December 2003
Index
- S E L F by Fr. Bob Camuso
- Recent Blessings on the SacraMentors Program by Jeff Smith
- It's EASY to give truly meaningful Christmas gifts this year!
- The Ego Doesn't Give Up! Ever! By Michael Ulrich
- Is God Calling You to Be a SacraMentors Trainer? by Linda M. Moran
- FALL PARISH COORDINATOR'S BREAKFAST By Frank Pease, Senior Parish Coordinator
- Fall Sacramentum With Fr. Jim Northrop By Ron Reierson, St. Charles Borrmeo
- Lory's Blessings To You and Information About His New Spiritual Program By Lory Misel, Co-founder, SacraMentors
Most of us talk a great deal about our "selves." What we like and don't like. What we want and don't want. What makes us look good to others. But do we ever wonder what this "self" is that we talk so much about?
Thomas Merton once described the "self" as that "divine likeness in us, which is the core of our being and is 'in God' even more than it is 'in us.' It is the focus of God's inexhaustible creative delight."
The idea Merton wants us to understand is that our true identity is found in God's likeness in us. That is what causes God to delight. God sees God's "self" in us and delights in the way a parent delights in seeing him or herself in a child. We were created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26) and so we find our true self as we more closely conform ourselves to the ways of God, which means to act as God might act. Thus, the more we do not act as God might act, the less we are our true self.
The greatest cause of the loss of our true self is sin. As we sin, we are less like God than at any other time. On the other hand, as we live in a state of grace, we are more like the image and likeness of God and thus we are more our true self. Let me try to simplify this: As we discover our true self, we discover God, and as we find God, we find our true self.
The opposite of the true self is the false self. Some call it the ego. It is that part of us that creates hell for us here on earth through its constant need for satisfaction: the need to be right; the need for power and control; the need for vanity, greed and envy. Such needs are like cancers on our soul that kill our true self as they spread within.
But what can kill any cancer on our soul is the radiation treatment of God's love. We find God's radiant love expressed perfectly in the Eucharist. We find it also in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We find it in the Sacrament of Anointing. We discover God's radiant love as we serve Christ in the least among us.
Our Church, in its great wisdom, discovered long ago that we cannot control the ego or the multiple influences of the world which are presented to us each day. We can only control how we respond to them. And sometimes we don't know the best way to respond so that we might keep our true self true. This is why our Church created a "self-defense" system known as the Sacraments. The Sacrament of Baptism is the first line of this defense system. When we were baptized we were immersed in the waters of salvation, the font of divine protection against loss to sin and death. The problem with the sacraments is that we can get so familiar with them that they may seem to us like dusty relics. And thus we avoid them. Yet, when put to use, the sacraments are as vital and full of power as is an erupting volcano that has not erupted for millennia.
If we want to keep our true self vital, then we need God's help. And God has never helped us more than to provide sacraments to keep the false self, the ego, at bay. As you receive the Eucharist, do you ever experience the ego taking over? Don't we experience just the opposite? Don't we feel renewed, refreshed, re-connected with God and humbled by God's love for us?
During this Advent season, I invite you to examine the "self " in you. Does that self exist as true or false? If you're not sure, ask yourself this: Am I more concerned about what I want and who hurt me? Or do I find myself at peace, filled with hope and awe, thankful for all God has given me and wanting to be part of what Jesus is doing?
The true self or the false self. They exist in each of us. Which one is most alive in you? If it's the false self, and if your false self has spread itself like cancer on your soul, then maybe its time for some spiritual radiation treatment. Treatment you'll find in the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. Why not get some today.
Fr. Bob
Recent Blessings on the SacraMentors Program by Jeff Smith
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Holy Spirit has continued to pour out His blessings on SacraMentors this fall. The year got off to a great start at our 2nd Annual Leadership Retreat on September 20th. Thirty-four of your SacraMentor brothers and sisters, representing 19 parishes, gathered at the Palisades Retreat Center in Federal Way for a day of reflection and discernment. We began the retreat with reports from each of the board members on their respective areas. Once we finished the business portion of the retreat, we spent the remainder of the morning reflecting on what it means to be a disciple of Christ. After lunch, we examined a topic familiar to all SacraMentors - grudges and forgiveness. This involved both small and large group discussions about holding grudges and forgiveness, including forgiving oneself. We then spent time discerning if anyone was feeling the Holy Spirit's call to fill any of the open board positions. Following a period of personal reflection and group discussion, no one felt the Holy Spirit's call to serve. I must admit that my initial reaction to that was disappointment because there is much work to be done and the board and I can use some additional help. Upon further reflection, however, I reminded myself that the Holy Spirit is in charge and that at the appropriate time, the Holy Spirit will call people to serve in the open positions.
Another blessing this fall occurred when we tried something new - a concurrent men's and women's SacraMentor series at St. Stephen the Martyr. Under this concept, we held simultaneous men's and women's programs. Each week everyone came together for an opening prayer, a song, and announcements. We then broke out into separate groups of men and women for the presentations. At the Saturday Sanctum, we attended Mass as a group, then held a joint stone ceremony and then finished by having dinner together. This proved to be a wonderful experience for everyone who was involved and is something we intend to do again in the near future. A special thanks to Fr. John Madigan, pastor at St. Stephen, and his staff who gave their whole-hearted support to hosting a concurrent series, to include providing childcare.
Finally, the Holy Spirit blessed us with our continuing program of quarterly Sacramentums, which we started this past summer. In November, Fr. Jim Northrop, pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Enumclaw, gave a presentation on prayer and the Holy Spirit. This was a Spirit-filled evening that left everyone feeling blessed and looking forward to future Sacramentums. In that regard, stay tuned for details concerning a February Sacramentum on lent.
I know that this winter we will continue to see the Holy Spirit bless the SacraMentors movement and use SacraMentors to draw men and women closer to God and to each other. The board and I remain committed to serving each of you and your Apostles Groups. If there is anything any of us can do, or if you are feeling the Holy Spirit's call to be of service through SacraMentors, please contact me at JeffSmith@Sacramentors.org.
May God bless each of you and your families during this Christmas season.
Jeff
It's EASY to give truly meaningful Christmas gifts this year!
When you donate to SacraMentors in honor of your friends and loved ones, they'll be blessed to know you're remembering them this Christmas through support of the organization that brings us ever closer to Jesus Christ and to our brothers and sisters!
Defining the gift amount for each recipient, just send the names and complete mailing addresses of those on your Christmas list along with your check (made payable to SacraMentors) to:
SacraMentors
c/o Jeff Smith
1904 Kempton Street SE
Olympia, WA 98501
A beautiful Christmas card will be sent to the recipient - complete with your name and a blessing - telling them of your generous Christmas gift in their honor
Consider SacraMentors for yearend 2003 tax deductions. SacraMentors is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. As with similar contributions to SacraMentors, "in honor" or "in memoriam" donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
The Ego Doesn't Give Up! Ever! By Michael Ulrich
Now that you are a SacraMentor, some of you might think that you have it made and are on the road to spiritual fulfillment. This article is a reminder that your ego is still trying to control you. You can never kill the ego. It is always there, trying its best to make you fearful, angry and guilty. What do I mean? Well, here are some strategies the ego will use to get you side tracked from your calling, "to be a blessing and to bless." Some may apply to you while others may not.
Avoiding Risk
The SacraMentors material is so powerful and such a threat to the ego, the ego will try to convince you to not take the risks that are sometimes necessary for your spiritual growth. For example, thinking thoughts such as, "I'm really happy after all, where I am." "I can't afford to consider radical change." "Others need to do this; not me. I already know what I want." You end up always doing the same routine each day and never trying anything different.
Diversions and Digressions
You get so busy, that you don't find time to pray, read the Book of Kindness or attend your Apostles Group meeting. If you do attend, the ego attempts to divert you from the Apostles Group process by bringing in the outside world of work and other worldly issues, judging others in your group, leading the group off on tangents or questioning the process.
Words, Words, Words
Do you find yourself dominating the Apostles Group discussions week after week? Perhaps your ego is to blame! With this technique, you talk a lot in your Apostles Group or try for one-up-man-ship rather than insuring everyone has an opportunity to share.
Just Going Through the Motions
This is the opposite of the "words, words, words" technique. Here, you attend your Apostles Group meeting but you withdraw from the group when you are there by not sharing with the group and by carefully guarding your boundaries.
Holding on to the Low Self-Esteem You May Have Had Before SacraMentors
For many, discovering that we are all children of God helped raise our self-esteem. The ego may attempt to get you to hold on to feelings of low self-esteem through such thoughts as, "I can't do that," or "I don't want to waste group time talking about my life." Another approach used by the ego is to tell you that you need the approval of the members of your Apostles Group or leading you to diminish or denigrate yourself before others can.
Overdoing It
At times, the ego uses our good intentions to reassert control over our lives. For example, you may get really involved in SacraMentors then get burned out and drop out altogether. At that point, the ego can easily step back in and gain control of your life.
I hope these ideas help you. Remember, your ego is still trying to control you. Each night before you go to bed, review your day and offer to Jesus those times when your ego was in control. Your progress may be slow at times, but it will be progress!
Is God Calling You to Be a SacraMentors Trainer? by Linda M. Moran
Do you feel the tapping on your shoulder, the breeze on your face? Could it be the Holy Spirit calling you to help expand and share the SacarMentors program with your brothers or sisters by becoming a trainer? Listen, feel, pray, discern. Join us.
Shortly after going through the SacraMentor series at St. Charles in February of 2002, I felt the call and thought it preposterous as I had just gone through the series. Yet, week after week at my Apostles Group we discussed service projects and many of us indicated a desire to become trainers in the future. We joked we could do it as a group service project. Now, almost two years later, it's a reality as five of my sisters from my Apostles Group are trainers. I love it and it deepens my walk with God by participating as a trainer. Each time I participate in a series I learn more, feel touched by God's love, and find a new level of peace through this program. I am privileged to share this experience with wonderful sisters and brothers who delight in sharing this journey. They inspire and support me. And the wonderful people we meet at the series is amazing. Training does not take too much time and it gives you back more than it takes, just like the SacraMentor program did and the weekly Apostles Group meeting does.
As you no doubt know, SacraMentors is growing rapidly. The demand for series around western Washington is increasing. In the future, we would like to be able to do series and have training teams available in each deanery, which is a "district" within the diocese. The men's program often runs two series at one time and has several training teams to present each series. However, they need more trainers. The women's program is currently doing one to two series each spring and fall. It has only one full training team but if you join us we can expand to meet the demand with two full teams and maybe even a third and fourth. We're holding a "Train the Trainers" session on February 21st and 28th from 1-4 PM at St Elizabeth Ann Scion Parish in Bothell. The training will teach you how to prepare talks, provide tips for effective presentations, and give you a chance to prepare and practice a talk that could lead to one you can present at a series. C'mon and join us, you know the Holy Spirit is calling you....
FALL PARISH COORDINATOR'S BREAKFAST By Frank Pease, Senior Parish Coordinator
Fifteen stalwart (and God fearing) souls, representing twelve parishes, gathered at St. Vincent De Paul Parish in Federal Way on Saturday morning, November 22, for our fall parish coordinator's breakfast and meeting. The breakfast, which included a delicious egg casserole, sausage, coffee, milk and juice, was hosted by Ann Trepus (the Parish Coordinator at St. Vincent De Paul) and the St. Vincent SacraMentor women's group.
After we finished eating, Frank Pease began the meeting portion of the breakfast with an opening prayer, introductions around the room, and prayers for special intentions offered by those who were present. Bill Wiebe, the men's Senior Trainer, then presented the Letting Go of Grudges presentation from the SacraMentors series, where he discussed the unholy trinity, how love and forgiveness interrupt that vicious cycle, and the concepts of grudges and forgiveness. There was great group participation in this session, and concepts such as righteous indignation, the sense of injustice we sometimes feel, were discussed.
Bill also touched on the concept of the Mind Split and the difference between our True Self and our Ego. The distinction between "fault" and "responsibility" was discussed as well as victimization. It was a great review, and Bill ended it by taking a few minutes in quiet solitude, with the lights dimmed and the Heart Song
CD playing softly in the background, to have us envision someone toward whom we still hold a grudge. Using a visualization technique, where we visualized the innocence in this person and Jesus' love for them and for ourselves, Bill helped us understand how we might forgive this person for our pain and suffering. The parable of the unforgiving servant, as shown in Matthew 18:21, was used to support our desire to embrace this trait. At the conclusion of this visualization exercise, Little Dan Carpita from Sacred Heart (Enunclaw) gave a moving witness talk on the role that forgiveness has played in his life.
The forgiveness session was followed by a short break and then Ron Reierson discussed plans for next year's Stewardship Campaign. Ron presented a basic outline for how the campaign will be conducted and he explained that it will involve visiting Apostles Groups in February and March of next year and the use of a modified process of discernment. Ron asked that the parish coordinators give him some feedback on how we might improve the percentage of our SacraMentor brothers and sisters choosing to make a regular financial contribution to SacraMentors as part of their supplemental (non-parish) giving program. After a brief time for questions, Frank Pease received a hands-on blessings, at his request, and we ended our meeting in prayer.
The next Parish Coordinator's breakfast will be held on March 6, 2004, at All Saints in Puyallup. Although the breakfast is targeted for parish coordinators, ALL SacraMentors are invited to attend. I hope to see you there!
Fall Sacramentum With Fr. Jim Northrop By Ron Reierson, St. Charles Borromeo
On the evening of November 5h over 80 men and women came together at our fall Sacramentum to hear Fr. Jim Northrop, pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Enumclaw, speak on prayer and the Holy Spirit. This was the latest in our series of quarterly presentations on subjects of interest to members of our faith community. Our SacraMentor sisters from Sacred Heart parish in Lacey provided a wonderful bounty of food, soft drinks and snacks, which everyone enjoyed.
Fr. Jim spent the first half of his presentation giving an overview of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of men and women in both the Old and the New Testament. He cited our Holy Mother as the ultimate example of someone who gave herself over completely to the Holy Spirit and to God's will, thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to work through and in her.
After giving an overview of the Holy Spirit at work throughout the Bible, Father Jirn then talked about the relationship of the Holy Spirit to each of us and the power of prayer. In that regard, he explained the kinds of prayer that are appropriate for us in invoking the help of the Holy Spirit in our daily spiritual journey. Father Jim also talked about how each of us is called to be an Apostle of Christ. In discussing the idea of Apostleship, Fr. Jim said that, "We can contaminate others in a good way," by bringing the Word of God to others.
Another interesting point made by Fr. Jim concerned the idea of turning the other cheek when we are attacked by others. Father Jim explained that turning the other cheek is not an act of subservience or a willingness to get hurt. Rather, it is a way of saying, "I am still present and our relationship is too important to allow this disagreement to separate ourselves from each other." This was a new and enlightening perspective on a familiar scripture passage and explained how Christ was not calling us to be willing victims to other's attacks but to focus on forgiveness and on healing our relationships with others.
Finally, Fr Jim encouraged each of us to engage in an act of surrender at the end of each day by thanking God for the day HE has provided for us rather than thanking God for the things we think WE'VE been able to do, since all of our activities are by the Grace of God.
Everyone present for Fr. Jim's talked seemed to receive a real blessing from his words and thoughts. I was impressed with his sense of humor and willingness to share anecdotes of personal faith crises in his life. This made him more "real" to all of us and increased our receptiveness to his presentation.
If you missed the talk (or if you would just like to hear it again), you may obtain a CD of the presentation by sending Fr. Jim an email at frjim@jnorthrop.com. I strongly encourage all of you to order a CD. It will be well worth the time and effort!
You may also visit "Fr. Jim's World" at http://www.jnorthrop.com/
Lory's Blessings To You and Information About His New Spiritual Program By Lory Misel, Co-founder, SacraMentors
My Dear SacraMentor Brothers and Sisters,
Greetings and blessings to each of you.
I cannot tell you the joy and fulfillment I've experienced because of you. The time I spent with Father Bob Camuso creating and writing the SacraMentors program may be one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. For over five years I prayed daily for instruction and guidance from the Holy Spirit. As information was received, I was blessed. As I taught what I received, I was blessed again. But my greatest joy was working with Father Bob and meeting all of the tremendous men and women who chose to be a part of the SacraMentors program and allow their lives to be touched, blessed and healed because of what the Holy Spirit had offered.
The SacraMentors program is now up and growing in the capable hands of Jeff Smith and an outstanding board, a group of dedicated trainers and the Holy Spirit. A national SacraMentors network is only a matter of time.
During the past couple of years, I have opened myself to being taught again mainly because I have truly yearned and whole-heartedly desired to have a deeper, more profound personal relationship with Jesus. I cannot even remotely describe to you how He has answered my desires for Him other than to say my love and gratitude for Him and my life have been overflowing.
I have asked for information on how I can bless others and He and the Holy Spirit have responded with a new program, another step for interested SacraMentors. This new program is titled, "INNERACTION - The Power of Mind Over What Doesn't Matter."
INNERACTION is available to all SacraMentors, their families and anyone who wishes to participate, regardless of religion or no religion. It is a beautiful continuation and expansion of the SacraMentors Program. And last but not least, it was lovingly offered to interested Christians who have been abused by their church and consequently, don't like joining with or attending their church, for whatever reasons.
This is a Jesus Christ centered program given to show participants how to:
Heal and Transcend Personal and Interpersonal Problems
Claim The Peace of God by Surrendering to His "SECRET COMMANDMENT"
Claim, Honor and Expand Their Spiritual Gifts
Discover and Enter Their Personal Portal to the Grace of God
Be Truly Happy.
INNERACTION will begin in February 2004. It will be held one Saturday a month, for six months. Specific details concerning the exact dates and location for the program will be available shortly. Until then, if you or you and your family, friends or SacraMentors group would like to attend or receive a brochure, please detach the following card and send it to Lory Misel Seminars or send an email to LoryMiselSeminars@yahoo.com or call 253-951-2529.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY SACRAMENTOR WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE FEE. No one will be turned away for lack of finances.
Well Dear SacraMentors. I hope to see you again.
Lory Misel, SacraMentor
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