Tuesday @ LunchMusings from Deacon Michael Halbrook for your Tuesday lunch time

A Journey to Emmaus

How about a spiritual exercise helping you be more ready & open to evangelize?

Over the last few years, when I talk with someone who has undertaken a spiritual exercise on one of the apps or programs available today, they ask for a very specific thing next: When will there be a program that helps us evangelize - to have conversations with others about our faith and extend them an invitation to join us? That’s what I’ve been inspired to work on for the last year or so, and it’s almost time to invite the first people to try it out. Read more about it - Emmaus Disciples.

10 Years Ago Today

It’s also been ten years today since my Grandpa Halbrook passed away. I still think about him a lot - and laugh whenever I find myself responding to one of my boys’ questions with something that he would have said. Here’s a blog post from that day 10 years ago.

Interesting Stuff

I’ve been watching with some interest the progressing cause for the canonization of a permanent deacon from Brazil, Deacon João Luiz Pozzobon. On June 20, Pope Leo XIV signed a decree formally recognizing Deacon Pozzobon’s life of heroic virtue (the first of a few steps to being formally Canonized a Saint). Deacon Pozzobon was born in 1904 in southern Brazil, married, opened a small shop, and raised seven children. In his 40s, he became a devoted member of the Apostolic Movement of Schoenstatt and initiated a campaign to encourage devotion to Our Lady. Pozzobon personally carried an image of Our Lady to thousands of homes, schools, hospitals and prisons, traveling more than 87,000 miles over the course of 35 years. He was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in 1972 and died in 1985 after being struck by a truck on his way to Mass. Here’s a reflection about now-Venerable Deacon Pozzobon, through the eyes of his daughter.
Speaking of Pope Leo - with the first pope from the United States, there are legalities that have never been faced before. Two weeks ago, the Holy Sovereignty Protection Act (H.R. 4501) was introduced in Congress by Republican Congressman Jeff Hurd of Colorado. It seeks to exempt popes with U.S. citizenship from federal tax obligations, and prevent their citizenship from being revoked during their tenure as supreme pontiff. So Pope Leo, although now the head of a foreign state (the Vatican City State), he could also retain his United States citizenship too.
I was struck by this story of a parish in Texas where a vandal recently vandalized their pro-life memorial. While parishioners were working on repairs, a teen approached and admitted to the vandalism, asking for forgiveness and to talk with the priest about reconciliation. “Rather than press charges, the parishioners chose to pray with him and offer guidance and support.”

Liturgy, Feasts, Memorials, & more

Quite the lineup this week! Founders, Doctors of the Church, and more…

Today is the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Until a few years ago, it was only known as the Memorial of St. Martha, but Pope Francis added Mary & Lazarus to the feast in 2021.
Tomorrow, July 30 is the optional Memorial of Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop & Doctor of the Church.
Thursday, July 31 is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (see “Ignatian Detachment” further below. Coincidence? I think not.)
Friday, August 1 is the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church.
Monday, August 4 is the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest - patron of parish priests. Pray for his intercession for your parish priest.

This Sunday’s Mass Readings

This Sunday is the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Here’s a link to the Scripture readings for Holy Mass.

Last week I was texting with a friend about AI and the opportunities and risks it presents. Thinking of detachment and the mindset that all things are neutral until we use them for good or evil, I texted my friend, “Ignatian Detachment”. Apparently that sent him on a spiral of searching for what it means. Ignatian Detachment also comes to mind with this Sunday’s readings.