Almost three months to the day (June 25th) after we shared this message at the 10th World Meeting of Families in Rome, we’re excited to share with you an abbreviated version published in the current issue of the Knights of Columbus’ Columbia magazine, with a circulation of approximately 1.7 million. To read the unabridged version, the Spanish translation, or to watch the EWTN recording, click here.
Three years ago, we felt besieged by life. Soren had been in and out of the hospital for a year with life-threatening emergencies. And during that year we also experienced the sudden death of Soren’s father and the loss of his job. Our five children were all still at home, and we knew that we urgently needed to discern our next step.
We thought back to the days when we would go on long retreats to better hear the Lord’s “still, small voice.” Now, in our home, we were surrounded by grief, uncertainty and the clamor of constant needs.
For so many families today, this experience of “crisis upon crisis” is normal. It seems impossible to find the narrow path to heaven when we are surrounded by illness, death, economic instability and worse. How can authentic discernment take place amid so much exhaustion, anxiety and brokenness? [Continue reading at Columbia here….]
> “U.S. Couple to Share Advice for Catholic Family Life at World Meeting of Families” (Catholic News Agency) provides a snapshot look at how we approached the vast topic of discernment. As we share in the article, our aim was to “present a framework for how parents can create an atmosphere in their homes for good discernment.” Our goal was to do this by inviting families to see themselves as a “communion of persons, an image of the Trinity.” The heart of discernment, then, is “following the Lord’s voice into deepening communion as a family.”
> Here is a helpful catechesis from Pope Francis entitled “What does it mean to discern?” “Knowledge, experience, emotion, will,” Pope Francis explains, “These are some of the indispensable elements of discernment.”
> In “Vatican Event Explores Meaning, Importance of Discernment in Families” (Crux), Fr. Miguel Yanez explains, “To discern means to decide in the sense of taking on one’s own responsibility, that which we cannot or should not leave to others.”
> Our thanks to Fr. Michael Kelly for kicking off our first Heaven in Your Home Gathering last Saturday at St. John the Apostle in Leesburg. Over 40 adults and about 30 low-decibel level kids had a blast (and yes, 20 pizzas vanished in the span of an hour). Mark your calendar for our next Gathering in Leesburg on Nov. 12th with special speaker Deacon Matt Noah from St. Theresa’s, Ashburn. 
> We still have 1-2 openings (each for 15-20 hrs/week) for barista/cook (post-high school) at our award-winning Trinity House Cafe + Market in the heart of old town Leesburg. Join our faith-filled, dedicated, and hard-working team, focused on serving our community with excellence. Learn more, apply online, and spread the word.
“Thank you for all you do, and may God bless your efforts to spread His love and glory.”
– Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco
