PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS (RELOADED)

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is sensationalism, let me bring your truth
Where there is flaunting of wealth, your simplicity, Lord
And in the midst of noise, prayerful silence

Make me a channel of your peace
To those obsessed with entertainment , let me bring joy
To the vain and the greedy, your humility, Lord
And to the virtual world, authenticity

O Master grant that I may never seek
Quantity over quality
Individualism over solidarity
Anonymity over transparency

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in friending that we initiate dialogue
In networking that we create positive relations
And in the giving of self in love that we truly communicate

What interests me most are the apps that help people deepen their knowledge of God and practice their faith. I have downloaded, installed and tested many faith-based iPad apps for about a year now and I use some of them on a daily basis.

The following is a list of six apps that I suggest every Catholic should install on their iPads. You can use them to browse the Lectionary, pray the Breviary, study the Catechism of the Catholic Church, prepare for Confession, recite the Rosary and read the Bible with your iPad.

iBreviary Pro iBreviary “Pro Terra Sancta” is the application that brings the traditional Catholic prayer of the Breviary and all the texts of the Liturgy on your iPhone and iPad.

Confession: A Roman Catholic App With a personalized examination of conscience for each user, password protected profiles, and a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, this app invites Catholics to prayerfully prepare for and participate in the Rite of Penance.

iRosary (Catholic Rosary) Got a few minutes waiting in line? iRosary turns this into time with God. Built for your busy lifestyle, iRosary works like a traditional Rosary, but tells you the prayers, remembers your place, and is always with you when you need it.

Compendium – Catechism of the Catholic Church The Compendium app features a summary of principles, often in question-and-answer format, contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church through an easy-to-use, immediate user interface.

Universalis Daily psalms, prayers and readings from the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours, seven times a day: Morning Prayer (Lauds), Evening Prayer (Vespers), Night Prayer (Compline), the Office of Readings, and the three daytime hours: Terce, Sext, and None.

Catholic Calendar Liturgical calendar for every year from 1970 to 2300 and beyond. Feasts and celebrations according to the General Calendar and the local calendars of the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Ireland, and others.

For more information about the Dogma of the Trinity please follow this link: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15047a.htm

To view and download their full size versions, please click on the images or the names of the artists/sources.

And that makes Facebook a potent ground for online evangelization. A good number of churches and faith-based organizations have already taken advantage of the social network’s prominence and virtual omnipresence. But making disciples of all nations is not only the responsibility of church leaders. Every Christian must do his/her part. Here are five suggestions on how one can use Facebook to spread God’s Word.

1. Write Christ-centered messages on your wall
2. Install bible-based apps
3. Embed inspiring and spiritually-uplifting photos and videos
4. Share Church-related and Christian-themed links
5. Post prayers on your friends’ wall

If you have other suggestions on how to proclaim the Gospel in your favorite social network, please leave a comment below.

A few days ago I shared with you a high-res Holy Week wallpaper. This time I am sharing with you a free Easter wallpaper. Just like the previous wallpaper, it is available in various sizes to fit all commonly used desktop and tablet resolutions. You are also free to use it as a worship background, presentation background, liturgy visual or for other purposes. Not only are you allowed to download and use it, but you are also free (in fact, I encourage you) to edit it. But please note that you are not allowed to use it for commercial purposes.

It is my hope that this digital work of art may encourage you to praise God and love others as Christ loves you.

Please click on any of the following links to download the wallpaper:
1024×768, 1024×1024, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200

Here is a high-resolution wallpaper I created in time for the Holy Week. It is available in various sizes to fit all commonly used desktop and tablet resolutions. You are free to use it as a worship background, presentation background, liturgy visual or for other purposes. Not only are you allowed to download and use it, but you are also free (in fact, I encourage you) to edit it. But please note that you are not allowed to use it for commercial purposes.

It is my hope that this digital work of art may encourage you to praise God and love others as Christ loves you.

Please click on any of the following links to download the wallpaper:
1024×768, 1024×1024, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200

While searching for images I could use this Holy Week, I discovered this beautiful photo set on Flickr. The set includes all the traditional 14 stations and the Resurrection (often included as the Fifteenth Station). Each image also comes with the usual Via Crucis prayer.

All images in the set are available in 1024×768 resolution and thus could be used as desktop wallpapers or prayer visuals. Anyone may download, share and use the images but only for non-commercial purposes.

If you want to know the history, significance and meaning of the Way of the Cross, please click here.

The participants were mostly parish-based catechists and religion educators. Aside from teaching them the steps in facilitating self-reflection and group discussion on films and the sacraments, I also demoed to the participants the fundamentals of devising discussion questions so that films will help deepen their understanding of the sacraments.

I used the following slides during the workshop. You are free to download, use and remix them.

The following videos challenge viewers to make a difference this Lenten Season – to share what we have with those who have less in life and be of service to the poor and the powerless.

Time is money. Give it up for Lent

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XGwN1OLpbg

Share Lent – Building a world of justice

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cYm4NjADXY

Lent Project 2011 – Nurses for Nepal

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj6Tpcf5SCc

The following is a list of online retreats made especially for the Season of Lent. All you need to do is to follow the guides and resources provide for each day/week. You also need to be solely focused on the One who seeks and invites you to spiritual communion.

SEVEN WEEKS FOR THE SOUL: A REFLECTIVE JOURNEY FOR LENT
Seven Weeks for the Soul is an online Ignatian retreat for Lent, based on the book of the same name by Gerard W. Hughes.

LENTEN RADIO RETREAT
Experience a “Radio Retreat” this Lent 2010 with U.S. Catholic bishops. Listen to inspiring words and songs for Sunday Lenten reflection.

ANCC Lenten Retreat
The ANCC (American National Catholic Church) Lenten Retreat offers gospel readings, reflections and action steps for each day of the entire Lenten season. Reflections are written by Fr. Matthew, Deacon Philip and Fr. Jason. Both Frs. Matthew and Jason are members of the Franciscan Community of Mercy.

THE LENTEN SEASON
This site includes both audio and video resources for a lenten retreat online.