our mission is to enkindle the fire of faith in catholic men & women and those who are curious about what Catholics believe and do.
The word “enkindle” means to set afire, to incite, rouse, to make luminous and glowing. In the Prayer to the Holy Spirit, we ask the Holy Spirit to enkindle in us the fire of his love.
Our goal is to help Christians become believers of authentic passion, people on fire, filled with a zeal to know God’s will, to know His truth and to live with a sincere desire to obey God in all aspects of life.
We will fulfill our mission with a variety of resources, a frequent blog, podcasts featuring lively interviews, articles and booklets that can be downloaded and links to other resources helpful to Christian men and women.
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
“Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!”
LATEST UPDATES
Families of Light
“All of you are children of the light.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:5
Raising Girls
Deacon Tim Sullivan
The Catholic Church teaches that the roles of males and females are complementary. They are equal but uniquely different. In this day and age, when males and females are encouraged to pursue “sameness,” what are some sound principles for raising girls?
Saint John Paul II wrote that women have a special sensitivity to the needs of others which is necessary for the healthy humanization of the world. He said that women have “the ability to combine penetrating intuition with words of support and encouragement.” As a result, God entrusts other human beings to women. So our girls should be raised in a manner which accentuates and strengthens these qualities, which can be put to good use in every aspect of life.
Girls should develop what has been called “emotional virtue,” controlling their emotions to be directed towards the good of others and avoiding negative emotional reactions from relationships, outward appearances and the opinions of others.
Parents can help create situations both within and outside the home where their daughters are entrusted with the care of others. In this way, the girls can develop their talent for recognizing the gifts of others and arranging activities so that everyone feels included and respected.
Whether girls grow up to be mothers or not, they should be led to respect and live out the virtues of motherhood. As Saint Teresa Bendicta of the Cross wrote, “To cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth is a girl’s natural yearning.”
“Your adornment should not be an external one…but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
BLOGS
Our newest blog posting raises the issue of what essential characteristics of the Catholic faith are missing in the lives of many, many Catholics, not necessarily through any fault of their own. Deacon Tim identifies 3 such elements. Some parishes are working to rectify this situation, but there’s a lot of work to be done.
podcasts
Deacon Tim gave a talk on The Most Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph on June 8, 2021. He describes chastity as more than an aspect of sexuality. Chastity is presented as a function of personal integrity. The talk is especially challenging for husbands and fathers. It can be found on Youtube at https://youtu.be/Lcq7Gr097pY.
Is the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible purely historical? Is the Holy Spirit still with us? Do our Catholic parishes resemble the dynamic vitality evident in the earliest Christian community? What’s missing and what can we do about it? Deacon Tim and Cyndi discuss these issues.
RESOURCES/HOMILIES
Two recent and popular homilies:
Who Are We Missing? May 12, 2024 (The Ascension). The disciples weren’t ready for Jesus to leave them.
Tree Problems. June 9, 2024. Adam and Eve and a house divided. The source of the problem.
CATHOLIC BOOT CAMP
Deacon Tim has developed a series of from 4 to 6 presentations under the title, “Catholic Boot Camp.” They cover the foundations for living the full Catholic life, and include issues which most Catholics would not list on their job descriptions for being Catholic. The themes of the Boot Camp include the following: 1. Why Jesus? His Mission and Purpose, 2. The Church: Its Mission and Power, 3. The Person: Our Individual Identity, Mission and Purpose, 4. The Bible: Essentials Every Catholic Should Know, 5. The Call To Be Disciples and 6. Evangelization Catholic Style. So far Deacon Tim has presented the Catholic Boot Camp at St. Bernard Church in Tulsa, Saint Mark Church in Pryor, Oklahoma and Saint Joseph Church in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
“Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”