How to Keep Your Prayer Life Strong Over Summer by Father Rocky
UPDATE:
Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help Go Ask Your Father LIVE High School Broadcasts TM
COVER STORY: Gas Tank Pilgrimage Where is The National Shrine of Saint Joseph? Find out inside!
PLUS MORE!
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MISSION MESSAGE
Keeping Prayer Life During Summer Dear Relevant Radio Family, School’s out and summer’s here! I bet everyone in your house is excited, the kids are raring to go, and you’re getting adjusted to a new schedule. In the midst of it all, don’t forget your spiritual life! Your normal schedule may certainly be disrupted with summer activities, and it may be tempting to forget about praying or keeping your spiritual life in order. But perhaps we can be of help! Here are some suggestions:
Go on a retreat! Summer is the perfect time to go on an annual retreat. The weather is nice and warm, the
birds are out chirping, and everything is in full bloom and beautiful. And while Mass and prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament are definitely important during a retreat, you don’t have to spend the whole time inside a church. Spending time outside in the presence of God and His beautiful creation can bring you closer to God too.
Go on a family vacation! Believe it or not, taking time off together as a family is extremely important for
your spiritual life. You are living your vocation in a very special way when you give your time to your spouse and children, and this brings you closer to God and to each other. I suggest camping. While Six Flags and Disney World are fun places to go, camping enables you to truly enjoy each other’s company without so many distractions. And don’t forget to pray the family rosary around the campfire!
Stay active! Physical activity is key to the spiritual life. These may seem to be two very separate things,
but we are soul and body, and we need to take care of both; summer is the perfect time to do this. Kids need physical activity to stay happy and healthy. Don’t let them spend their summer indoors playing video games! Get them outside enjoying the great weather, because it won’t last forever. Bike rides, hiking, and swimming are great ways to stay active together. You all will be happier as the summer goes on if you keep active as a family.
Pray as a family! As Catholics, we are obligated to attend Mass on Sunday. So be sure to go as a family,
whether you are on vacation or not. The Eucharist we receive at Sunday Mass is the basis for all we do and will help us stay faithful to God and each other. And don’t forget to pray as a family every day, whether you do it in the morning or in the evening before bed.
I hope this helps! I pray that you and your families have a blessed and active summer, and I impart my blessing upon all of you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. With prayers and best wishes,
Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, JCD Executive Director
SPECIAL WELCOME! Welcome, Decatur Catholic Radio,
WDCR 88.9 FM, based in Decatur, IL, our newest affiliate! We look forward to working with WDCR to offer Catholic Talk Radio in the Diocese of Springfield!
Relevant Radio, PO Box 10707, Green Bay, WI 54307-0707 Listener/Donor Line: 1-877-291-0123 Prayer Line: 1-888-577-5443 Branding & Business Building with Relevant Radio: 1.800-342-0306 EXT 7315 For more information about our daily shows or to find your local station, check us out at www.relevantradio.com © 2011 Starboard Media Foundation, Inc.
COVER STORY
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Make a pilgrimage on a tank of gas A pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Gualalupe or Lourdes can be an experience of a lifetime. Such journeys refresh and deepen the pilgrims’ faith and draw their hearts and minds closer to the Lord. While not everyone can the afford the costs associated with such far-away pilgrimages, there are many great churches, shrines and basilicas closer to home that can be traveled to on a tank of gas!
National Shrine of Mary Immaculate Queen, Lombard National Shrine of St. Jude, Chicago
• Indiana
Now the question is “where can we go on pilgrimage that is close to where we live?” The links below can help answer that question. It’s recommended to contact the places you’d like to visit in advance in case of special events or possible tips for lodging.
• Illinois National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville Dominican Shrine of St. Jude, Chicago
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion - St. John (Above)
National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Marytown
• Minnesota National Shrine of Saint Odilia, Onamia National Shrine of The Apostle Paul, St. Paul
• Texas The National Shrine of the Little Flower, San Antonio Our Lady Of Sorrows Basilica and National Shrine, Chicago (Pictured Above) The National Shrine of Saint Anne, Chicago National Shrine of St. Therese, Darien
The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Dallas Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, San Juan Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, San Antonio
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COVER STORY
(CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE)
• Wisconsin
Holy Hill, Mary Help of Christians, Hubertus
5 Tips for Your Road Trip 1. Tune-up your car. Especially check the tires,
coolant and engine oil. (Properly inflated tires save wear on tires and improves your gas mileage.)
2. Car kits for the kids. It’s a good idea to pack Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse (Pictured Above) Archdiocesan Marian Shrine, Milwaukee La Salette Missionaries and Shrine, Twin Lakes The National Shrine of Saint Joseph, De Pere The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Champion The National Shrine of Saint Philomena, Briggsville The Dickeyville Grotto, Dickeyville
To find a shrine near you go to www.catholicshrines.net
some books, toys and snacks for the young ones to keep them occupied if the trip is more than a couple hours of driving.
3. Family Rosary. Fr. Patrick Peyton coined the
phrase “The family that prays together, stays together.” A road trip is a great time to say the rosary.
4. Picnic. Besides being fun, kids can run around; and you save money.
5. Stay-tuned to Relevant Radio!
Click here for our Relevant Radio stations list. You can also download Relevant Radio shows from our Audio Archives and burn them to cds. Click here for the Traveler’s Guide to American Catholic Radio from the Catholic Radio Association.
MISSION
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FACE TIME
UPDATE: Our Lady of Good Help
Bishop David Ricken officially approved the Marian apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help at Champion, WI on December 8, 2010. Since then, the Shrine has experienced a significant increase in visits by pilgrims from all over the United States and even from foreign countries. Karen Tipps, a caretaker of the Shrine, estimates visits have grown tenfold – drawing between 500 to 800, including daily bus tours.
Two priests from The Fathers of Mercy now live in residence at the Shrine to minister to the pilgrims visiting the Shrine.
LIVE BROADCASTS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS
St. Agnes High School, St. Paul, MN
Daily Mass and Confession is now available at the Shrine. Go to www.relevantradio.com keyword “help” for a listing of times.
Father Rocky recently broadcast live editions of Go Ask Your FatherTM from St. Agnes High School (St. Paul, MN) and Regis High School (Eau Claire, WI) during student assemblies. The students asked Father questions about everything straight from the heart at these broadcasts. Help provide our young men and women with live dynamic shows that give them honest, hopeful, yet challenging answers to their questions. Click here to find out how you can help.
Regis High School, Eau Claire, WI
FACE TIME “A Day in the Life” Winners
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Welcome, Decatur!
WDCR 88.9 FM in Decatur, IL is the newest Relevant Radio affiliate!
Equipment Donation Father Rocky records a “Hail Mary” with the Tierney family on their tour of the Relevant Radio headquarters.
Sean and Miriam Tierney attended the 2010 Big Fat Italian Extravaganza in Chicago last October. At the Live Auction, they were the lucky bidders winning the “Day in the Life of Relevant Radio” auction item. This July, some of the Tierney family journeyed north to Green Bay, WI for a day at the Relevant Radio National Headquarters.
Relevant Radio recently donated some older equipment no longer used in our studios to St. Anthony Messenger Press. This audio gear will enhance their current studio setup and help prepare for future studios.
Following a tour of the National Headquarters and the recording of family prayers, they attended Rosary and joined Relevant Radio associates and adorers for Mass in the Chapel of the Nativity. After lunch with Fr. Rocky, the Tierneys were taken on a tour of the National Shrine of St. Joseph, De Pere, WI; St. Francis Xavier Cathedral and its museum, Green Bay, WI. And the day came to a close with a visit to the only approved Marian Apparition site in the United States - The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, WI. Relevant Radio thanks the Tierney Family for their genuine support of our Mission. Tours of the Relevant Radio National Headquarters are available Monday through Friday by calling 1-877-291-0123 ext. 7316. Hope to see you soon!
Relevant Radio Director of Network Engineering/IT Paul Kessler helps Kevin Schroeder of St. Anthony Messgener Press load the donated audio equipment.