Gulf Pine Catholic

6 Gulf Pine Catholic • July 21, 2023 “The Quad has increased my awareness of Jesus in my everyday life, increased my prayer time and allowed for an intimate discussion with other Catholics about their faith and what being Catholic means. Participation in a Quad is a big aid in helping us in our salvation quest. It helps to re-emphasize how God wants us to live.” “The Quad offered me a greater understanding (in depth) of my faith, my Lord, my Church and my evangelical responsibilities to my community. It has reignited my passion for the Lord.” “I was blessed to be in a Quad where, without exception, each member experi- enced a growth in their relationship with Jesus and with others. They realized they each had become a more confident disciple of Jesus.” and from Ashley Bonney of Most Holy Trinity Parish: “My first quad took place in 2021. [I was asked to join by two ladies in my par- ish.] Prior to joining, I had seen them at daily Mass each morning, but our bond together didn’t go any farther than saying hello in passing and sharing a smile. “When I was asked to join their Quad, I questioned what we could have in com- mon. They seemed to be very knowledgeable about their faith, both actively involved in church ministries, and they had children that surpassed me in age. I couldn’t understand why they chose me to complete their Quad, but I chose to say Yes. “To be honest, my thoughts and emotions on Quads changed drastically before and after going through the experience. Before we began meeting, I thought being in a Discipleship Quad would only be a burden. I found excuses as to why I didn’t have the time to add another responsibility to my day. “However, after we started meeting every week, my perspective slowly started to shift. I was reluctant to give my all at first, but thankfully my Quad was patient with me. And each week I started to see beyond the faces I would smile at each morning as I left Mass. I began to see who Joan and Ann were beneath the surface. I couldn’t see it at the time, but each week our friendship grew with more depth and transpar- ency. Regardless of how busy life may already seem, or how much stress may be part of each day, being in a Quad gives you an opportunity to breathe amidst the chaos in the world. Meeting each week allowed me to find peace, no matter how much I had going on at the time. And these women helped me to see how the Holy Spirit was working in ways that I could not see before. Although our time as a Quad ended, our time of friendship had only just begun. We may not meet every week like we once did, but they have become two of my clos- est friends in faith. After being in a Quad, I highly encourage everyone to allow themselves the experience. It changed my life in ways that I would have never imag- ined, and it can with you too. All you have to do is say yes.” Other faith formation opportunities in many parishes and/or in the diocese include New Wine (next class beginning August 2023), Bible Study, Alpha, The Eucharistic Revival, Acts Retreats, Cursillo Retreats, The 99, Ananias training, and more. If you have participated in these ministries, consider becoming a leader to share with others the impact these ministries have had on your spiritual life. While formal faith formation is essential for our faith communities, we are each responsible for enriching our faith and the faith of our children and grandchildren and developing a personal relationship with God through frequenting the sacra- ments, praying with His Word in scripture, learning about the lives of the Saints, study, and a myriad of prayer methods and lessons I have shared with you in Missio Nostra, in my homilies, and in my GPC articles over the past 5 years, which are all available on our website: https://biloxidiocese.org/resources. In addition to the ministries mentioned above, explore the websites for the USCCB, Vatican library/archives, Formed, Word on Fire, and there are apps like Hallow, iBreviary, Laudate, MyParish, podcasts you can listen to anytime such as Bishop Kihneman’s Homilies, Ascension Presents ~ Catechism in a Year, Bible in a Year, Ave Maria Explores, Bishop Barron Sunday Homilies and Daily Reflections, and many, many more! (In other words, we have no excuse for not learning more about our faith!) SEE BISHOP’S SPANISH COLUMN, PAGE 4 Bishop’s Column From page 3 Pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in the Diocese of Biloxi by visiting www.invisiblemonastery.com