Homiletic Directory


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Gaudete et Exsultate


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“We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.” — Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate In his third apostolic exhortation, Pope Francis presents the universal call to live holy lives with a new, fresh approach. We are encouraged to strive for — and achieve — holiness in our everyday lives. As we actively live out holiness day by day, we not only draw closer to the Lord ourselves, but become participants in bringing others to Christ. Gaudete et Exsultate shows us: How to understand and embrace the call to holiness How to spot the contemporary enemies of holiness How to understand Christ’s call to holiness in the Beatitudes How to be signs of holiness in our everyday lives How to draw strength for the battle for holiness







Christus Vivit


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To young Christians of the world, Pope Francis has a message for you: "Christ is alive, and he wants you to be alive!" In his fourth apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit, Pope Francis encapsulates the work of the 2018 synod of bishops on "Young People, The Faith, and Vocational Discernment." Pope Francis has always had a special relationship with young people, and in his fatherly love for you he shows that: You can relate to young people in Scripture who made a difference You identify with the Christ who is always young You face difficult issues in the world today You yearn for the truth of the Gospel You are capable of amazing things when you respond to the Gospel You learn and grow with help from the faithful of all generations You need bold and creative youth ministry You can discover who God made you to be You are urged to pray for discernment Christus Vivit is written for and to young people, but Pope Francis also wrote it for the entire Church, because, as he says, reflecting on our young people inspires us all. "May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us."




Gaudete Et Exsultate--Rejoice and be Glad


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Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhoration " Gaudete et Exsultate" (Rejoice and be glad) involves the call to holiness in the modern world, a topic that has been at the heart of the pontificate of Francis since the beginning. At its outset, Francis makes clear that this magisterial text does not seek "to be a treatise on holiness" but to "re-propose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities." The pontiff launches a plain, essential message, indicating that what counts, what is the essence of Christian life is to "seek and find God in all things. "It means letting Christ work in our actions. That His thoughts may be our thoughts, His feelings our feelings, His choices our choices. This is holiness, doing as Christ did is Christian holiness." And in this sense he hopes that his "pages will prove helpful by enabling the whole Church to devote herself anew to promoting the desire for holiness." This universal call to holiness is a key teaching from the Second Vatican Council.




Happy to be Holy?


Book Description

How can we know what it is to be holy? What difference can holiness make in our lives? Far from being a matter for only the ‘Holy Joes’ among us, holiness is the concern of all Christians, and is intimately connected to a life of Christian Joy. In How to be Holy, Fr Alan Hilliard takes us on a journey through Pope Francis’ latest Apostolic Exhortation. Chapter by chapter he explains the significance of Pope Francis’ remarks in an illuminating, and accessible way. Included are extracts from Gaudete et Exsultate, personal introductions to each chapter, and sets of questions to encourage you on your own spiritual journey. Pope Francis wants to help tune us in to God, and in How to be Holy Fr Alan Hilliard wants to help us tune in to Pope Francis! Rejoice and be glad!




The Joy of the Gospel


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The perfect gift! A specially priced, beautifully designed hardcover edition of The Joy of the Gospel with a foreword by Robert Barron and an afterword by James Martin, SJ. “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus… In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.” – Pope Francis This special edition of Pope Francis's popular message of hope explores themes that are important for believers in the 21st century. Examining the many obstacles to faith and what can be done to overcome those hurdles, he emphasizes the importance of service to God and all his creation. Advocating for “the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned,” the Holy Father shows us how to respond to poverty and current economic challenges that affect us locally and globally. Ultimately, Pope Francis demonstrates how to develop a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ, “to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small.” Profound in its insight, yet warm and accessible in its tone, The Joy of the Gospel is a call to action to live a life motivated by divine love and, in turn, to experience heaven on earth. Includes a foreword by Robert Barron, author of Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith and James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage




Reading, Praying, Living Pope Francis's Rejoice and Be Glad


Book Description

Drawing on the wisdom of the Second Vatican Council’s landmark teaching on the universal call to holiness, Pope Francis addresses all Christian women and men in his latest apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate and invites them to embrace fully their baptismal call to live the Gospel. Fr. Horan guides readers through Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation with helpful commentary, additional context, and expert insight. Each chapter includes suggestions for prayer and reflections questions, which makes Reading, Praying, Living Pope Francis’s Rejoice and Be Glad an ideal resource for adults, students, and faith formation groups interested in learning more about this teaching and exploring their own spirituality. This is the most extensive and helpful commentary on Gaudete et Exsultate available anywhere. It does not include the full text of the apostolic exhortation.




Fratelli Tutti


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