Epiphany Young Adult Ministry

Our Saint in Focus continues with St. Maximilian Kolbe - a martyr of charity. He was born in January 1894 in Poland and in 1907 he joined the Conventual Franciscans. After the outbreak of World War II, Kolbe and other friars provided shelter to refugees from Greater Poland, including 2,000 Jews and issued a number of anti-Nazi propaganda. On 1941, the monastery was shut down, Kolbe was arrested and transferred to Auschwitz. Continuing to act as a priest, Kolbe was subjected t...o violent harassment, including beating and lashings. When a prisoner escaped one day, the authorities picked ten men to be starved to death in an underground bunker to deter further escape attempts. When one of the selected men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out, "My wife! My children!", Kolbe volunteered to take his place. In his prison cell, Kolbe led the prisoners in prayer. After they had been starved and deprived of water for two weeks, only Kolbe remained alive. The guards wanted the bunker emptied, so they gave Kolbe a lethal injection of carbolic acid. Prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe - O Lord Jesus Christ who said, No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose life illustrated such love, we beseech You to grant us our petitions. Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we, too, may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, St. Maximilian Kolbe. Amen.

The little moments of gratitude shared in our community are the big moments which keep us connected.

It is incredible how joy in the most uncertain circumstances begins in the simplest of things. One of the purest joys is the joy of connection. One of the gifts of these present times is the reminder of what it is to feel childlike joy when spending time with loved ones. A gift showing itself in these tragic times is the reminder of having the open heartedness of a child.

Our "Saint of the Week" series continues! This week, we feature St. John Vianney patron saint of parish priests. As pastor of the parish at Ars, John encountered people who were indifferent and quite comfortable with their style of living. His vision led him through severe fasts and short nights of sleep. His work as a confessor is John Vianney’s most remarkable accomplishment. In the winter months he was to spend 11 to 12 hours daily reconciling people with God. In the... summer months this time was increased to 16 hours. Many people look forward to retirement and taking it easy, doing the things they always wanted to do but never had the time. But John Vianney had no thoughts of retirement. As his fame spread, more hours were consumed in serving God’s people. Prayer to St. John Vianney: "St. John Vianney, Priest of the Lord and inexhaustible Confessor, in your quest to pursue your vocation, you were not deterred by the obstacles that came your way. Your strong faith carried you through all of life’s trials to your place in God’s Kingdom. By contemplating on your life, may I be imbued with the same determination to be the best I can be in my life. Let what I think, say, and do, benefit my neighbor and lead me ever closer to our Heavenly Father. Through your intercession may I be strengthened in courage and faith so that I too may give all to God without counting the cost. Amen! #saints #christian #youth

Our "Saint of the Week" series continues! This week, we feature St. Apollinaris one of the first great martyrs of the church. Apollinaris was made Bishop of Ravenna by St. Peter. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that he won many converts. However he also had to face the fury of the idolaters, who beat him cruelly and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered t...he city again. Again he was captured, hacked with knives, had scalding water poured over his wounds, was beaten in the mouth with stones, and then, loaded with chains, was flung into a dungeon to starve to death. After four days he was put on board ship and sent to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. This time he died from wounds received during a savage beating. Prayer to St. Apollinaris: "Direct your faithful, Lord, in the way of eternal salvation, which the Bishop Saint Apollinaris showed by his teaching and martyrdom, and grant, through his intercession, that we may so persevere in keeping your commandments as to merit being crowned with him. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen" St. Apollinaris, pray for us! #saints #christian #youth