Homily #150730r ( 14min) Play – Archbishop Blasé Cupich of Chicago gives the opening homily for the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He reflects that God dwells with us in order to be close to us and so we should draw close to Him, asking for forgiveness of our own sins and those of others. In doing so we will live a life of union and friendship with Christ in this life, giving a fore taste of the life to come.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Thursday 17th Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy
Readings: 
1st: exo 40:16-21, 34-38
Resp: psa 84:3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11
Gsp: mat 13:47-53

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Homily #150731r ( 14min) Play – Bishop Thomas Paprocki gives the second homily for the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He gives a history of his Diocese of Springfield and the connection to Chicago, Christianity and the United States in general, the connection between Church and state. He reflects on the need to be persevering in living out our faith and proclaiming it even if we are in a time of moral decline. He further connects the spiritual discernment of St Ignatius of Layola to this effort toward moral rectitude.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Friday 17th Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: lev 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37
Resp: psa 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11
Gsp: mat 13:54-58

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Homily #150801r ( 15min) Play – Bishop John LeVoir gives the third homily for the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He reflects on his experience as a chaplain to Courage groups and the need for a good, solid, practical moral theology for our difficult moral times. He gives some examples of teachers of such theology including St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose feast day it was when this homily was given, and also to Fr. John Harvey, the founder of Courage, and to the current head of Courage, Fr. Paul Check.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Saturday 17th Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: lev 25:1, 8-17
Resp: psa 67:2-3, 5, 7-8
Gsp: mat 14:1-12

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Homily #150802r ( 15min) Play – Cardinal Edwin O’Brien gives the closing homily for the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He reflects on the painting of the Last Judgement by Michael Angelo in the Sistine Chapel and the need to make use of the teaching, sacraments, good examples and graces we are given in order to prepare for this fearful day.
Ave Maria!
Mass: 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Sunday – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: exo 16:2-4, 12-15
Resp: psa 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54
2nd: eph 4:17, 20-24
Gsp: joh 6:24-35

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Conferences #275 – ( 54min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fr. Paul Check, the Executive Director of Courage, gives the opening keynote address at the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He reflects on “The Secret of Life”, that the meaning of life is to prepare for everlasting life with our Lord, to love and be loved by him for all eternity. Father makes an analogy between development of our natural life to the development of our supernatural, spiritual life. Just as we educate our minds and exercise our bodies, we should also work on developing the grace God gave us at Baptism and how the exercise of selfless charity toward our neighbor builds our charity to the Lord and then he helps us to love even more.

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing them moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. http://couragerc.org/

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Conferences #277 – ( 55min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Adult themes discussed, viewer discretion advised

At the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il.  Fr. John Waiss, Pastor of St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago titles his talk, “The Role of Relationships in Understanding Identity” using the insights of John Paul II’s personalism. He connects the relationship with God to that of people around us and that this should be how we identify ourselves. Where as today we have performance based identity, how much we make, how attractive we are and this is the cause of our moral decadence. By focusing on our relationships, God first and then our neighbors, we will be able to grow a healthy self-identity and avoid the escapism of various addictions including sex.  In this regard he discusses the different but complimentary roles of spiritual direction and psychological therapy and the importance of family.

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing them moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. http://couragerc.org/

Audio (MP3)

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Conferences #278 – ( 66min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Adult themes discussed, viewer discretion advised

Prof. John Cuddeback of Christendom College gives his talk titled “The Challenge of True Friendship Today” at the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. The three challenges and remedies he addresses are:
1. Seeing ourselves as lovable as the basis for being able to truly love others.
2. Form habit of being together with friends as a remedy to our individualistic culture that tends to isolate us.
3. Do not let sexual desire distort our true love for others and even ask God’s help to develop chastity, an interior transformation of our carnal desires to come into line with true love.

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing them moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. http://couragerc.org/

Audio (MP3)

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Conferences #279 – ( 72min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Adult themes discussed, viewer discretion advised

Emily Stimpson a freelance author based in Steubenville, OH gives the “Nine Rules of Catholic Friendship” in her talk at the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il.  These rules refer to how to have good friendships in the single life as a fulfilled, chaste, happy person in a world that does not understand true friendship. She bases them on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. They are:
1. Be real. Be yourself so that you love others others love the real you.
2. Have fun in friendships. Be open to new experiences.
3. Grow in Holiness grow closer to Christ, be challenged by your friends and challenge them.
4. Be consistent in your friendships, seeing the value of other people and love them.
5. Avoiding clicks, reach out to others.
6. Be called out of yourselves and learn to be a gift to others.
7. Keep friendships divers in race, age, status.
8. Be seasonal, all-weather, in all circumstance. Be a gift to others even when this is not easy.
9. Be personal, one-on-one as opposed to online, develop hospitality and community.

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. The vast majority of the content of these excellent talks is fully applicable to all Catholics of any orientation and is well worth viewing.

http://couragerc.org/

http://www.emilystimpson.com/

Audio (MP3)

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Conferences #280 – ( 80min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Adult themes discussed, viewer discretion advised

Prof. Joseph Pearce of Aquinas College gives his talk called “Sin and Addiction in The Lord of the Rings” at the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He gives deep insight into the Catholic nature of J. R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord of the Rings, especially in regard to sin as represented by the ring. He makes a distinction between the ring wearer, the depraved Gollum, who is addicted to sin, and the ring bearer, Frodo, who carries the burden of sin for the sake of others as Our Lord did in carrying the cross. He shows how this is all a mirror of our lives and the need to live in such a way as to prepare ourselves for eternal life in heaven.

http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu/blog/faculty-staff/joseph-pearce/

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing them moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. The vast majority of the content of these excellent talks is fully applicable to all Catholics of any orientation and is well worth viewing. http://couragerc.org/

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Courage ’15 #6 – Joseph Pearce – Sin and Addiction in The Lord of the Rings – CONF 280 first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Conferences #281 – ( 43min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Adult themes discussed.

Most Rev. Mark Seitz, Bishop of El Paso, gives his talk, “Surprised by Joy: Finding True Happiness by Embracing the Cross” at the 2015 Courage Conference at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Il. He gives many quotes from St. Paul and others on the happiness we will have if we embrace our crosses knowing that Jesus, our creator, also embraced His cross for us. Not only will this timeless wisdom help us get through suffering much more effectively than modern platitudes, it will also help us to live with integrity and prepare us for eternal happiness with Our Lord in heaven.

Courage is a Roman Catholic Apostolate to those who experience same sex attraction, providing them moral and community support to help them live according to the teachings of the Church. Most of the content of these excellent talks is fully applicable to people of any orientation, worthwhile to all. http://couragerc.org/

Audio (MP3)

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The post Video – Courage ’15 #7 – Bp Seitz – Happiness by Embracing the Cross – CONF 281 first appeared on AirMaria.com.