One Priest’s Battle Plan for 2017
The following guest post is by Father Kyle Doustou, a priest of the Diocese of Portland, Maine.
Friends, we have now entered the year of grace 2017. For whatever reason, I feel it deep within my bones that this year is going to be very challenging, for the Church and for the world. So let’s not take a single moment of this new year for granted and use every second we have been given to grow closer to Christ.
Some basic, practical suggestions:
If you don’t pray, start. If you do pray, pray more. Beef up your devotional life.
If you don’t fast, start. If you do fast, fast more. Strengthen your will. Get better at saying “no” to your appetites and passions.
If you’re lax about Mass attendance, get your priorities straight. Go every Sunday and Holy Day – nothing is more important. Nothing.
If you don’t go to confession, go. Regularly. Stop waiting. Stop making excuses.
Get more intentional about knowing your faith. Study it. Learn it. Share it. Defend it.
Spend more time at home with your family. Eat together. Work together. Play together. Pray together.
Cut out the non-essentials. Simplify your homes and your lives.
Give more of yourself (your prayers and your time, but also your money and your skills) to those who need help. If you don’t know who needs help, trot down to your local parish office – your priest can give you a list, I’m sure.
A relationship with Christ is not ethereal and it’s not simply an “internal” reality. It is something that is lived out, day by day, in mind, body, and soul. It is not a given and it can never be taken for granted.
Now is the time.
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Posted on January 1, 2017, in holiness, life and tagged 2017, battle plan, Fr. Kyle Doustou, new year's resolutions, penance, Prayer. Bookmark the permalink. 14 Comments.
liturgy guy 
Reblogged this on Solutio Problematis Omnes (aka "The Catholic Linker").
Why are you so anxious? You do not need to answer. But, Jesus asks us and tells us not to worry. Yet, there is much anxiety in this message.
As the author of this post, I can assure you it is written without any anxiety whatsoever – I’m afraid you’ve read too much into it. It is a call to be sober and vigiliant, as St. Peter entreats us in his first Epistle (5:8). It is also written with a sense of urgency, specifically given the “signs of the times.” But anxiety? None here, sir.
Peace to you this New Year.
Thank you. When I wished my pastor a good year yesterday, he only responded with, “Avoid evil! Do good!” He appeared very distant. Christus det tibi pacem.
I’m a convert from Mormonism, I have horrible social anxiety, I still place my focus on the Mormon Temple since I was a Temple Mormon, i have a tough time giving my time, talents to my parish since I was taught that as a Mormon male that the only men are only to do corporal works of mercy with the permission of the First presidency. I became a Catholic in 2004. I attend separate masses on Sunday since my wife attends the Latin Mass and I go to an English Mass.
Dear friend, respectfully, if you go to an “English Novus Ordus Mass”, having the grace of the availability of the Latin Mass, and furthermore, appart from your wife, then you are not yet a real convert from previous beliefs. Please, go together with your wife to a Tridentine Mass and likely you will gradually have less anxiety.
“English Novus Ordo Mass”
As a Portland native, it is wonderful to read the thoughts of a traditional-oriented priest from my “homeland”. Concise but firm thoughts, Pere Doustou. Thank you for providing them!
My thoughts exactly.
I do not get a sense of anxiety from this message at all. And believe me when I say I have a lot of experience with anxiety. When I read this message I thought yes these are the things I need to do to improve my relationship with God and to deepen my spiritual life. To live my life the way God wants me to live it. I love the straight forwardness of this message. Thank you for sharing.
Amen Father. Amen. Thanks for the post. I don’t find it anxious, I find it prophectic.
Amen, Father! Would that all Priests followed this line of thought! I am so sick of “politically-correct,” Priests who put Politics before Faith. Yes, I pray for ALL of them, including our Pope.
The Traditional Latin Mass is a different animal. The Reverence to the Host and the Altar and to God is awesome as it should be. I’m lucky enough to have a TLM on Suday and 3 days during the week. Please attend the TLM with your wife. You will feel Christ’s Presence the moment you step into the Church. God Bless!
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