Rosary Series (Part 4 of 4): So What am I Going to Get Out of This?

This month, this blog has focused on the Rosary.  It has covered personal relationships with the Rosary, Rosary novenas, and the mysteries of the Rosary.  Today, I want to address the question, “So what am I going to get out of this?”  What do we get when we pray the Rosary regularly?

The Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen promises to St. Dominic when she gave him the prayers of the Rosary.  These promises are enumerated on this site.  In brief:

• ·         our prayers will be answered (whether we get the answers to our prayers that we want or are hoping for is a different matter entirely, but we are promised an answer)
• ·         we will be spiritually prepared for death
• ·         ultimately, we will go to heaven and enjoy eternal life with God
• ·         the world will be a better place because God will be at work in us, and 
• ·         Mary assures us of her personal intercession with her son, Jesus

All well and good, one might say, but what do I get out of it?  The answer to that is similar to the answer you might receive when looking into any remedy:  results may vary.  It depends on the intent behind the devotion.  If we intend to spend mindful time in prayer, it is preferable to doing it for the sake of doing it, just because we know we should.

I will admit, there are times I pray simply because I know I should, with very little thought to the deeper reasons why I should.  Developing a habit of prayer goes beyond making it an obligation.  Our motivation in developing a habit of prayer needs to come from a place of recognition that we need God’s help in our lives, and the way we ask for that help is through prayer.  When we pray the rosary regularly, not only are we assured of God’s help in some way.  We know that we have a mediator in Heaven in the Blessed Virgin Mary as well, and she only wants good things for us.

Rosary Series (part 3 of 4): A "Mysterious" Tour through Jesus' Life

When praying the rosary, each day of the week has a specific set of mysteries associated with it.  Sunday is typically associated with the Glorious Mysteries, which is fitting, since each Sunday is like a mini-Easter celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead.  During Advent, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) recommends praying the Joyful Mysteries on Sunday, and during Lent, they recommend praying the Sorrowful Mysteries, in observance of the solemnity of these liturgical seasons (source).  Monday is typically associated with the Joyful Mysteries, Tuesday with the Sorrowful Mysteries, and Wednesday with the Glorious Mysteries.  Friday is associated with the Sorrowful Mysteries, which is fitting as Friday was the day of the events of Jesus’ death.  Saturday is associated with the Joyful mysteries.

Today, Thursday, is associated with the Luminous Mysteries of Pope St. John Paul II.  Prior to the implementation of the Luminous Mysteries in 2002, Thursday was associated with the Joyful Mysteries.  Some conservative members of the Church still observe this, contending that when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Dominic and gave him the prayers of the rosary, she did not give him the Luminous Mysteries.  Further, when she appeared to the children in Fatima, she said to pray the fifteen mysteries of the rosary for the reparation of sins, not twenty.

Personally, I like the Luminous Mysteries.  They complete the story of Jesus’ life as observed in the mysteries of the rosary.  If one prays all twenty of the mysteries in a single sitting (ambitious, but possible), one meditates on the entire life of Jesus, including the years of His public ministry.  Leaving them out, to me, feels like missing an important piece of Jesus’ life:  His example to us through His shared humanity with us.

Of course, there isn’t one right way to pray the rosary.  It is a private devotion.  What matters is that we use it in a way that is beneficial to us as well as to the world.  It doesn’t really matter which Mysteries one meditates on each day.  The typical associations noted above simply provide some unity throughout the Church’s prayer of this devotion.

How do you pray the rosary?  What is your opinion of the Luminous Mysteries?  Share in the comments below, and please remember to be respectful and courteous of others and their views and opinions.

Rosary series (part 2 of 4): Rosary Novenas

You have probably heard of a prayer novena before – a prayer, often to a certain saint, which is said nine days in a row for a specific petition or for that saint’s intercession in a time of need.  If you can think of a saint or a specific issue you may face, there is probably a novena to meet your needs.  But did you know there is also such a thing as a rosary novena?

A rosary novena (nine days praying the rosary in a row) could be said for any intention.  After all, the rosary incorporates intercession to Mary to “pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”  And who better to intercede for us than the Mother of God herself?

According to EWTN:  

“A 54-day Rosary is basically six novenas of the five-decade rosary that is said for a particular intention.  The first set of three novenas (27 days) are said in petition for the intention and the second set of three novenas (27 days) are said in thanksgiving, even if the answer to your intention was not yet given. In other words, in the second set of novenas you are giving thanksgiving that God's will is going to be done. To make the novena, you pray a five-decade rosary for 54 days in a row for your intention.”

Now, like me, you’re probably thinking, 54 days?!  In a row?!  It does seem daunting on the face of it.  However, a 54-day rosary has much to teach us.  It could teach us patience.  It could teach us perseverance.  It could help us make saying the rosary a daily habit.  There really aren’t any cons to giving it a try at least.  And, if we fail, we can always try again, confident in the fact that Mother Mary will not judge us for our failures.

Have you tried a rosary novena?  What about a 54-day rosary?  What spiritual benefits did you gain from this practice?  Share in the comments below.

Urgency vs. Patience

My mom often says to me, “Have a sense of urgency.”  Hurry up.  Things won’t get done on time if you sit around lollygagging your time away.  In a way, this is an extension of what my grandmother would tell her:  “Induljatok!” – Hungarian for “Get going!”

I have struggled with having this sense of urgency my whole life.  Part of it is probably genetic from both sides.  In my family, we do things very deliberately, and very accurately.  There’s probably a measure of OCD thrown into the mix.  My parents had to be very precise in their work, so it was a habit that both my brother and I picked up quite easily.

When we went to New England over Labor Day weekend, our tour director advised us that in one town, they had no sense of urgency, so ask for your lunch check right when you receive your food.  I told my mom, this is the town for me.

There are times when it is good to have a sense of urgency:  when you are facing a deadline, when you have an important appointment, or when there is some sort of an emergency.  There are also times when it is more advisable to take your time.  Journeys of faith usually fall into the latter category.  I make sure to mention to people who want to go through the RCIA program that this is their journey.  It goes at each person’s own pace.  The important thing is to discern how God is impacting their life at this point in their life.  What is He calling them to do at this moment?  What is His will for them where they are right now?

Perhaps during hectic times of our lives, it would be beneficial to slow down, even stop for a moment, and ask ourselves, what does God want of me at this moment?  How would He want me to act or react in this situation?  What would Jesus do in this situation?  And, at times when things are not moving along as quickly as we might like, we can remember that patience is a skill that perhaps we need to develop further.

Keep the Plates Spinning

My mantra this week has been “Keep the plates spinning.”  When I was growing up, we had a VHS compilation of segments from “The Ed Sullivan Show” and in it, there was a plate-spinning act.  The idea was to see how many plates one could keep spinning at the same time. 

Plate-spinning was a one-person act, which upped the suspense level.  Could one person do it all alone?  It made for great entertainment, because of the potential for things to go wrong.  But what if there were more people involved?  What if, instead of just one person, there were multiple people, each trying to make sure all the plates kept spinning?  That could be just as disastrous.

Sometimes, there seems to be so much going on, it is a struggle to keep just a few plates spinning.  Other times, it is easier.  Sometimes the plates are on a counter or table with little risk of falling and shattering.  Other times the plates are spinning on sticks and the worst could happen at any moment.

The point is, when organizations are run effectively and efficiently, each person is responsible for their set of plates and their set of plates alone.  There is division of duties so that no one person has too many plates.  It makes a seemingly insurmountable task manageable.

I feel like we are in the middle of a plate-spinning act at St. Ambrose right now.  At least, that’s how it has felt on the administrative side of the parish.  There are so many programs to keep going, and at the moment our chief plate-spinner, Fr. Andrzej, has stepped away from the table.  It now falls to those of us who remain to “pick up the slack” as it were.

The important thing to realize is that, at the very core, we are invested in keeping our Church alive, even in the face of adversity.  There may be some fumbles and some slips along the way, but we will come out the other side of this difficult time.  The hope is that we come out stronger.  We just have to rely on one another a little bit more and be willing to help in whatever way we can.  We know that we can always rely on God’s help to resolve our difficulties.  It may not be in the way we want or expect, but He always listens and answers our prayers.

Finding Joy in Simple Things

I just got back from a weeklong trip to New England.  It was good to get away for a while, and nice to spend time traveling with my mom.  We went on a bus tour around all five New England states.  We had traveled with this tour company last year as well, and both times my dad joked that I would probably be the youngest person on the tour.  (I wasn’t the youngest either time, by the way.)

Half the fun of a bus tour is getting to know those with whom you are traveling.  This year, we met an older couple and their adult son who seemed to have an intellectual disability.  I’ll call him “Ryan” here.  In my years working in special education, I have enjoyed working with such individuals because they find so much joy in the simple things of life.

Ryan soaked up all the experiences on the tour.  To him, everything was “awesome!”  From visiting Faneuil Hall in Boston, to driving past the grand estates of the Breakers in Rhode Island, to cruising the harbor and eating lobster in Maine, he loved every minute. 

People like Ryan who are able to find joy in pretty much anything inspire me.  Their zest for life is contagious.  It makes me realize how much in my life I should thank God for.  I have written before about the importance of being child-like.  People like Ryan never really lose their child-like wonder and fascination with the world.  Rather than regarding this as an aspect of their disability, one might consider it their super power.

Balancing Work with Prayer

On Monday, we will celebrate Labor Day, a holiday originally intended to celebrate the dignity of the worker.  St. Joseph is, among other things, the patron saint of workers.  He made his living as a carpenter, engaged in manual labor, and he passed on his trade to Jesus.  Jesus took it a step further in his role as the Son of God.

Jesus engaged in the work of conversion through prayer.  He called his apostles from their daily work to a different calling, but one that is still work.  “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” He tells them in Matthew 4:19.  It is work to follow Jesus.  It is sacrifice.  The conversion of hearts takes effort, both on the part of the convert and the converter.

The idea that prayer and work go hand in hand has survived through the centuries.  Ora et labora (prayer and work) became the motto of many monasteries as a key component of the Rule of St. Benedict.  His Rule sought to ensure that there was balance in life rather than a tending toward one extreme or the other.

When prayer guides our work, we can be assured that God will have a hand in it somehow.  It may not be in the way we expect, but He is working in and through us.  As we celebrate Labor Day, let us call to mind all those who work with and for us to better our lives.

Regaining Clarity

I’ll just say it.  The air quality this summer has been absolutely terrible.  It was such a nice surprise to be able to see the Salt Lake Valley on my way to work yesterday morning.  Thank God for the cleansing rain!   Unfortunately, the storm on Wednesday blew a lot of smoke into the valley again, so our respite was fleeting.  Nevertheless, we know that there is the possibility of clearer days ahead.

Regaining the physical ability to see the valley only to have it obscured the next day, reminded me that there are always opportunities to look for the gifts that God is giving us.  Sometimes they may be more difficult to see than usual, but they are still there.  Saint Ignatius called these times of haziness in our life “desolation.”  He called the times of clarity “consolation.”  When we are in desolation, it may seem difficult to talk with God.  It may be hard to see the good things in our life.  The times of consolation are easier.  During these times, we should strive to thank God for all the things He is doing for us, whether we realize it or not.

This week, try to see the gifts God wants to give you each day.

Winnie the Pooh and the Value of Being Child-Like

In Saint Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he says, “When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11).  It is important though to make a distinction between “childish” and “child-like.”  After all, Jesus said, “unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).  The new film, Christopher Robin, in theaters now, illustrates this distinction very well.

WARNING:  SPOILERS AHEAD!  If you would like to see the movie without spoilers, please skip the next two paragraphs.

The film brings back beloved characters from childhood:  Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, and Roo.  It first presents Christopher Robin as a boy getting ready to go away to boarding school.  The majority of the film shows him as an adult (played by Ewan Mcgregor), with all the worries and responsibilities of a grown up.  Pooh finds his way to London because he has lost his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood and needs Christopher Robin’s help to find them.  Christopher Robin is facing a daunting time at work during which his boss expects him to do some restructuring of staff.  He has needed to cancel a family outing with his wife Evelyn and daughter Madeline in order to work.  Pooh’s timing could not be worse!  Grudgingly, Christopher Robin takes Pooh back to the Hundred Acre Wood, defeats a “woozle,” and saves his childhood friends.  But, when he returns to the “real world”, he unknowingly leaves behind all of his important work papers. 

The inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood embark on a mission to return the papers to Christopher Robin, enlisting the help of Madeline.  Madeline goes off with them to try to find her father in London, resulting in her mother thinking she has gone off on her own.  Christopher and Evelyn find Madeline in London, and Christopher finds a way to resolve his staffing issues in a manner beneficial to all.  In the process, Christopher Robin realizes he is trying to make his daughter grow up too fast.  He discovers that there is more to life than working all the time.  He finds a solution, both to his work problem and the problem of missing time with his family.  And, in the grand tradition of Disney films, they live happily ever after.

So, what does this have to do with the scripture passages I included earlier?  Christopher Robin “put aside childish things,” but he also lost his child-like wonder.  It took a significant intervention from his childhood friends to help him find it again, and he was a happier person because of it.  He found himself again, and he was able to allow his daughter to be a child instead of growing up too fast as he had to do.

As I have gotten older, I have begun to notice the “grown-up” messages in films meant for children.  This film was full of them.  It helps us to realize the value in being child-like.  Most importantly, it reminds us not to grow up too fast.

Exploring Religion in Shakespeare

This past weekend, I attended two plays at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.  I love the Shakespeare Festival, though I do not get to go very often.  The Festival is endeavoring to stage each of Shakespeare’s plays over the course of eleven years, as part of its “Complete the Canon” project.  This year, they performed four Shakespeare plays as well as several smaller productions.  I attended The Merchant of Venice and The Merry Wives of Windsor.  Both were performed marvelously well.  Merry Wives had me laughing early and often.  However, in this blog, I would like to focus on The Merchant of Venice.

We owe many of our English idioms to Shakespeare.  From Merchant, we get the phrase “pound of flesh.”  We use this phrase metaphorically now, but it is quite literal in the context of the play. 

To briefly summarize the plot of the play:  Antonio, the merchant referred to in the title, borrows money from Shylock, a Jew, in order to lend the money to his friend Bassanio, who wishes to woo the Lady Portia.  Portia’s father has devised a test for her suitors:  they must choose from one of three containers or “caskets,” one lead, one silver, and one gold.  One of the caskets holds a portrait of Portia.  If the suitor finds the portrait, he may then marry Portia.  Bassanio chooses the correct casket, the one made of lead, and moves forward with plans to marry Portia when he receives a letter from Antonio.  The merchant has lost his assets at sea and is unable to repay Shylock the money he owes him.  Shylock subsequently takes Antonio to court to exact his insurance on the loan:  a pound of Antonio’s flesh.  At first, Shylock is adamant that he will have his revenge on Antonio, but over the course of the trial, he relents.  As a condition of not exacting punishment on the hapless merchant, the court requires Shylock to convert to Christianity.  Earlier in the play Shylock’s daughter, Jessica, falls in love with a Christian and converts so she can marry him.  The condition of Shylock’s conversion, therefore, represents a complete loss of identity for him.

While in Shakespeare’s time Jewish people were viewed with suspicion and even hate, this play is not, at its heart, anti-Semitic.  Shylock is flawed, yes, but so are all human beings regardless of the faith they profess.  Despite the attitudes toward those of the Jewish faith during Shakespeare’s day, the play presents Shylock as a man and father who becomes the victim of Venetian society. 

It is important to note that Shakespeare usually does not include explicit stage directions in his plays apart from when a given character enters or exits the scene.  Some stage directions are implied by the dialogue, but most are left to the discretion of the actors and directors.  To this point, the current production at the Utah Shakespeare Festival makes Shylock and Jessica into sympathetic characters.  The actors playing these characters portray the anguish of having to renounce their faith.  Jessica demonstrates the inner conflict of the character, wanting to be with Lorenzo, the man she loves, but also clinging to her identity as a Jew, retaining her former prayer habits and mannerisms.  Shylock expresses his dismay and despair at the loss of his religious identity through his tone of voice as well as his posture.

The current production thus presents us with a question:  Are the Christians in the play superior in that they decry physical violence, or are they just as cruel as the Jews seem to be given their disregard for the Jews in treating them as little more than animals?  Who holds the moral high ground?  These are questions which are important for us to consider even today.  Do we have deep-seated pre-conceived ideas about people based on our own cultural upbringing?  How can we work to change our own attitudes?  In essence, What Would Jesus Do?

Spiritual Rejuvenation

You may have noticed a significant lack of youth in Catholic churches lately.  As a millennial and a cradle Catholic, I may be able to offer some insight into why so many young people leave the Church at this point in their lives.  Most of the people I went to high school with are no longer practicing Catholics, and their process of falling away started in high school or earlier.  There could be many reasons for this, from lack of strong examples in their home lives, to wanting to assert their individuality, to simply becoming disillusioned with the faith for whatever reason.

I never experienced this falling away, and I attribute that to several factors.  Firstly, I had great adult role models in my immediate family.  Secondly, I had wonderful formation in my early teens.  The Madeleine Choir School recently had the opportunity for parents to experience a “Mr. Glenn religion class.”  While I joked at the time that the participants wouldn’t get the full effect unless they sat on metal folding chairs and took copious notes from the old overhead projector, I think it was a great idea.  Being in one of Mr. Glenn religion classes was like being in a college-level theology course.  Of course, religion classes at Judge seemed very rudimentary after that, which could have contributed to some of my former MCS classmates leaving the church.

However, I feel like the music background I got at the Choir School set me on a path to stay in the Church.  I continued to participate in choirs in high school, joining the Saint Ambrose Parish choir my junior year.  I’ve been involved in our parish music ministry ever since to varying degrees.

Music is what has kept me in the Church.  I was reminded exactly why this was at the Mass for Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Monday at the Carmelite convent.  A group of us sang who have all been touched by Choir School training in some way.  I have written before about going back to the roots of our faith when I sing the traditional Latin texts and chants.  Monday night gave me another opportunity to do this.  The most touching parts of the Mass for me though were times when I wasn’t singing.  Hearing the nuns chant the Sequence from the cloister, and hearing Fr. Christopher Gray and a seminarian from Texas chant the solemn form of the Salve Regina at the end of Mass really gave me a taste of what it might be like to live in a religious community.

The important thing here is that young people need to find an aspect of Church life that they can be involved in that they are passionate about.  They need something to rejuvenate their spirituality as they grow into adulthood.  I was lucky that I found mine at a relatively young age.  I realize that I had it pretty easy when it came to finding my niche in Church life.  Many young people do not have the same opportunity.  That is why it is important for the adults in their lives to encourage young people to continue to explore the faith and discern their calling.

Developing Self-Image as a Christian

A week or so ago, my dad was watching a group of small children playing, and he posed the following question:  Do you think little kids have the awareness that they are cute?  This question has a lot wrapped up in it.  When do we as humans develop self-awareness?  When do we develop self-esteem?  What influences our self-esteem and when do those influences start to affect us?

As a former teacher, my first instinct was to consult educational psychology.  Jean Piaget and other human development scientists have identified various stages of development.  Carl Rogers specifically delved more into the area of development of sense of self and self-esteem.  He posited that there are three components to self-concept:  self-worth (how we feel about ourselves in terms of personality), self-image (how we feel about ourselves in terms of physical appearance), and ideal-self (what we would like ourselves to be in terms of both of the previous aspects).

Many factors can influence our sense of self-image, from our environment, to the people with whom we interact, to the type of media we consume, and so on.  In the ideal circumstances, young children should be raised in an environment that promotes a good self-image, and therefore may have the awareness that they are “cute” from as early as two years old.  Unfortunately, the ideal is often not the reality.

As Catholics, hopefully we are taught from a young age that we are children of God and that God loves us.  Last week I wrote about Fred Rogers and his message that children are special just the way they are.  I wrote about how Mr. Rogers was an important adult figure in many children’s lives in that he instilled this sense of living as a child of God without actually saying the words.  It would seem to follow that, if we live life as people of God, we understand that God loves us no matter what, and that fact should have a positive effect on our self-image.  We just have to believe that it is true, even when it might be difficult to do so.

Life has many ups and downs.  The trick is to enjoy the up times and weather the down times, remembering that the down times won’t last forever.

How would you respond to my dad’s question?  Share in the comments section below.  Remember to keep all comments civil and respectful.

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Learn more about Carl Rogers and his theory of self-concept development here.

The Evangelism of Mr. Rogers

This past weekend, my mom and I went to see the documentary about Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor.  The documentary was also featured on the PBS News Hour on July 4^th.  If you have not seen the film yet, I highly recommend that you do, especially if you and/or your children grew up with “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” on PBS.  It provides a big dose of nostalgia.

Before seeing the documentary, I did not know that Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, but it makes sense that such a kind and gentle man would be a man of God.  It might make some people uncomfortable to think of “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” or its successor, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” as television evangelization, but that is what it is.  The shows never directly address religion, but they teach morality and ethical behavior. 

Mr. Rogers strove to instill the children who watched his program with good self-esteem.  He told kids that they were special just the way they are.  His intent surely was not to create a generation of “special snowflakes”—those with the attitude that they deserve special treatment because of their uniqueness, whether real or perceived—but to give children confidence to be themselves.

Mr. Rogers taught coping mechanisms for difficult times in life.  Without using the words, he encouraged children to listen to their consciences.  In essence, he taught how to be the best person you could be.  Therefore, while he did not say anything explicitly religious or spiritual, he taught you how to be a child of God.  His “teaching method” was to explore concepts without making them conscious, that is, without naming them.  This method is effective for children because it encourages future connections.  When children encounter these concepts in later life, they recognize them from earlier exposure and can give a name to the concept.  Mr. Rogers was an excellent builder of background knowledge for children, which is essential for future learning to take place.

Those of us who grew up watching “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” were primed not only to go to school and learn, but also to explore faith concepts.  In this sense, Fred Rogers was effectively an additional adult figure in our lives who modeled how to live as a person of faith.  What was wonderful about the show was that it brought these concepts into our everyday lives and into context throughout the week, not on Sundays only.

If you watched “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” growing up or with your own children, or if your children watch “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” now, what is a message that has stuck with you?  What are your favorite memories of these shows?  Share in the comments section below.  Please remember to keep any comments civil and respectful.

New Beginnings

In the coming weeks we will be looking at revitalizing this blog.  As with any new beginning, there will be stops and starts, things that work, and things that don't.  The first order of business is an introduction.

My name is Sarah Maland.  I am lifelong member of St. Ambrose Parish.  I have been involved in the parish from a young age, serving as an altar server for three years, assisting my mother as a classroom aide in religious education for three years, singing in the choir since 2003 and serving as a cantor since 2008.  I recently took on a position with the parish in Homebound and Bereavement as well as management of our parish online communications.  I will be posting to the blog as St. Ambrose.  I am excited to get started!

I attended the Madeleine Choir School from 1997-2001, and I had the privilege of studying religion with Mr. Gregory Glenn.  I went on to attend Judge Memorial for high school, Westminster College in Salt Lake City for my bachelor's and master's degrees, and Silver Lake College of the Holy Family in Wisconsin for further music studies after receiving my master's.  My professional background is in special education.  I worked as a classroom aide in a Kindergarten-first grade classroom for students with autism, learning disabilities, and/or physical disabilities for two and a half years, and as a classroom teacher for students with autism and learning disabilities.  Most recently, I was an aide at Blessed Sacrament's Blessed Beginnings Daycare, which opened in September 2017.

My vision for the blog is a space to share faith resources and inspirational stories, as well as personal observations.  Interaction is encouraged.  You are welcome to leave comments on posts and converse with others who do so. 

Please keep in mind, this is a Catholic space.  Please be respectful of others in your interactions.

Welcome to Our Blog

Welcome to St. Ambrose: Believers Dialogue blog, an exciting online forum designed to share our Catholic faith.  Like the faith itself, our blog is a place for discovery, insight, and fun!  We’re gathering together Parish information, stories, observations, reflections and more.

Visit us often to read about upcoming events, browse our photos and videos, hear the latest about St. Ambrose activities, and keep up on what’s new in the Catholic faith community.  Blog postings are made by several writers who share a passion for our Catholic beliefs.  They include: Father Andrzej Skrzypiec, St. Ambrose Pastor; Melanie Elizondo, Administrative Assistant; parishioners Holly Langton and Rose West; and other Parish and community guests.

And of course, we want to hear your comments on our St. Ambrose community, favorite prayers and activities, Parish programs, and more.  We hope you’ll enjoy our new online community, which is designed to enhance our Catholic faith, pique our curiosity about many Parish services and the larger faith world around us, and connect with each other.