For more info and to register, click here. 

Roar!: Life is Wild, God is Good by Totally Catholic VBS, OSV

Monday, June 10, 2019, to Friday, June 14, 2019.

8:30 am to 12 noon for rising Prek4 through 6th-grade children

Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More

900 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee Florida 32304

At Roar! kids will have a roaring good time as they set out on epic African adventure theme to experience the solid foundation of God’s goodness that they can stand on, cling to, hold and remember when the wild times of life don’t feel so fun or adventurous. The kids will deepen their friendship with our loving, merciful and good God who empowers them to bravely face life’s challenges and difficulties.

On-Line registration will open Sunday, April 7 and close Friday, May 10.

Cost per child is $35.00

Add $7.00 for Music CD

Signup HERE

The Sacred Experience Of Silence

Recently I received an article from the Wall Street Journal, written by Christine Rosen, entitled The Rest Is Noise. It’s a short expo on the book by Jane Brox, “Silence: A Social History of One of the Least Understood Elements of Our Lives.” It recounts Jane’s experience of two primary places of institutional silence, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia and Gethsemani Abbey and how each encodes silence in their daily lives. There is a history and cultural meaning of silence of institutions. This specific penitentiary was purposely designed with the idea that each prisoner could be live by themselves with no chance to interact with other prisoners or guards. Not only could they not engage with the other prisoners, but they also couldn’t even hear them. All they could listen to was “the heat through the vents, the wind in the chinks, the feed slots opening and promptly closing. The silence was meant to be total.” Eventually, this kind of isolation and silence drove some prisoners to insanity. One man “beat his head against the walls of his cell until he was bloodied and so gravely battered that he eventually lost an eye.”

 That is not the experience of silence any one of us would want to have. By contrast, Jane Brox’s book explores the Abbey of Gethsemani. Yes, another institution that has rules for silence. But this silence is referred to as sacred and has its moments that are broken for human interaction and fellowship. This is the Abbey so many people pilgrimage to for an experience outside their busy lives of constant noise. “Silence is seemingly neutral but can be used as both a punitive tool and a liberating practice. Its meanings are lost in an era of nonstop sound.” This is what makes Gethsemani such a memorable experience for the many who go on retreat here. Thomas Merton, its more notable occupant (1915-68), says “The silence with people moving in it was ten times more gripping than it had been in my own empty room.” People can move in silence and even this can create an experience. How often have you seen an old couple at dinner and not say a word? At some point, words seem to fail and presence is enough. As the saying goes “silence is golden.”

Today, noise constantly invades our personal space. Christine Rosen says “Musak piped into elevators and shopping malls seems almost quaint, now that televisions and video screens are everywhere- in waiting rooms, restaurants and taxis- and every stroll down a store aisle is accompanied by a pop soundtrack. Even pumps at the gas station blare music and weather updates and earphones make it possible to go through an entire day listening to podcasts, phone conversations or playlist of tunes. Our eagerness for nonstop sound suggests that mere quiet is an uncomfortable experience for many people.”

Ms. Rosen continues, “A culture that supports a market for high-end noise-canceling headphones while also embracing the endless tweeting, chattering, and live-streaming of the online world is a culture that hasn’t thought seriously enough about the value of silence.” Max Picard, who is the author of “The World of Silence”, says “Silence is as much a part of history as noise.” Today, Gethsemani is a thriving Monastery with a very active Retreat House, while Eastern State Penitentiary, once the world’s most expensive prison and social experiment, is a crumbling museum that sells tickets for daily tours.

I haven’t read it, but I’m certainly thinking of getting Jane Brox’s book “Silence: A Social History of One of the Least Understood Elements of Our Lives.” Sounds like a good read.

Fr. John

“Through your support of CSA, your helping hand will be present at that critical time in a persons life when ministry is made available. We all hope that our charitable gifts are used effectively, and where the need is greatest; that is what CSA does in your name here in the diocese of Pensacola- Tallahassee. When you make your gift, you will be in effect become the presence of Christ to others.” - Most Rev. William A. Wack, CSC

 Bishop's Letter              2019 CSA Brochure 

At this liturgy, we ask God to bless the oil that will be used to anoint our brothers and sisters throughout the year.  God uses something so ordinary and commonplace -- the fruit of the olive tree -- to do something extraordinary today. In the same way, God takes our ordinary lives and makes them extraordinary.  Finally, today we celebrate and honor the priests who serve us; men whom God has set apart to celebrate the sacraments and preach the Word to the assembly. We thank God for the ordinary, commonplace things that are used to help us to experience God's presence and ministry among us.

How to access Formed

Our Diocese has established Victim Assistance Coordinators to help anyone who has been abused by church personnel. Victims should call Dr. James Gagnon at 877-0205.  To report a case, call the 24-Hour Child Abuse Hotline at 800-962-2873.
Coordinadores para asistencia a victimas (Dejanos ayudarte a encontrar la sanacion) Deacon Santiago Molina, 850- 627-2350 

ttps://ptdiocese.org/safeenvironment