PathToHoliness

I love going to Georgia for work. It gives me the opportunity to see some of my family. My brother and his family live east of Atlanta as do my parents. He and his wife took off for a night while I was there. So I got to spend time with this group of nieces and nephews. We cooked hamburgers on the grill and went to see a movie together. We saw The Big Year btw. I really hoped it would turn out to be okay for all of them to watch and it was. It is not at all what I expected out of a Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson movie. The soundtrack was awesome and if you like birds this is a must see movie. That’s all I’ll say about that.

I was in Georgia to attend the Sunbelt Ag Expo, doing some work for one of my clients, New Holland. You can see some of the interviews and other multimedia content I produced on the New Holland Boomer 555 Contest blog. This is a special promotion that’s being driven by social media and my company is handling it for New Holland.

I’ll be back on the road this week. It’s pheasant hunting time! I’ll be heading to South Dakota for an annual trip with some of my friends and clients. I will definitely have photos to share later.

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The St. Josemaria Institute has Christmas cards available for order. They’ll send some Prayer for the Family cards along with your order and all proceeds benefit the Institute.

Inspired by St. Josemaria’s love for representations of the Child Jesus, Our Lady, and the Holy Family, we have selected a beautiful painting of the Madonna and Child for the cover that we hope will inspire the true Christmas message in everyone on your list.

10 cards and 10 envelopes per packet
5″x7″
Inside Greeting: May the light of the newborn Christ be with you and your family throughout the year.
Inside Cover: “This day shall a light shine upon us; for the Lord is born to us.” (cf. Is 9: 1,5; Lk 1: 33)

My wife Cindy and I have been attending Mass this week at St. Dennis church in Madison, WI. I wish I could tell you what the sculpture in the picture is but you pass it on the way into the church. The trees are in full fall color so it was a pretty setting.

We’re attending the World Dairy Expo which is the largest dairy show in the United States. It’s an annual event and you can find our stories and photos on our dairy news website, World Dairy Diary.

It’s hard to believe that it has been six years since the canonization of St. Josemaria Escriva. Here’s a two minute overview video that was just released. I was one of the tiny dots that represents the crowd at that outdoor service in St. Peter’s Square! Blessed Pope John Paul II called St Josemaria “the patron saint of ordinary life”.

The canonization ceremony took place on Sunday, October 6 at 10 o’clock in the morning. “For the honor of the Blessed Trinity … we declare and define that Blessed Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer is a Saint and we enroll him among the Saints, decreeing that he is to be venerated in the whole Church as one of the Saints,” Pope John Paul II solemnly proclaimed. The formula of canonization was closed by an “Amen” from the whole congregation, and enthusiastic applause broke out all the way down from Saint Peter’s Square to the Castel Sant’Angelo. After the Mass was over, the Pope wanted to greet all those present, and in the “Popemobile” he went around the Square and along the whole length of the Via della Conciliazione, accompanied by the Prelate of Opus Dei. Along the way, many babies and small children received a blessing and a kiss on the forehead from the Pope.

You might enjoy seeing some of these new video clips just released.

To celebrate the founding of Opus Dei on October 2, 1928, and the 5th anniversary of the release of Passionately Loving the World, the St. Josemaria Institute is releasing never before seen (unedited) clips from Passionately Loving the World.

In these exclusive clips, we share more of Fr. Dick’s story on meeting St. Josemaria Escriva in Rome for the first time; and, the meaning of holiness, of being a child of God, and being Christ to others.

Here’s one of the video clips you’ll find:

Fr. Dick Rieman is the first member of Opus Dei in the United States. In this clip from Passionately Loving the World, Fr. Dick explains how all Christians are called by God to holiness. Passionately Loving the World is a short documentary about ordinary Americans living the spirituality of St. Josemaria Escriva in the middle of the world today. From farmers to fire-fighters, they work hard, love their families, celebrate successes and endure failures. Through it all they try to grow closer to God. Order the DVD: www.stjosemaria.org