This week began with the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
In this age of unprecedented attack on marriage and family, I’m turning again and again to the Holy Family as our model and our hope. In particular, because of our work to restore strong spiritual fatherhood in and through our growing priestly renewal efforts, I’ve been increasingly calling on the intercession of St. Joseph.
St. Joseph and I are good friends.
Years ago, while suffering from a “widowmaker” blockage in my heart, I postponed a necessary second surgery in order to keep my commitment to speak at an event in Florida.
I had a great deal of peace and certainty that I should go and serve His people.
After the event, I was introduced to a diminutive priest with the gift of healing. Fr. Tri, hearing about my dangerous illness, prayed over me in the adoration chapel at Holy Cross in Vero Beach, Florida. When he finished and we walked out, he turned and looked up at me.
“You are going to be okay,” he said calmly and with certainty about whom we should credit. “You need to do something for St. Joseph.”
Sure enough, when I returned home and visited the doctor, my stress test revealed no blood flow issues to my heart. None. I was healed. No need for the second surgery.
Since then, I’ve worked to promote the consecration to St. Joseph in thanksgiving for this miracle. And, as I’ve reflected on my healing, I’ve had a powerful realization:
If I was healed, it was to bring healing to the Church. To extend the healing power of Jesus to others.
In particular, to bring it to the young men in our High Calling seminary preparation program who have the courage to bring their hopes and plans and desires for their future and lay them down before God, saying, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
It is my privilege to watch them heal and mature into men able to make decisions–to take the next step forward in their vocational discernment with increased conviction, greater clarity, and the confidence that God will lead them, guide them, and love them into wholeness.
Each one of them is a miracle.
A young man, with his life wholly open before him, willing to even consider giving up completely the goods of marriage, family, and worldly security? Yes, I’d call that a miracle. And I’d call that a man worthy of our prayers, our sacrifices, and our help.
Will you help me continue to help these men?
Your donations to the High Calling Program–doubled through the end of the year– allow us to provide:
- Opportunities for fellowship and holy friendships with other discerners
- World-class instructors who take personal interest in them and their stories
- Solid Catholic formation in the art of prayer and discernment
- Human formation and a complete, healthy view of authentic masculinity
- Tools to combat the lies and attacks of the mortal enemy of the Catholic priesthood
- Spiritual direction and accompaniment in the journey toward seminary
- The self-knowledge and self-possession necessary to make a generous gift of their lives, however they ultimately discern God to be calling them
Make a secure donation to support the men in the High Calling program and the initiatives of the Avila Foundation here: https://secure.spiritualdirection.com/cye25
Your year-end gifts, thanks to a generous and visionary donor, will be doubled through the end of December. We have a tremendous opportunity here–please help us make the most of it before time runs out.
Our High Calling men are the Josephs of the future. They will need to lead the Church, as Joseph did for Mary and Jesus, through dangerous times. They will be called to protect the faithful and lay down their lives for a flock that is threatened at every turn. And so they need to know that there are people like you and me, covering them with prayer and reminding them of the words St. Joseph heard when it all seemed to be too much: “Do not be afraid.”
Will you make a gift in honor of the Holy Family and the fatherhood of St. Joseph today?
For all that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have done for us, for the miracles, big and small, that they bring to us each day, I ask you to make a gift of thanksgiving here – https://secure.spiritualdirection.com/cye25 – and ensure that our program can continue and we can offer scholarships to the men who need it the most.
Thank you for your concern, your continued prayers, and your generous gifts. And thank you, St. Joseph, for your healing in my life and in the life of the Church. Pray for us.
Gratefully yours in the newborn Messiah,
Dan Burke
Unum est Necessarium
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Image courtesy of Unsplash.
