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Repetitive Forgiveness

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**Due to server issues, this post was not published on 8/12/21, so we are posting it now.**

Today I am scheduled for a repeat C-section. As I write, I don’t know if I will go into labor early or be lying in a hospital bed as you read this, but the miracle is the same. I will be holding our first baby girl in just a short time. As a mother, those last few weeks are grueling in so many ways. Not only is my body just “done” with being pregnant as I experience the aches and pains associated with a watermelon-size bowling ball in my abdomen, but the anticipation alone is tough to ride out. There are nerves, a little fear, and the overwhelming joy at welcoming new life into the family.

Sometimes it seems that the children of those of us with big families get lost in the crowd. “Oh, there they go again! They just had ANOTHER one! How many do they have now? I can’t remember…” Yet each life is so precious and God knows us each by name.

With four boys at home, I am hoping this little one will be a calming factor in our active, rough and tumble household. I am hoping they will learn to treat her gently and treat each other more gently in the process. Barely a day goes by without one of them getting an “owie”, usually because they are chasing each other or disagreeing about something.

So I find myself repeating over and over again: “Say sorry to your brother.” It is often hard for them to eek out that one simple word. And sometimes it’s even harder for the one receiving it to say, “that’s okay”.  

Yet in our Gospel today we hear Peter ask that difficult question: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?” And Jesus goes on to answer “seventy-seven times”. In other words, as many times as necessary.

How do we instill that in our children? How can I teach my boys to forgive over and over and over as Jesus would? How will I teach my daughter?

We can lead by example. My husband and I make our fair share of mistakes as well and we ask for forgiveness from our children for misunderstanding them. When we ask for forgiveness and tell them we’re sorry, perhaps it helps them to do the same with their brothers a bit more easily.

So whether the offense be big or small, we are called to imitate Christ in pardoning our brothers and sisters. Will we forgive them seven times or seventy-seven times? May God grant us the grace to do the latter. 

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Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling home improvement projects, finding fun ways to keep her four boys occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works at her parish, is a guest blogger on CatholicMom.com and BlessedIsShe.net, runs her own blog at https://togetherandalways.wordpress.com and has been doing Spanish translations on the side for almost 20 years.

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Making Him Known

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**Due to server issues, this post was not published on 8/11/21, so we are posting it now.**

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” 

I cannot help but reflect on this line from today’s Gospel in light of how I spent the past week. I had the immense blessing of accompanying a local youth group (not even my own youth group, but that’s a different story for another time) as a chaperone for their week-long mission trip in the mountains of Tennessee. I could go on and on about my experience but I just wish to offer a few short thoughts for all of you. 

Our group was small but mighty – five teens and two adult chaperones. That’s it. There were no other groups spending the week with us either. But wait, there’s more. Our group was split in half and sent to two different job sites every day: one group of four people and another group of three. Everywhere we went, Christ was with us despite our small numbers and it was evident in the work that we did and the way we spent our week. 

A good portion of our mission trip was spent doing construction work, specifically building a ramp off of a lady’s deck. The first day that my group was on the construction site, we were blessed to spend 1.5 hours talking to the lady we were serving. We talked about a number of different things – she shared about the area of Tennessee we were in, we shared some of our experiences back home, etc. In the middle of our conversation, she stops mid-sentence and says, “You guys make me want to become Catholic.”

We hadn’t mentioned our Catholic faith to her or talked expressly about our beliefs. Yet she could still tell we were Catholic by our presence at her home, by our words and by our actions. Christ was certainly present with the five of us that day in that moment and He made His presence known!

Shouldn’t it always be that way, though? Shouldn’t people be able to tell that we are Catholics by the way we go about our lives each day? We shouldn’t have to put “Catholic” in our social media bios (#whoops, my bad) or say the words, “I’m a Catholic” for people to know who we are and in Whom we believe. 

My brothers and sisters, let’s take a good, hard look at our lives and question whether or not others would be able to tell we are Catholics. Let us make sure that Christ is present wherever we may go and that we can make His presence known to others by our lives. 

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Erin Madden is a Cleveland native and graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is passionate about the Lord Jesus, all things college sports and telling stories and she is blessed enough to get paid for all three of her passions. You can catch her on old episodes of the Clarence & Peter Podcast on YouTube as well as follow her on Twitter@erinmadden2016.

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St. Lawrence

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**Due to server issues, this post was not published on 8/10/21, so we are posting it now.**

“This side is done. Turn me over and take a bite.” 

My amazing husband is an incredible cook. When he used to compete competitively for BBQ, a picture of St. Lawrence always accompanied us. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of Rome who was martyred until the persecution by the Roman Emperor Valerian. It is reported that St. Lawrence was put to death on a gridiron and told his torturers, “This side is done. Turn me over and take a bite.” 

While the odds of any of us being martyred on a gridiron are pretty low. The need for martyrs is no less and today’s Gospel guides us in how to lay down our lives every single day. We may not die a martyr’s death, but we can offer up our daily lives. If we choose daily, to die to ourselves, to move beyond our preferences and the things of this world which bring us a sense of comfort and security, our lives will produce much fruit by drawing others to God and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus tells us straight out, that whoever loves his life will lose it. In Corinthians we hear, “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” When I offer up my place in line, when I give the driver next to me the right of way, when that parishioner who always sings off key sits behind me at Mass, do I give up my wants and preferences cheerfully? When that one person who drives me nuts at work asks me a favor, do I do it as happily as I would for others? 

“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will also my servant be.” 

We follow St. Lawrence’s example when we offer up all those little irritations and cheerfully say, “Lord, I follow you.” 

This side is done, Lord, turn me over and give me another chance to offer myself up to you! 

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Sheryl O’Connor delights in being the number 1 cheerleader and supporter for her husband, Tom who is a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Kalamazoo. They are so grateful for the opportunity to grow together in this process whether it is studying for classes, deepening their prayer life or discovering new ways to serve together. Sheryl’s day job is serving her community as the principal for St. Therese Catholic School in Wayland, Michigan. Since every time she thinks she gets life all figured out, she realizes just how far she has to go, St. Rita of Cascia is her go-to Saint for intercession and help. Home includes Brea, a Bernese Mountain dog and Carlyn, a very, very goofy Golden Retriever.

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God’s Will

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In today’s First Reading, there was one thing that stood out to me. In my daily readings, I highlighted “For the Lord, your God, […] has no favorites [and] accepts no bribes” (Deuteronomy 10:17). 

This struck me at first because, really, how often do we try to bribe God? I certainly don’t! …right? Then I realized that it was pretty often that I had, in my own life, said,  “Lord, if you do this for me, then I will do this for you” and then gotten upset when it didn’t happen. We think, “Of course God wants me to go to Mass every Sunday, so why wouldn’t he heal me.” We try so often to bend God’s will into our will.

Last weekend, I met a man named Roman who asked me if I knew God’s will. I replied, “No, but I am always trying to figure it out.” Roman asked me how I did this. How did I even know where to start? How could I possibly distinguish God’s will from my own? I thought about this for a moment, then told him that while I don’t have it all figured out, I believe it first requires a relationship with God. That means kneeling in prayer, standing and jumping in praise, and sitting in silence with the Lord. I told Roman that a healthy relationship requires constant conversation, that it required sacrifice that would always come from a place of selfless love, and a relationship with the Lord, Our Father, was no different in that regard. 

Then he asked me, “How do you know when it’s selfish instead of selfless?” I immediately had a flashback of the last time I had to stop and be brutally honest with myself. It wasn’t easy. It didn’t come naturally. I even remember trying to justify my behavior and convince God that my will was technically in line with His will. Spoiler, it wasn’t. It was just me trying to bribe God with technicalities and I knew it. So I prayed. I prayed for discernment to recognize and reject the world and then to accept God’s will into my life, even in the smallest of decisions. Then, in reading Scripture, I read a passage that spoke so clearly to me. “But the wisdom from above is pure, then peaceful, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). 

I shared this with the man and we ended our conversation with prayer, but his words continue to stick with me, “How do you distinguish God’s will from your own?” I pose this question to you and go even further to ask, “Do you even try to distinguish God’s will from your own?” If the answer is no, that’s okay! Today is a great day to start.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Pennsylvania. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various Catholic articles in bulletins, newspapers, e-newsletters, and blogs. She continued sharing her faith after graduation as a web content strategist and digital project manager. Today, she continues this mission in her current role as communications director and project manager for Pentecost Today USA, a Catholic Charismatic Renewal organization in Pittsburgh. 

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From Despair to Hope

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**Due to server issues, this post was not published on 8/8/21, so we are posting it now.**

Have you ever had a moment where you just wanted to give up on something? Whether work or a situation or something with a friend or family member. I think we all have been in a situation where we don’t feel like we have the strength to endure. I think it’s safe to say that this is where Elijah found himself in the First Reading for today. He was at what he believed was the end of his journey and he just wanted to be done, so he proclaimed, “This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

I may not have had a moment this tragic, but I can certainly remember a time when I felt I couldn’t possibly do it. When I was in High School we went on a backpacking trip to South Manitou Island. The very first day we were supposed to walk around the entire island to get our required miles in. For those who don’t know me, I am a redhead and pale as can be. The mixture of sun beating down on me all day and the absolute exhaustion from hiking on sand was enough to make me want to quit. It took everything I had to just finish that hike for the day and the sad part was that this was just a third of the miles we were supposed to go, or so we thought. After we got to our destination we realized that the map was wrong and that in just one day we ended up hiking half of our miles. We were ecstatic. A seemingly hopeless situation ended in pure joy.

This again, is what Elijah experiences. After thinking his life was over, God promptly fed him and gave him the energy and life to finish the 40 day trip. God brought joy and life out of a situation that seemed to be coated in despair. I am reminded of the movie, The Mist. I won’t give away the ending for those who haven’t seen it, but it is a good reminder that life is precious and we should always hold out hope that God is going to take care of us no matter what. “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” -Matthew 7:11

I know I need this reminder constantly. So maybe today, instead of just reading this blog and letting it fade into oblivion, take a moment and tell God what is really going on in your life. Give him permission to enter into your sorrows, joys, failing, and accomplishments. Let him help you along this crazy journey we call life and don’t be afraid to pray for and expect miracles to happen. It’s like St. Teresa of Avila said, “We pay God a compliment by asking great things of him.” Take a few minutes now before going on to your next task to tell God what you need from him today, and wait in silence for an answer. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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Great and Beautiful Things for God

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What is faith? How big is faith? How big is it supposed to be?

How big is a mustard seed? Is tiny faith enough to do big things? Why would we ever want to move a mountain?

These are the questions my 7-year-old self asked when I first heard the words of this Gospel:

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.”

Will it? I can’t even seem to say to my children, “Move from here to there,” and they will move…

Well, faith is not a thing that we can hold or measure. And it is not simply an idea that we carry in our heads, where we say we believe all things. Faith is a RELATIONSHIP. Tiny relationships with powerful Persons can indeed move mountains.

Faith is my personal relationship with the reality of God. Relationships are built on deep trust – in this case, deep, unshakeable trust in the power and goodness of a loving God. This relationship, this essential connection with the One Who IS, the One Who IS LOVE, is a sharing in the very power of God.

But it doesn’t stop there. Because if my faith is authentic and selfless, if my connection with the reality and power of God is what it should be, it transforms my attitudes and creates a new vision in which I live and think and act. If my whole self is turned toward the healing and empowering Presence of God, if my faith seeks salvation and justification from God alone in Christ, then I also allow Jesus to act in me and through me AS HE WILLS, because I trust that He knows best, He gives all we need, He makes all things new! As Erasmus Leiva-Merikakis says, “It means the deep and joyful reception of the mustard seed of His life into the earth of our being, where it may grow into a fruitful Tree of Life.” (Leiva-Merikakis, E. Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Meditations on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, (Vol. 2, p. 587). San Francisco: Ignatius Press.).

On our own, we can do nothing. But with faith in God, “Nothing will be impossible for you.”

On our own, we are on our own. But with deep faith in God, we can be made new and filled with Life.

Let’s pray that the Spirit will breathe into us this kind of true, humble, loving faith, which will allow us to be transformed and enable us to do great and beautiful things for God.

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Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and four grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is  https://www.kathryntherese.com/

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Are We Listening?

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Today’s Gospel reading is from Mark and details the Transfiguration of Jesus. As Mark states: “Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. . . .  Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’”

The Apostles were rightly scared. This would have been quite a scene to witness.

But God’s command was clear: Listen to Christ. 

And nearly 2,000 years later, this command is still something we must follow. 

Yet we often struggle to abide by it. We know we should listen to Christ. We try. But sometimes it’s really difficult. Sometimes the world gets in the way and it’s hard to hear Him. Sometimes we allow the things of this world to push Christ’s voice aside or to obscure it. And sometimes we just outright refuse to listen. 

When do we refuse? When we don’t like what He tells us. When His words are too hard to follow. When we fear being ostracized by coworkers, friends, family, or our communities for adhering to our beliefs. All of the above?

Christ never said that following Him would be easy. And many of us know that it’s often very hard. It’s hard because listening takes effort. According to merriam-webster.com, listening means “to hear something with thoughtful attention: give consideration.” 

Listening is not simply hearing something and dismissing it. Listening requires our attention. It also requires us to think and to open our hearts to Christ. We must allow His words to wash over us, to guide us, and to change us. 

So if we truly listen to God’s words, we must also reflect on and adhere to them. We must let His words transform us. And then we must speak them out to the people in our lives and in our communities, for listening and living out the word of God means that we help transform other people as well. 

This is what Christ called His Apostles to do, and it is what He calls us to do as well.

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Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 17 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Eleven of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program-an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students.

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The Rocks of Faith

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Today’s Gospel has always really stuck with me…especially the first part (up until “…whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven”). I know a big reason for this Gospel sticking with me is that I had to memorize it for one of my high school theology classes. At the time I’m sure I was frustrated that I had to memorize so many words for what felt like no reason. But now thinking about it, I realize how often I refer to this passage in my own personal faith as well as in conversations with others. In reflecting on the two readings for today–the first from Numbers and the Gospel from Matthew, I think I’m coming to understand the passage from Matthew more… I’m sure my high school theology teacher is somewhere saying, “See, Dakota, I told you it wasn’t all for nothing!”

In the reading from Numbers, we hear of Moses’ disobedience. To be completely honest, it wasn’t until someone pointed it out very recently that I understood how exactly Moses disobeyed God in this instance. It’s subtle. God’s command was to speak to the rock in order for it to produce water. Instead, Moses strikes the rock in order for it to produce water. Although it is subtle, Moses’ action makes evident his lack of faith in God’s power and God punishes the disobedience by not allowing Moses to enter into the Promised Land with his people. 

In the Gospel we hear Simon Peter’s profession of faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It is after this profession that Jesus tells Peter that he is the rock upon which the Church will be built. The Church, in her wisdom, pairs the story of God bringing forth water for Moses through a rock and the story of Peter being the rock in order to show us that we can choose a path of disobedience or obedience. It also shows us that God can enact good despite man’s sin. Even though Moses did not follow God’s command, God still gave the Israelites water. Even though Peter denied Jesus, our Church is founded upon the leadership of Peter. God’s will and God’s power are not confined by human or earthly limitations. 

Personally, when I’m not putting my full trust in God it’s because I’m doubting His power or His will: “How could He possibly make this situation better?” “Why would God want this?” When we fully place our trust in His power, we are able to also submit ourselves to His will. When we do that, we no longer have doubts in why things are happening because we trust that God is enacting His will in our lives. 

May we always have faith in the power of God. May we also look to our Mother Mary as our hope and intercessor because it was her “yes” to God’s will that brought about the Incarnation!

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Dakota currently lives in Denver, CO and teaches English Language Development and Spanish to high schoolers. She is married to the love of her life, Ralph. In her spare time, she reads, goes to breweries, and watches baseball. Dakota’s favorite saints are St. John Paul II (how could it not be?) and St. José Luis Sánchez del Río. She is passionate about her faith and considers herself blessed at any opportunity to share that faith with others. Check out more of her writing at https://dakotaleonard16.blogspot.com.

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Faith, Prayer, Love and Trust

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Today is the memorial of St. John Vianney. A parish priest, St. John is known for his dedication to serving in the confessional, wise teachings and simple rhythm of life. There are two quotes attributed to St. John which came to mind while reflecting on today’s Gospel about the scene between Jesus and a Canaanite woman who pleaded for her daughter’s healing.

“A humble person, whether he is laughed at or esteemed, or praised, or blamed, whether he is honoured or despised, whether people pay attention to him or pass him by, it is all the same to Him.”

The woman’s plea was heard after she reminded Jesus that dogs too, eat the scraps from the masters’ table. Her faith was rewarded; her daughter healed.

This passage from Matthew highlights God’s love and mercy for all, no matter the circumstances of a person. Jesus’ teachings and healing grace are available to everyone.

St. John Vianney’s second quote, “The glorious duty of man is to pray and love. If you pray and love, that is where a man’s happiness lies,” emphasises the necessity of prayer and love. The Canaanite woman innately knew this teaching in her own life. There is a bond and connection through love to our Master, the Lord God. As the Father so loved the world He gave us His Son. As a mother so loved her daughter, she prayed for healing and received it. Alleluia!

The belief, faith, humility and trust demonstrated by the Canaanite woman, by my friend Tami (reflections recently found here in Inspiration Daily) remind me that with God, through Him, in Him, all things are possible. Personally, I have to remember the answers to prayer are in His time, not mine.

O Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
Amen. Alleluia.
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Beth Price is part of the customer care team at Diocesan. She is a Secular Franciscan (OFS) and a practicing spiritual director. Beth shares smiles, prayers, laughter, a listening ear and her heart with all of creation. Reach her here bprice@diocesan.com.

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Praying Through the Waves

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The Gospel reading for today is by far one of my favorites, so much so that it was the Gospel at our wedding. If you have never done Lectio Divina before, this is a perfect verse to start with. Lectio Divina simply means “divine reading” and it’s a way to pray through Scripture instead of just reading it. There are many different forms you can find online, but I want to share a simple form with you today and include this verse and my brief reflections. 

Begin as you would any prayer, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Take a few deep breaths. Try to relax and get comfortable. Take your time and do not rush. Read the Gospel for today slowly and as you read, see if anything in particular stands out to you. Take a quick mental note of the things that seem to pop off the page and thank God for speaking to you through this ancient text. 

Next, read it again and try to put yourself into the story and focus on those few phrases that stood out to you. Maybe you were struck by Peter’s faith. Do you relate to his character in the story? Read slowly and prayerfully and allow yourself to enter the narrative. 

Finally, take time to just be in the presence of God. Read it one last time and then simply sit in silence. No expectations, no questions, no fleeting thoughts. Just for a moment let God love you and just sit with him in silence. A good way to do this is pay attention to your breathing and simply say “Come Holy Spirit” with every breath you take. This can help you relax and focus on the Lord’s presence. 

End your time of prayer and take any notes you think may be helpful for you in the future. Whenever I pray through this verse I am immediately drawn to the fact that there are three types of people in the story. There were those who were too afraid to get out of the boat, there was Peter as he was trusting, and then there was Peter as he was sinking and crying out. I ask myself this question often and I will ask it to you today, which of the three are you? From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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