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Spirit | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker

Spirit | Deacon Allen Tatara Catholic Speaker

On the Inside; On the Outside


 
Aug 22 2021
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The Decision is Ours to Make

Posted by | Discipleship | No Comments

Decisions, decisions, decisions. No matter where we turn in life, there’s a decision that needs to be made. What should I do today? What do I wear? What book should I read? What do I want to be when I grow up? Should I exercise or binge watch some TV series? And on and on.

According to the people who know about this kind of stuff, adults make 35,000 decisions every day. Crazy, right? And 226.7 of these decisions are about food alone! What should I eat today? Do I pick it up or have it delivered? Do I stick to my diet or snarf-down that piece of chocolate cake? And on and on. Our lives are filled with decisions. Read More

Oct 12 2017
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Persistence in Prayer

Posted by | Prayer | No Comments

Today, Jesus teaches that we should pray with persistence (Luke 11:5-13). Of course, the question comes to mind: if God is such a loving and caring parent who will only give “good” things to us, why do we have to persist in asking? Why do we have to ask at all? The reason is not because God needs persuading. Persistence in prayer is for our benefit. Read More

Oct 03 2014
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Prayer for the Work of Our Hands

Posted by | Prayer | No Comments

Blessed are you, Lord God,
Creator of all that is good,
for in your mercy you give us work
that we may be co-creators with you.

With hands to fashion and form,
minds to imagine what has yet to be,
hearts to care for what we have made,
and a spirit to impart to our own creations,
we rejoice in the labor you give us.

By imitating you, our God and Maker,
we continue to shape the world,
to name it and claim it
and be good stewards of your good gifts
through the life-giving Spirit that renews the earth.

Keep us mindful of the power you share with us
that we may create only that which leads to peace.
May the work of our hands and our visions and dreams
collaborate with your good will,
which continues to build for us your kingdom on earth.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Diana Macalintal

Sep 02 2014
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Prayer of Blessing for Students and Teachers

Posted by | Prayer | No Comments

Lord our God,
in your wisdom and love
you surround us with the mysteries of the universe.

In times long past you sent us your prophets to teach your laws
and to bear witness to your undying love.
You sent us your Son to teach us by word and example
that true wisdom comes from you alone.

Send your Spirit upon all students and their teachers
and fill them with your wisdom and blessings.

Grant that during this academic year
they may devote themselves to their studies
and share what they have learned with others.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Jul 15 2014
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The Gift

Posted by | Emotions/Feelings | No Comments

The Gift

If one cannot grow, one cannot learn
the meaning of life; the gift of return.

If one cannot fly like a bird of a feather,
feelings held captive and held in forever.

If one cannot reach for a star in the sky,
dreams are left shattered and the future will die.

If one cannot say what rests on the mind,
the two doors of speech will be closed to the blind.

If one cannot feel for the strength in the air,
nearness is coldness, darkness, and fear.

For if one cannot love, one cannot live,
and grow in the Spirit and possess what you give.

(I wrote this poem on February 2, 1984.)

Sep 09 2012
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Be Opened!

Posted by | Prayer | No Comments

The past couple of months have been crazy at our house. We had been preparing to send off our twins to college, so we had a whole bunch of errands and things to do to get them ready. So now, we all three of our sons in college – in three different states, and my wife Stephanie and I find ourselves alone again.

Around the same time, the Beloit College Mindset List came out for the Class of 2016, the same year as our twins entering college. This is a non-scientific report that comes out every year to remind teachers that college freshmen see the world in a much different way than you and I.  Here are some of the facts: Read More

Jun 12 2012
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Prayer for Frustrated Catholics

Posted by | Prayer | No Comments

This was printed in America Magazine, written by Fr. James Martin, S.J.

Dear God, sometimes I get so frustrated with your church.

I know that I’m not alone.  So many people who love your church feel frustrated with the Body of Christ on earth.  Priests and deacons, and brothers and sisters, can feel frustrated, too.  And I’ll bet that even bishops and popes feel frustrated.  We grow worried and concerned and bothered and angry and sometimes scandalized because your divine institution, our home, is filled with human beings who are sinful.  Just like me. Read More