Tag Archives: Parish Mission

March 27, 2015

Catholic Inspiration – Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – All Talks

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

Below are all the recorded homilies and presentations offered at the Parish Mission for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, AZ from March 7-12, 2015.  Special thanks to the wonderful people at OLV for their hospitality – what a joy to be among you!

Sunday Homily Podcast – 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year B) – Saturday, March 7, 2015.

Monday Homily Podcast – Monday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 9, 2015.

Holy Week Presentation Podcast #1 – Palm Sunday – March 9, 2015.

Tuesday Homily Podcast – Tuesday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 10, 2015.

Holy Week Presentation Podcast #2 – Holy Thursday – March 10, 2015.

Holy Week Presentation Podcast #3 – Good Friday – March 11, 2015.

Thursday Homily Podcast – Thursday of the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year I) – March 12, 2015.

Holy Week Presentation Podcast #4 – Easter – March 12, 2015.

In addition, I wish to thank the parishioners at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Solon Springs, WI who welcomed me to preach a concentrated version of this Mission on Saturday, February 28, 2015 – thank you for your kindness…these presentations grew out of our day together!

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March 26, 2015

Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – Easter – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

This is the 4th of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #4 – Easter (33 minutes)

The power of the Resurrection and subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit transforms the disciples – they have encountered the Risen Lord and no longer fear sin and death.  Rather, they engage the world with Good News and share the gift of their lives with power and joy.  This transformation must always be understood through the double lens of the Cross/Resurrection; only with a clear understanding of the sacrifice of Christ can we begin to truly appreciate the gift of Eternal Life.  Two key concepts surface:

  • Strength
  • Sunrise…of Hope!

Our STRENGTH comes from the Lord.  Through our daily encounter with Christ through prayer and sacrament we our empowered to choose our attitude and seek opportunities to live our faith in the unique and precious moments of each day.

Furthermore, the Good News of Christ leads to a SUNRISE of HOPE.  We recognize that our personal witness is most authentic when our lives exude the hope and joy that come from Christ’s resurrection.  Guided by the Fruits of the Spirit, we can honestly look within our hearts and cast out anything that keeps us from God and one another.

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March 25, 2015

Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – Good Friday – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

This is the 3rd of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #3 – Good Friday (33 minutes)

Carrying his Cross for the salvation of the world, the Lord reveals two key insights for Christians:

  • Sacrifice
  • Support

SACRIFICE – giving up something for the sake of something more important – becomes self evident as the Lord offers his life as a perfect offering.  Innocent and without sin, he takes our place and helps us to recognize our own sacrifices as a participation in his Cross.

SUPPORT appears when we look at two familiar figures in the Stations of the Cross – Simon of Cyrene and Veronica.  We read about Simon in the Scriptures, and Veronica has been a part of the tradition of this devotional prayer for centuries; both of them show that even the smallest of actions proclaims the value of human life in our relationships with one another.  Running toward suffering and sacrifice, we can (like a Firefighter) be agents in great and small ways for compassion, mercy, and tenderness.

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March 24, 2015

Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – Holy Thursday – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

This is the 2nd of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #2 – Holy Thursday (33 minutes)

At the Last Supper on the night before he died, the Lord Jesus imparted two key commands that he gave to his disciples:

  • Service
  • Sacrament

In SERVICE the Lord taught with through his example of washing the disciples’ feet.  Found in John 13:1-15, Christ shows his disciples in a clear and direct way that following Jesus demands a call to serve one another.  Service is the path that invites us to give our lives, sharing the unique skills, resources, experiences, and talents we have for the good of others.

In SACRAMENT the Lord defined the bread and wine as his body and blood.  In addition to the Institution of the Eucharist found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke – St. Paul writes of this in 1st Corinthians 11:23-26.  Jesus teaches his disciples about his Body & Blood, and then commands his followers to eat and drink.  The Sacrament of the Eucharist is a crucial way in which we receive the Lord into our lives – providing us with the strength and grace we need to serve as his disciples.

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March 23, 2015

Walking with the Lord in Holy Week – Palm Sunday – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

This is the 1st of four presentations given at a Parish Mission on March 9-12, 2015 for Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Fr. Andrew’s Presentation Podcast #1 – Palm Sunday (32 minutes)

This presentation sets the stage of Holy Week by discussing several key points:

  • Passover – the feast celebrating the deliverance of the people of Israel from their bondage in Egypt
  • Sabbath – the “7th Day” of the week (Saturday) which is dedicated to the Lord, beginning on sundown on Friday and running through sundown on Saturday
  • Temple – the great structure, a holy place sacred to the Jews but also a lightning rod for political unrest against foreign rule
  • Roman Empire – controlling the unstable region for its strategic position in commerce and military rule, constantly on the watch for rebellion and instability
  • Jesus of Nazareth – the great teacher, healer, and prophet – the Son of God who initiates the encounter, knows what will happen, and embraces his mission (like a firefighter who runs toward the danger, not away)

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February 26, 2015

Christian in a Changing World – Finding our Way – Catholic Inspiration

By Fr. Andrew Ricci

Three Great Things

“Christian in a Changing World” is a 3 night Parish Mission that was offered February 22-24, 2015 at Cathedral of Christ the King.  The presentations help us understand how we walk our spiritual journey through the ups and downs of life.

1st Night – Finding our Way Podcast (34 minutes)

The first presentation focuses on using the “Fruits of the Spirit” as a guide to keep us on track in different aspects of our lives:

  • WHAT do we do with the “stuff” in our lives?
  • WHO are the people in our lives and how do we relate?
  • HOW do we behave?
  • WHY do we do what we do?

The purpose is to find our way – making sure that we are headed in the direction that leads us closer to Christ and one another.  It’s about keeping focused on the path that heads toward Heaven, and each of these aspects can give us clear signs that either confirm or challenge our direction.

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