Comments on: Lesson 2 - REDEMPTORIS MISSIO http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16 Students of the CDR web courses discuss their answers to the e-class questions here Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:16:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: njerufranklin http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-200 njerufranklin Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:40:45 +0000 http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-200 1. The most helpful part in lesson is that all gifts , all talents, all personality charisms are gifts given by the Holy Spirit and reflect God's own personality. We need to identify our gifts and use them wisely and carefully if we have to be seen as good evangelizers. Being guided by the Holy Spirit we can proclaim that "Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will" 2.The Holy Spirit come alive during my interview at the Methodist Guest House when I was meant to cheat that I was a Methodist by religion so that I could get the job I had applied for. I found myself proclaiming that I was a Catholic by faith and since all of us worship the same God, I am capable of working for the Methodist Guest house. Luckly I was taken. 3. I have the gift of leadership. This gift has helped me lead my Small Christian community to greater heightsas their Coordinator. Most of of my members are now conversant with the Bible and can well reflect on the readings during the meetings. 1. The most helpful part in lesson is that all gifts , all talents, all personality charisms are gifts given by the Holy Spirit and reflect God’s own personality. We need to identify our gifts and use them wisely and carefully if we have to be seen as good evangelizers. Being guided by the Holy Spirit we can proclaim that “Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will”

2.The Holy Spirit come alive during my interview at the Methodist Guest House when I was meant to cheat that I was a Methodist by religion so that I could get the job I had applied for. I found myself proclaiming that I was a Catholic by faith and since all of us worship the same God, I am capable of working for the Methodist Guest house. Luckly I was taken.

3. I have the gift of leadership. This gift has helped me lead my Small Christian community to greater heightsas their Coordinator. Most of of my members are now conversant with the Bible and can well reflect on the readings during the meetings.

]]> By: tahorinek http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-87 tahorinek Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:29:19 +0000 http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-87 1. In this part of the document and the instructor's commentary, what did you find most helpful or challenging? Why? The most helpful was the insight to the fact that “all gifts, all talents, all personality charisms are gifts given by the Holy Spirit and reflect God's own personality.” I know all people were made in God’s image, but I’ve never taken it another step further and recognized what that really meant. I also know I don’t always “look” at people in the sense that those gifts and talents are present…whether hidden or serving for a sin. 2. How did the Holy Spirit come alive for you during a conversion experience? My favorite examples of the Holy Spirit coming alive for me are when I’ve had an answer or insight come to me in my meditation time and that answer being confirmed “outloud” by someone else. (Of course, that person not knowing what answer I’d been given.) 3. Share an example of one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that is active in your own life. How does this help in the mission of the Redeemer? One of the gifts I currently have is an understanding of the need for “involvement” &/or “community” in our faith…the calling to be disciple. I am using this specific to the Cursillo movement. God has used me as an instrument to implement this movement in our diocese. He has repeatedly given me the time, insight and skills required to get Cursillo established here. He gave me the sense of urgency to get the area Catholics serious about their faith…to stimulate them into wanting more….yearning for a depth in their relationship in Christ, and in turn the normal response of “action” or “evangelization”. 1. In this part of the document and the instructor’s commentary, what did you find most helpful or challenging? Why?
The most helpful was the insight to the fact that “all gifts, all talents, all personality charisms are gifts given by the Holy Spirit and reflect God’s own personality.” I know all people were made in God’s image, but I’ve never taken it another step further and recognized what that really meant. I also know I don’t always “look” at people in the sense that those gifts and talents are present…whether hidden or serving for a sin.
2. How did the Holy Spirit come alive for you during a conversion experience?
My favorite examples of the Holy Spirit coming alive for me are when I’ve had an answer or insight come to me in my meditation time and that answer being confirmed “outloud” by someone else. (Of course, that person not knowing what answer I’d been given.)
3. Share an example of one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that is active in your own life. How does this help in the mission of the Redeemer?
One of the gifts I currently have is an understanding of the need for “involvement” &/or “community” in our faith…the calling to be disciple. I am using this specific to the Cursillo movement. God has used me as an instrument to implement this movement in our diocese. He has repeatedly given me the time, insight and skills required to get Cursillo established here. He gave me the sense of urgency to get the area Catholics serious about their faith…to stimulate them into wanting more….yearning for a depth in their relationship in Christ, and in turn the normal response of “action” or “evangelization”.

]]> By: searcher http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-65 searcher Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:39:28 +0000 http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-65 1. I deeply enjoy teaching on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is my Helper. He is my teacher. He is the part of the Trinity who is my Counselor hear on earth. 2. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart, asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, and asked Jesus to wash away my sins with His precious blood. Then I was immersed in water (baptized). The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong on me that I felt like a new person. 3. The gift of the Holy Spirit that is present with me is knowledge. I have gone to school for 28 years of my life. I enjoy learning and teaching others what I learn from my studies. 1. I deeply enjoy teaching on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is my Helper. He is my teacher. He is the part of the Trinity who is my Counselor hear on earth.

2. I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart, asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, and asked Jesus to wash away my sins with His precious blood. Then I was immersed in water (baptized). The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong on me that I felt like a new person.

3. The gift of the Holy Spirit that is present with me is knowledge. I have gone to school for 28 years of my life. I enjoy learning and teaching others what I learn from my studies.

]]> By: rmgawlik http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-12 rmgawlik Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:08:31 +0000 http://catholicdr.com/e-Classroom/topics/16#comment-12 <strong>What did you find most helpful or challenging? Why? </strong>Once again, taking a strict pay person’s point of view, I was very grateful that the instructor included a thourough discussion on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. When was confirmed over 10 years ago, the whole preparation to receiving the sacrament focused on “getting to know the Holy Spirit” and I must sadly admit, that I didn’t understand any ofit all. Neither did I feel like I retained anything that I learned from that point in time. However, looking from the perspective of the Holy Spirit’s role in the mission of the church, I have been completely awakened! The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us in a variety of ways. I am proud tio say that I understand that - finally. (I could even be witness to the fact that God truly did in fact wait for a time when I would be able to understand. I wasn’t ready for it at that time.) By this understanding (the Holy Spirit’s necessary guidance in Mission), I am now able to look at myself and the Church in general and have come to gain a better understanding in how we can help in Jesus’ mission. <strong>How did the Holy Spirit come alive for you during a conversion experience?”</strong>A few years ago, I admit to basically leaving the church in a sense. I was extremely involved in my parish from the time that I was confirmed. About 10 years after that extreme involvement, I started going to another parish, feeling that I wasn’t getting anything out of mass where I attended - especially since my family had attended Mass in another language (which I could understand in daily parlance, but when it came to understanding the language when religious terms were used, I could not understand a word). For a while, I still went to Mass regualrily every Sunday at the other parish because I was finally getting something out of it. Then eventually, the priests at THAT parish changed, and I stopped going altogether. I remember thinking how I would never become the person who makes it out only for Christmas and Easter, but I DID become that person, I even stopped going to confession the twice a year that I made it out. This was compounded by the thinking of everyone else around me. It almost was like a ripple effect. I began “seeing” the other peoples’ point of view around me, that going to Mass really “didn’t work”. There was no point, and somehow, I began doubting aspects of my faith - practises etc. Prayer was no longer important to me (and hadn’t been for a while since I didn’t understand the point of repeating the same meaningless words over and over again). I became severly depressed - to the point where unknownst to everyone else, I did hit rock bottom. About 4 years ago, someone I knew had taken his own life. This affected me deeply. He grew up in the Catholic faith, and it wasn’t the finality of the action that struck me, it was my intense worry about what would happen to him now. He had always been a kind person. And so, I did begin to pray for him and my hardened heart softened a little bit. I still didn’t attend Mass regularily, and because of my history of depression, his act made me only begin to realize what I was doing to myself. I now realize though that my thoughts never turned to God at this time, but were completely self-centred. I never accepted Him as part of my perspective. Now I know why it was so difficult to get out of that deep dark hole! Later on in 2005, I was struck by the tragic death of John Paul II. I was upset that I never got to meet him. I always felt this compulsion when I was younger, and was actually convinced that I would get to meet him someday and be transformed. Although this event did affect me, I still wasn’t completely converted. (I am just like Sherry, I need to be really hit over the head in order for me to realize something!) I do realize, that this was all a part of a bigger plan that God had always had for me. (I knew since the time that I was alittle girl, that We had a special relationship. I trust in Him, and he truly is my best friend!) Then a few months ago, a more personal event had occurred in my family, that I didn’t believe could ever happen in a “hardcore” Catholic family. This event, caused me to do seek religious advice, as everything that I believed that our faith taught us, who I was (more importantly who the people in my family that this event affected directly were) etc. was crumbling. This meeting, had uncovered what I already knew about God’s love for, but perhaps forgot. I was re-awakened. Since that time, I made a realization of the things that I felt had been missing in my life for a long time. I had for so many years, forgotten who I really was. Although I KNEW deep inside ofmy special relationship with God I was afraid to share it with others. All of the sudden, (I had returned to my oldparish a while back, and realized how important my cultural heritage was to me) I UNDERSTOOD Mass. I begun to miraculously understand the Gospel readings, and I started to read anythying that I could get my hands on. I started with the biography of John Paul II and on the day I bought it, spent 4 straight hours reading - I was totally drawninto that book like I hadn’t been drawninto a book since I was a child. I began buying more, and more books…the biography has lead me to read St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica. I am currently reading about 5 books wiritten about saints, Catholicism… and I have re-discovered PRAYER! So many things have happened recently (and of course, I should include that I don’t think that it’s coincidence that I stumbled upon this course - the Holy Spirit has guided and helped me in MANY ways!) I should also mention that I am understanding what I am reading! I know that this is part of some plan that God has for me. I am anxious to find out what it is, but I know that I am not fully ready to accept whatever it is yet. I know this because of the way that I feel when people make negative comments about my what they call “new obsession”. (I find that I begin to question myself again on who I am, and why I am doing the things that I am doing.) “Be not afraid!” is entirely meaningful for me! I am still afraid to some extent. I trust in God, but am anxious to see what He has in store for me. Like I said before, I too need to be hit on the head! <strong>Share and example of one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that is active in yourownlife. How does this helping the mission of the Redeemer?</strong>If I were to choose any of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit that are particularly active in my life right now, it would have to be the gift of understanding (for reasons that are evident in my answer to the previous question. Ho does thiis help in the mission of the Redeemer? Well, I think that it is especially important to say that when you reach a fuller understanding about something, you are naturally better able to express it. By coming to know God better, I feel that I am in a closer realtionship (whoever thought that that could be possible) with Him now, then I have ever been. This understanding, has allowed me to be more concsious of myslef in everydaylife - how I deal with and react to situations etc. I am able to live more in his image. It is no longer something that I felt was external to me before. I therefore have truly become a witness to His living word. What did you find most helpful or challenging? Why? Once again, taking a strict pay person’s point of view, I was very grateful that the instructor included a thourough discussion on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. When was confirmed over 10 years ago, the whole preparation to receiving the sacrament focused on “getting to know the Holy Spirit” and I must sadly admit, that I didn’t understand any ofit all. Neither did I feel like I retained anything that I learned from that point in time. However, looking from the perspective of the Holy Spirit’s role in the mission of the church, I have been completely awakened! The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us in a variety of ways. I am proud tio say that I understand that - finally. (I could even be witness to the fact that God truly did in fact wait for a time when I would be able to understand. I wasn’t ready for it at that time.) By this understanding (the Holy Spirit’s necessary guidance in Mission), I am now able to look at myself and the Church in general and have come to gain a better understanding in how we can help in Jesus’ mission.

How did the Holy Spirit come alive for you during a conversion experience?”A few years ago, I admit to basically leaving the church in a sense. I was extremely involved in my parish from the time that I was confirmed. About 10 years after that extreme involvement, I started going to another parish, feeling that I wasn’t getting anything out of mass where I attended - especially since my family had attended Mass in another language (which I could understand in daily parlance, but when it came to understanding the language when religious terms were used, I could not understand a word). For a while, I still went to Mass regualrily every Sunday at the other parish because I was finally getting something out of it. Then eventually, the priests at THAT parish changed, and I stopped going altogether.

I remember thinking how I would never become the person who makes it out only for Christmas and Easter, but I DID become that person, I even stopped going to confession the twice a year that I made it out. This was compounded by the thinking of everyone else around me. It almost was like a ripple effect. I began “seeing” the other peoples’ point of view around me, that going to Mass really “didn’t work”. There was no point, and somehow, I began doubting aspects of my faith - practises etc. Prayer was no longer important to me (and hadn’t been for a while since I didn’t understand the point of repeating the same meaningless words over and over again).

I became severly depressed - to the point where unknownst to everyone else, I did hit rock bottom. About 4 years ago, someone I knew had taken his own life. This affected me deeply. He grew up in the Catholic faith, and it wasn’t the finality of the action that struck me, it was my intense worry about what would happen to him now. He had always been a kind person. And so, I did begin to pray for him and my hardened heart softened a little bit. I still didn’t attend Mass regularily, and because of my history of depression, his act made me only begin to realize what I was doing to myself. I now realize though that my thoughts never turned to God at this time, but were completely self-centred. I never accepted Him as part of my perspective. Now I know why it was so difficult to get out of that deep dark hole!

Later on in 2005, I was struck by the tragic death of John Paul II. I was upset that I never got to meet him. I always felt this compulsion when I was younger, and was actually convinced that I would get to meet him someday and be transformed. Although this event did affect me, I still wasn’t completely converted. (I am just like Sherry, I need to be really hit over the head in order for me to realize something!) I do realize, that this was all a part of a bigger plan that God had always had for me. (I knew since the time that I was alittle girl, that We had a special relationship. I trust in Him, and he truly is my best friend!)

Then a few months ago, a more personal event had occurred in my family, that I didn’t believe could ever happen in a “hardcore” Catholic family. This event, caused me to do seek religious advice, as everything that I believed that our faith taught us, who I was (more importantly who the people in my family that this event affected directly were) etc. was crumbling. This meeting, had uncovered what I already knew about God’s love for, but perhaps forgot. I was re-awakened.

Since that time, I made a realization of the things that I felt had been missing in my life for a long time. I had for so many years, forgotten who I really was. Although I KNEW deep inside ofmy special relationship with God I was afraid to share it with others. All of the sudden, (I had returned to my oldparish a while back, and realized how important my cultural heritage was to me) I UNDERSTOOD Mass. I begun to miraculously understand the Gospel readings, and I started to read anythying that I could get my hands on. I started with the biography of John Paul II and on the day I bought it, spent 4 straight hours reading - I was totally drawninto that book like I hadn’t been drawninto a book since I was a child. I began buying more, and more books…the biography has lead me to read St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica. I am currently reading about 5 books wiritten about saints, Catholicism… and I have re-discovered PRAYER! So many things have happened recently (and of course, I should include that I don’t think that it’s coincidence that I stumbled upon this course - the Holy Spirit has guided and helped me in MANY ways!)

I should also mention that I am understanding what I am reading! I know that this is part of some plan that God has for me. I am anxious to find out what it is, but I know that I am not fully ready to accept whatever it is yet. I know this because of the way that I feel when people make negative comments about my what they call “new obsession”. (I find that I begin to question myself again on who I am, and why I am doing the things that I am doing.) “Be not afraid!” is entirely meaningful for me! I am still afraid to some extent. I trust in God, but am anxious to see what He has in store for me. Like I said before, I too need to be hit on the head!

Share and example of one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that is active in yourownlife. How does this helping the mission of the Redeemer?If I were to choose any of the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit that are particularly active in my life right now, it would have to be the gift of understanding (for reasons that are evident in my answer to the previous question. Ho does thiis help in the mission of the Redeemer? Well, I think that it is especially important to say that when you reach a fuller understanding about something, you are naturally better able to express it. By coming to know God better, I feel that I am in a closer realtionship (whoever thought that that could be possible) with Him now, then I have ever been. This understanding, has allowed me to be more concsious of myslef in everydaylife - how I deal with and react to situations etc. I am able to live more in his image. It is no longer something that I felt was external to me before. I therefore have truly become a witness to His living word.

]]>