Lenten Reading

Enter on this holy retreat, therefore, holding in your hands the book of the crucifix.

from St. Gaspar's Second Circular letter, 1827



(The photo is of the mission cross, reportedly the one worn by St. Gaspar.
This cross is currently in the museum at Maria Stein, OH)

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 4:24 PM link

. . .

Lenten On-line Retreat

Over the past few years I have reflected with St. Gaspar on the mystery of the Cross and the Most Precious Blood. The discipline of finding letters from his writings to correspond with the reading of Lent has taught me more about his person and his approach to life and ministry than anything else. I realize it has helped others, but sometimes I wonder if I got more out of this than I bargained for. Eventually this will all be part of a book project, and I hope to finish that this Lent so that maybe it will in print next Lent.

One of the best compliments I ever got was from a Precious Blood Companion who thanked me for the most excruciating Lent she had ever had. She is a regular visitor to this Blog, so I am not sure she wants to read them again. But I am going through them again, re-writing some, adding here, subtracting there, and doing some over all refining of some of the discussion questions. And my hard-drive has all sorts of saved emails from Fr. Ray Cera, CPPS where he answers questions about this and that aspect of Gaspar's letters. All the translations of Gaspar's writings are from him.

I am hoping that some of the conversation here will help me to refine these reflections even more.

The Precious Blood Family will also be be having an On-line Retreat over at the PBLC site. My reflections will be found over there on Fridays. Other CPPS and ASC Men and Women will be adding their reflections the other days. So there are lots of choices. The reflections here on New Gasparian will be centered on the writings of St. Gaspar and his particular approach to the Cross.

For St. Gaspar, the Cross was the only book to read. If you are wondering about your Lenten reading you may want to start there.

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 3:30 PM link

. . .

posted by Fr. Jeffrey Keyes, C.PP.S. on 3:10 PM link

. . .