keep checking that everyone is on board...on the same page. If not, check out what has happened to them. Where have they been? Are they feeling well?

Let each individual know that their contributions has impacted on the group. Eg: Thank you (name) and (name) for your sharing, we now have a better understanding of (topic). OR thank you (name) for cracking us up with your jokes, it made the group much livelier!

Remind everyone that each one has a responsibility of making the group work. =) Do not ever let anyone walk away saying "I knew it was a bad idea" or "see... I told you I was right" when things go wrong. If things are going wrong and they can see it, let them make a change!

Don't allow them to look at their sinking group and laugh.

If the current step is wrong, don't move on to the next step and let the problem build up.

5. EVALUATION

Do a self reflection. Did I help make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed? Did my group mates feel like they contributed? What could I have done better to facilitated the group?

If appropriate, how did we as a group do? What could have been done better?

Other tips to note...

As the leader or facilitator, take the question (or challenge) from the questioner, and post it to the whole group for ideas. Eg: "What do the rest of you think?" OR "What should we do with this?". Try not to answer it by yourself immediately.

Never ever comment "OH we tried that before, it didn't work!". Let the person explain his/her ideas fully before interjecting. Also, if it did not work...why did it not work? Explain to the rest. Could it be improved on?

Take home questions...

When you hear common phrases like "It's always the same people doing the work!" OR "They will not come even if we announce in the bulletin"...Why is it so?

Hope this would be helpful for all of you aspiring to be facilitators =) I found some of the suggestions very handy and useful!

God Bless,

Fran

God is Love

Hey all, would like to share a very meaningful passage that spoke to me.
This is actually the first reading for tmr (Tues after Epiphany):

A reading from the first letter of St John (4:7-10)
God is love

My dear people,
let us love one another since love comes from God
and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,
because God is love.
God's love for us was revealed
when God sent into the world his only Son
so that we could have life through him;
this is the love I mean:
not our love for God,
but God's love for us when he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

God bless,
Charlene