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The Path To Communion

Back to Spiritual Growth

As you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us. (Jn. 17:21)

The Holy Father tells us that Jesus has a plain and simple wish for us: to be united with God. We find this communion in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the outstanding moment of encountering the living Jesus Christ. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate actively and worthily in this communion.

Like conversion, our search for unity is a journey. We live in a world divided in many ways. A world where countries, states, communities and families suffer brokenness and violence.  Again, Pope John Paul II encourages the lay faithful who are the leaven in the loaf. “The renewal of the Church will not be possible,” he says, “without the active presence of the laity. Therefore they are largely responsible for the future of the Church” (The Church in America, 44).

Join us for Mass and Communion. If you have been away for a while and are unsure about how to come back, here are some choices for you.

“The cup of blessing we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians: 10:16) The Christian joins the sufferings and death of Christ, dying to sin and arising to new life.

MASS

“We must proclaim that this communion is the magnificent plan of God the Father.” (Pope John Paul II, The Church in America, 33)

In the words of the Mass the priest says, “On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread . . .” This was the night before his passion and death. In this dark hour of loneliness and abandonment, Jesus made a new and everlasting covenant with all who believe. At this moment in time, Jesus gave us “the most precious possession which the Church can have in her journey through history – the Eucharist” (Ecclesia de Eucaristia, 9). When all seemed lost and he was about to leave this earth, Jesus accepted God’s will to be the sacrifice for our sins.

The Eucharistic Sacrifice is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, 11). The Eucharist is the outstanding moment of encounter with the living Christ (Pope John Paul II, The Church in America, 35). The Eucharist is an immense gift. Everyone is invited to participate actively and worthily at St. Joseph on  Sundays, Holy Days and throughout the week.

View the St. Joseph Mass Schedule.

Eucharistic Adoration

Have you ever been betrayed? Lied to? Deceived? It is an experience that can destroy relationships, even entire families. Consider the words of St. Paul, words we hear at Mass:

“The Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed” (1 Cor 11:23) instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his body and his blood. The words of the Apostle Paul bring us back to the dramatic setting in which the Eucharist was born.

Join us for Eucharistic Adoration. Bring your sorrows and hopes to Christ in the Eucharist. Satisfy your yearning to be healed. Experience the enjoyment so vividly described by Pope John Paul II. “It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple (Jn 13:25) and to feel the infinite love present in his heart. If in our time Christians must be distinguished above all by the “art of prayer”, how can we not feel a renewed need to spend time in spiritual conversation, in silent adoration, in heartfelt love before Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament? (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia)

Participate in online adoration.

Scripture & Spiritual Reading

Readings and Psalms for each Month.

Visit Catholic Online and search Eucharist and Mass for Inspirational Resources for Books and Videos.

Paulist Press
Ignatius Press
Our Sunday Visisto
National Catholic Register

CATHOLICS RETURNING HOME

Catholics and non-Catholics share their experiences of finding or rediscovering the Catholic faith.

Catholics Come Home
Catholics Returning Home
Referral Resource List for Agencies and Organizations in the Archdiocese

Marcus Grodi the founder of the Coming Home Network International can be seen on EWTN, The Journey Home program which profile individual stories of rediscovering faith and the journey to Catholicism.

DIVORCED AND SEPARATED CATHOLICS

This ministry reaches out to the divorced, separated and widowed who have experienced the trauma of separation, divorce or death of a spouse. While designed from a Catholic perspective, this ministry seeks to create an awareness of the gifts and needs of all who are divorced, separated, and widowed and to give them a sense of belonging within the church community.

The St. Louis Archdiocese is a member of the North American Conference of Separated and Divorced Catholics (NACSDC), who, since 1975 has been responsible for creating a network of support for families experiencing separation and divorce.

More information is available at the Catholic Divorce Ministry.

SMALL FAITH GROUPS

Grow in your knowledge and love of our Catholic faith by experiencing.

go to Path of Conversion
go to Path to Solidarity