Voices From the Pews Lorna DesRoses

Advent Reflection
Susan Ho

As we begin the season of Advent, let us take a moment to hear a reflection from Susan HO, to help us prepare ourselves spiritually for the miracle of Christmas.

Readings for the 1st Sunday in Advent, bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112722.cfm
Listen to the earlier episode featuring Susan, voicesfromthepews.com/2022/05/13/susan-ho/
read Susan’s blog at lostsheepfound.com

Get in touch with Voices from the pews with your questions, comments, and story ideas,
voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
617.682.0885

Michael Howard
Eat The Scroll
 
Today’s conversation is all about evangelization and how to evangelize with educator, writer, speaker, and evangelist Michael Howard from Eat the Scroll Ministry.
Michael shares resources and reflections from ministry leaders from around the country at
Eat the scroll Ministry, https://www.eatthescrollministry.com
https://www.facebook.com/eatthescroll/
Michael Howard new fellow in LMU Black Catholic program
https://www.blackcatholicmessenger.com/michael-howard-lmu-fellow
The course Michael is teaching at Loyola Marymount University
 https://crs.lmu.edu/programs/faculty/?expert=michael.howard
The Presence of Black Catholics Today and Tomorrow
Michael mentions his conversation  with Sr. Thea Bowman, who is one of the 6 Black Catholics currently being considered for sainthood. Read about her, https://www.sistertheabowman.com/biography/
What does it mean to evangelize?
To evangelize is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/evangelization/go-and-make-disciples/what_is_evangelization_go_and_make_disciples
The Second Vatican Council’s central purpose was evangelization. All its reforms, whether about liturgy, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, or education, were all ordered toward one goal: to make the Gospel more accessible to the modern world.
https://www.ncregister.com/news/vatican-ii-and-the-new-evangelization-29721pee
 
Get in touch with Voices from the pews with your questions, comments, and story ideas,
voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
617.682.0885

Emily Strand & Eric Styles
Meet Father Rivers (Part 2)

Today, we continue our conversation about Fr. Clarence Rivers who influenced so many as a priest, liturgist, composer and mentor with Emily Strand and Eric Styles, cohosts of the podcast, Meet Father Rivers.
Learn more about Fr. Clarence Rivers
https://lykefoundation.org/rev-clarence-rivers/
https://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2021/11/06/unsung-hero-fr-clarence-rivers/
Take a look at the first edition of the Lead Me, Guide Me Hymnal, published in 1987 which was dedicated to Fr. Rivers. https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Me-Guide-American-Catholic/dp/9992233044
What was Vatican II anyway?
Pope St. John XXIII announced the Second Vatican Council in 19599, explaining that this would be an opportunity for an “aggiornamento” — a serious reflection on how to express and live the truths of the faith in a way that would be heard, understood, and received. https://www.pillarcatholic.com/what-was-vatican-ii-anyway/
Some of the changes brought about by Vatican II included the way in which the liturgy was celebrated-
the priest faced the people
the Mass was celebrated in the vernacular and not in Latin
The Day the Mass Changed, how it Happened and Why -- Part I https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=9377
Black Catholic Worship:
Some Reflections
by Bishop Joseph N. Perry
Each culture brings its distinctions and styles that make the church so diversely rich. There are more fundamental goods predicated in human cultures than there are denials or distractions from fundamental Christian truth. “Catholic” means universal; and in this universality is found racial, ethnic and philosophical diversity.
https://www.americancatholicpress.org/Bishop_%20Perry_Black_Catholic_Worship.html
More on Black Catholic culture and how it is reflected within liturgy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_At5RC2zHc
You can find the Meet Father Rivers Podcast at
https://meetfatherrivers.libsyn.com/
or wherever you listen to podcasts
Get in touch with Emily and Eric at meetfatherrivers@gmail.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MeetFatherRivers

Contact Voices from the pews with your questions, comments, and story ideas
Email voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
or call and leave a message at 617.682.0885

Emily Strand & Eric Styles
Meet Father Rivers (Part 1)
 
Today, Emily Strand and Eric Styles, cohosts of the podcast, Meet Father Rivers talk to us about Fr. Clarence Rivers a hidden yet essential figure in Catholic history of the United States. We learn about how he influenced so many through his ministry as a priest, liturgist, composer, author, speaker, teacher, and mentor. He strove to infuse the Catholic liturgy with the many gifts from the African American culture. Emily and Eric also share how Fr. Rivers influenced them and the way in which they view the role of music in the liturgy.
 
Learn more about Fr. Clarence Rivers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Rivers
https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Fr.+Clarence+Rivers%2C+liturgy+pioneer%2C+dead+at+73.-a0127432639
https://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2021/11/06/unsung-hero-fr-clarence-rivers/
Listen to Fr. Rivers sing
“God is Love”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXqfh5KxqYs
 “Bless the Lord,”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOM769nrzrI
Listen to the Missa Luba, a Congolese setting of the Mass, which influenced Fr. Rivers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RSZNxcgIuA
You can find the Meet Father Rivers Podcast at
https://meetfatherrivers.libsyn.com/
or wherever you listen to podcasts
Get in touch with Emily and Eric at meetfatherrivers@gmail.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MeetFatherRivers
Twitter @RiversPodcast
 
 
Contact us with questions, comments, and story ideas
Email voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
or call and leave a message at 617.682.0885

Deacon Sermed Ashkouri
A Courageous Faith

Deacon Sermed Ashkouri, a bi-ritual deacon who serves the Chaldean mission in the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas and the Archdiocese of Boston joins us on Voices from the Pews to talk about coming to the United States as a teen, what life is like for Christians in Iraq today and the events and activities of the Immaculate Conception Chaldean Mission.
** Content advisory
There are some descriptions of violence during our conversation. So, if you are listening with little ones, you may want to listen with headphones or consider not allowing them to hear this portion of our conversation.

Watch
The Ordination of Deacon Sermed Ashkouri to the deaconate
https://chaldeanchurch.org/diaconate-ordination-of-sermed-ashkouri
to contact the Immaculate conception Chaldean Mission of Boston, go to
https://chaldeanchurch.org/churches/immaculate-conception-chaldean-mission/

Learn about
the Chaldean rite
https://cnewa.org/magazine/chaldean-rite-catholics-christians-with-a-distinct-spirituality-30081/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaldean_Catholic_Church
the Christians of Iraq
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-03/pope-francis-iraq-christianity-ancient-history-mesopotamia.html
Iraqi Christians today
https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/iraq/lamassu.pdf

Christian Iraqis wary of Easter attacks
https://www.dw.com/en/christian-iraqis-wary-of-easter-attacks/a-17579253
Iraqi Christians resilient on Easter
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-christians/iraqi-christians-resilient-on-easter-idUSTRE73N19Z20110424
Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv3HI8wkzRA
Pope Francis in Iraq 2021 - Witness the pivotal moments of this historic trip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfIrqmogvY

Would love to hear your comments, questions, and story ideas. Send an email to voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
or call and leave a message at 617.682.0885

Nate Tinner -Williams
Black Catholic Messenger

Nate Tinner -Williams, seminarian, commentator, and cofounder of The Black Catholic Messenger joins us on Voices from the Pews to talk about his journey into the Catholic Church, connecting with Black Catholics and his discernment to enter the priesthood.

Learn about
The Josephites (St. Joseph's Society of the Sacred Heart)
https://www.josephites.org
The Institute for Black Catholic Studies
https://www.xula.edu/ibcs
Read
The Black Catholic Messenger
blackcatholicmessenger.com
The History of Black Catholics in the U.S. by Fr. Cyprian Davis
https://www.amazon.com/History-Black-Catholics-United-States/dp/0824514955

Get in touch with questions, comments, and story ideas
Email voicesfromthepewspodcast@gmail.com
or call and leave a message at 617.682.0885