Emmaus on Thurs., 12/29

Hello brothers and sisters,

We hope you are having a wonderful Christmas and had the chance to spend some time with your family. Remember, we continue to celebrate the Christmas season until the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 9th, so don't take down those trees just yet! In the spirit of celebration, we thought we would do something a little "lighter" this Thursday and thus we will meet at 7pm at Bowl America on Beach Blvd. (see address below). We welcome new members, and this is the perfect opportunity to get to know the Emmaus community in a more social atmosphere. We hope to see you this Thurs.! If you have any questions or need directions, call Russ at (352) 359-0629.

Bowl America:

11141 Beach Boulevard

Jacksonville, FL 32246

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team

No Meeting This Thursday, 12/22

Hey everyone,

Just a friendly reminder that we are not meeting this Thursday, 12/22. We will resume next Thursday. Have a very happy and blessed Christmas!

The Emmaus Core Team

Adoration and Confession at IC this Thurs.

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Thursday we will be at Immaculate Conception downtown again. We will be joining the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR's) and the Young Adult Retreat team for adoration and confession from 7-9pm in the church. Come on out and join us as we continue to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the birth of our Lord. We look forward to seeing you there!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team

Thursday December 8th: 7pm Mass at Immaculate Conception

This Thursday, December 8th is the feast of The Immaculate Conception. Because of that, it is fitting that we attend mass at Immaculate Conception downtown. Not only is it the Immaculate Conception Feast Day, it will also be the Mass & Installation of Fr. Ed Murphy as Pastor. Bishop Felipe J. Estevez will be the celebrant! Father Ed is our Emmaus Chaplain and we are excited to attend this very special mass. Come celebrate this beautiful feast day and support Father Ed this week. We will be sitting and gathering in the left front pews of the church around 6:30pm so that we can try to sit together. Mass begins at 7pm. We will all go eat and fellowship after mass for a good time as usual! See you then!

Sister of the Home of the Mother Discussion Panel at Emmaus this Thursday!

Hello brothers and sisters!

Happy Advent to you all! This Thursday, for Emmaus, we will be blessed to once again have our Assumption resident, Sisters of the Home of the Mother join us in Jordan Hall for a Panel Discussion/Q&A Session – so be sure to Bring your Questions – on any area of faith or morals that we would like to discuss! I know you all have some good questions to prompt a great discussion!

Can’t wait to see you all this Thursday AND can’t wait to celebrate the Advent and the coming birth of our Lord at Christmas with you all this Sunday (4PM at the Wilcox residence)! This is a great event to evangelize and invite a friend to come out and enjoy a fun evening and introduce them to our wonderful Emmaus family! If you haven't had a chance to donate a few dollars to help defray a few costs of the party, we would gratefully accept your donation on Thursday. So come out and enjoy the fellowship, yummy potluck, Christmas carols, reading of the Christmas story, gift exchange, and new memories to be made with old and new friends alike – see you there! Note: if you are a musician and would like to bring your instrument to join us for a practice at 2:30, just let me know so we can be sure to have enough copies of the music.

With love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team



The MISSION of Emmaus:

To support the Catholic Church in its mission to reach out to the young adult community by providing opportunities to learn about the Faith. Our ultimate goal is to guide young adults into a vibrant participation in the sacramental life.

The four "pillars" of our mission are derived from the story of the disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). These are Evangelization, Education, Fellowship, and Sacramental Life.

This Thurs. - New Translation of the Mass

Hello brothers and sisters,

This Thursday we will have Fr. Fred Parke, the pastor at Assumption, speaking with us on the new translation of the Mass that we will begin using this advent. Come on out and learn what changes will be made and why. We will be meeting in Jordan Hall. Come join us a little early at 7pm for the rosary if you can. See you then!

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team

MassThursday at Emmaus 6:45pm

Come and participate in the holy Mass this Thursday 11/10/11 at 6:45pm. It will be at Assumption Catholic Church with Confessions starting at 6:15pm. We will fellowship and go grab a bite to eat afterwards. Look forward to seeing you there!


Emmaus Core Team

This Thursday - Amanda and Justin Lang at Emmaus

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

Happy Solemnity of All Saints! This Thursday, we will be meeting in Jordan Hall at Assumption. Our good friends Amanda and Justin Lang will be leading a discussion on how to incorporate traditions associated with the Saints in the home/family throughout the liturgical year. By the way, if you missed their 7th Annual All Saints Day Party this past Saturday, it was a blast. The game of the evening sent us on a scavenger hunt, performing skits, looking up scriptural and historical references on various matters of the faith, and even building a Cathedral out of graham crackers, icing and various candies. It was both quite fun and very educational.

I think this is a wonderful topic to get us thinking about very practical ways we can apply our faith and create memorable family moments. Creating special family traditions that are both fun and help those we love grow closer to our Lord and our entire Christian family (in heaven and on earth!) is an important way to make Holidays (and Holy Days ;) and ever day in between faith-centered and special (Hey we're Catholic, we're always celebrating something ... and isn't that wonderful ... we become what we celebrate!)

with love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team


In light of today's Solemnity, just wanted to pass along some beautiful words from a dear friend...

"You were made for greatness not comfort. You are called to be holy as He is holy...to be light, to be salt, to be a saint. Remember who you are today...a beloved child of God. We are His and He desires to be our all. Happy solemnity brothers and sisters" ~ Wisdom 3:1-9; Sirach 2; Luke 23:46

Fr. LIGUORI explaining the depth of the Holy Mass at Emmaus This Thursday

Hello brothers and sisters,

This Thursday, Fr. Liguori will be coming to Emmaus to discuss and explain more deeply what takes place during Holy Mass. Everything we do, every word we say (or the priest says) is pregnant with meaning! We will discuss why we do what we do in the Mass and its scriptural basis. Fr. Liguori is great priest and teacher of the faith. And with the new Roman missal and liturgical changes coming this Advent (and our discussion of them at Emmaus during November) this will give us a good foundation. Understanding the richness and meaning of the Mass, will help us to never again be bored, but approach with gratitude, humility, and awe! You don't want to miss this!

with love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team


"Receiving the Eucharist means adoring Him whom we receive. Only in this way do we become one with Him, and are given, as it were, a foretaste of the beauty of the heavenly liturgy. The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself."

Pope Benedict XVI – Sacramentum Caritatis 66
from an address to priests in Poland, May 25, 2006

Mass at 6:45pm Thursday at Emmaus

Come join us for Confession and Mass this Thursday at Assumption Catholic Church. Confessions will run from 6:15pm-6:45pm, and Mass will start at 6:45pm. Bring your appetite for fellowship and dinner after Mass. If you can't make it for Mass, come join us afterwards for fellowship! Hope to see you there for the Sacramental combo!

The Emmaus Core Team

The Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother At Emmaus this week!

Hello brothers and sisters!

That's right, the Sisters are coming! If you are familiar with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, then you KNOW how they can deliver some spiritual truth (even sometimes lovingly termed a "spiritual spanking" ;) - you know what I mean, when you hear the truth and it hits home hard. Thanks be to God for faithful people who have the courage to preach the truth in love! May our Lord give each of us the wisdom and courage to do the same.

Well, this Thursday they will be leading us in a discussion on the "rules for the discernment of spirits based on St. Ignatius of Loyola's spiritual exercises." So if any of you want to grow in holiness (hopefully that's all of us!) and join some good friends united in faith and fellowship, we hope you and a friend can make it out on Thursday at 7:30 in Kohl's Hall (7:00 if you can join us for the rosary).

with love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes ..." Romans 1:16 - if we really believe this is true, let us truly live it, breath it, and proclaim it in all that we say and do, sharing His love and mercy with all we encounter

Mike Day at Emmaus this Thursday!

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Thursday at Emmaus we will have Mike Day from the Diocesan Center for Family Life speaking with us. Mike is the Assistant Director for Marriage and Family. His name may sound familiar because he was one of the speakers at Theology on Tap in St. Augustine last month. Mike will be giving us a talk entitled "Sustaining Healthy Relationships: Signs of Positive Growth." Sound interesting? Come on out this Thursday to learn more! We will be meeting in Jordan Hall. Come a little early at 7pm if you can and pray the rosary with us. Looking forward to seeing you all there! Happy Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis, pray for us!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team

Volleyball This Thurs.!

Hey guys,

This Thursday we will be playing volleyball in the gym at Assumption from 7:30-9pm. They will be having basketball practice all the way up to 7:30 and we have to be out of there by 9, so let's try to get started right at 7:30 to maximize the fun! We are going to be starting the rosary at 6:45pm so we'll have a few minutes to stretch before we play. If the weather is nice, I thought we could pray outside by the statue of Mary in front of the gym, otherwise we will be right inside the entrance vestibule. This is also a great opportunity to introduce someone new to Emmaus in a relaxed, social atmosphere; so invite a friend to join us! Hope to see you there (with your "A" game, of course)! ;)

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team

This Thursday - Confession, Mass, & Fellowship - starting EARLY

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

This Thursday at Emmaus, Fr. Ed will coming and we will be starting earlier than normal.

Confession available 6:15-6:45
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ~ 6:45
Fellowship and dinner after Mass at 7:30 (church will be in use for other activities)

So come and allow our Lord to cleanse, restore, and nourish you with His very Body and Blood and join your Emmaus brothers and sisters for some fellowship in thanksgiving for all He has done for us and to share in each other's joys (and sorrows) on our common journey to the kingdom!

with love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team


St. Matthew (9/21) and St. Pio (9/23), pray for us!

Pray, hope and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.
~ St. (Padre) Pio of Pietrelcina

Emmaus This Thursday

Come on out this Thursday at Assumption for a wonderful evening with guest speaker, Deacon John Bretz! Deacon John will begin our group discussion this week by leading an in-depth exploration of Thursday's readings and how they pertain to The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Exaltation of The Cross. Deacon John has requested that we each try and read Thursday's readings ahead of time and spend some time reflecting on them.

We will meet at Assumption at 7 pm for the Rosary to be followed directly by our discussion with Deacon John! We hope all of you will come out and join us for prayer and spiritual growth. We are very excited to see each and every one of you! Bring a friend!

God Bless!

Emmaus Core Team

This Thurs.: Mary the Eucharistic Woman, Pt. II

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This week at Emmaus we will once again have Gerald Lamb coming to speak about our Blessed Mother and her connection to the Eucharist based on scripture and reflection on the mysteries of the rosary, particularly the last three joyful mysteries. As you may remember from last time, Gerald is a graduate of Franciscan University at Steubenville and holds a Master's degree in Theology. He has a good depth of knowledge in this area, so bring your questions! We will be meeting in Kohl's Hall. Come join us at 7pm for Rosary if you can. God Bless!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team

This Thursday: Attorney and Apologetics speaker, Mitch Ritchie, on Mystical Phenomena!

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

Well, we had a little mix up a few weeks ago, but back by popular demand, is attorney and apologetics speaker, Mr. Mitch Ritchie and the topic of the day will be Mystical Phenomena! Mitch currently helps to lead an apologetics class at Immaculate Conception along with Fr. Ed every Wednesday night. He has been speaking and teaching on various subjects in the realm of apologetics (defending the faith) for many years, including hosting a radio show geared toward the same.

Since Kohl's hall is not available on the first Thursday of the month, we will be meeting in Jordan Hall (Assumption Parish) with rosary starting at 7:00 and everything else kicking off around 7:30. So come out, come back, come as you are and bring a friend to share in the love and joy that the Father lavishes on YOU through the Body of Christ, His Church and know that you are treasured!

with love in Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team


See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a

This Thurs. - Fr. Ed Teaching on the New Age

Hello dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Thursday at Emmaus we will have our spiritual director, Fr. Ed, teaching us about our Holy Mother Church's view on the New Age. Come on out and learn what subtle, yet very real, dangers the New Age presents and what we can do to defend our minds and hearts (and those of others) against these spiritual dangers. We will be meeting in Kohl's Hall at 7:30pm. If you can make it a little early at 7pm, we will be praying the rosary. God Bless your day!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

This Thursday- Prayer and Fellowship!

Hello-

This week was supposed to be Mass but due to a vigil service the Church is no longer available, so.......we are going to meet at 7:00 pm to worship our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament chapel at Assumption Catholic Church (go in the side door near the rectory) for about a half hour and then go together to have some fellowship time at dinner somewhere. Invite a friend to come with and join us. Don't forget your rosary and your appetite! ;)

In JMJ,
The Emmaus Core Team

This Thurs.: St. Philomena

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This week at Emmaus we will have Sean Smith talking with us about a "super cool" saint: Saint Philomena! She is one of the patron saints of Emmaus (you may remember the name from our petitions at the end of the rosary). She has a very interesting story. She was martyred at a very young age in the early fourth century, defending her purity and virginity against the Emperor Diocletian no less! She went unknown for centuries until the discovery of her tomb in the early 19th century and was canonized in 1837 based solely on miracles attributed to her! Come on out this Thursday (her feast day) to find out more about the "daughter of light." See you then!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

This Thurs. - Surprises from Scripture

Hello brothers and sisters,

Pope Benedict XVI says that we should allow ourselves to be surprised by the Word of God. So, it is in that spirit that this week we will have one of our seminarians, David Keegan, leading us in Lectio Divina, or "Holy Reading." So come on out and see what our Lord has in store for us. Bring your bible! We will be meeting in Kohl's Hall at 7:30pm. Come a little early at 7pm and pray the rosary with us if you can!

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

This Thursday: Mitch Ritchie, Attorney and Apologetics Teacher, on Mystical Phenomena

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

This Thursday evening, we will be meeting at Assumption Catholic Church, in Kohl's Hall where attorney and apologetics speaker, Mitch Ritchie will lead our discussion on Mystical Phenomena.
Mitch currently helps lead an apologetics class, the study and defense of why we believe what we believe, at Immaculate Conception Church along with Fr. Ed Murphy, every Wednesday night. He has been speaking and teaching on various subjects in the realm of apologetics for many years.

So, come out and bring a friend, new or old, as we come together as family to seek the face of God - to know, love, and serve Him and each other, through our beautiful Catholic Church. I'm so thankful to share this part of the journey with you all!

with love in Christ,

Adam, Emily, Russ, and Jennifer

Emmaus This Thursday - Holy Mass!!!

This Thursday, we will be joining our brothers and sisters in the greatest celebration of all time - The Holy Mass. We will be meeting at Assumption Catholic Church at 7pm to begin our time together by praying the Rosary and having the Sacrament of Confession available. Mass will begin at 7:30pm. We look forward to seeing you all there!

God Bless You All,

The Emmaus Core Team,

(Jennifer, Russ, Emily, Adam)

Assumption Catholic Church

2403 Atlantic Blvd

Jacksonville, Fl 32207

This Thurs. - Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Thurs. at Emmaus, back by popular demand, we will have Dan Mull speaking with us about the three pillars of the authority of the Church: Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium. It is bound to be a great talk, as well as an opportunity for us to deepen our faith, knowledge, and love of our holy mother Church. We hope you can join us! We will be in Kohl's Hall this week. Come a little early and pray the rosary with us at 7pm if you are able. God bless your week!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, Russ)

Emmaus this Thursday

Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the reappearance of the Traditions talk that I gave several meetings ago! As those of you know who were able to make it when I started this discussion, there were so many interesting facts that we ran out of time about half way through the presentation. So, by popular demand, I will be bringing back the Church Traditions presentation, Part II! We will be meeting in Jordan Hall at 7:30pm. Please come at 7 pm if you would like to pray the Rosary with us and invite a friend to come and enjoy an evening of what we hope will be fun and interesting sharing of the richness of our Catholic Faith Traditions.

We look forward to seeing all of you again and meeting any new faces to our Emmaus family!

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team

(Jennifer, Russ, Emily, Adam)

This Thurs. - The Eucharist

Hello brothers and sisters,

Since we just celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ this past Sunday, this Thurs. at Emmaus we will have Dan Mull speaking to us about the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Dan holds a Master's Degree in Theology from Ave Maria University. This will be an interesting talk and is a great opportunity for us to build our faith. Come on out and join us in Kohl's Hall at 7:30pm. We will be praying the rosary at 7pm if you can make it a little early.

In Christ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

Thurs: Camp I am Special

Hello-
For our Thursday meeting on 6/23 (this coming thursday) we will be meeting out at Marywood to volunteer at Camp I Am Special, which is a summer camp for children with disabilities. Adam and I are co-directing next week and also Jenn Webster is the kitchen caterer. I have been involved in camp for 13 years now and I cannot tell you how wonderful of an experience it is. It truly is an in town mission to serve the least of God's children- those with disabilities. On Thurday evening is the Gala dance which will be held at the wisdom center at marywood. The wisdom center is the building next to the pool. Drive past Marywood to the parking lot next to the tennis courts and park there. We need help from 3:00 pm on to decorate the wisdom center for the Gala and then at 7:00 our normal time we will be serving appetizers and dancing with the campers, being "paparazzi" etc. Any time you can come from 3:00 on there will be things to do. If you can come earlier than 7:00 then you can help the campers get all dressed up and do hair/makeup down at Camp St. John!! The campers will be riding in limos from Camp St John to the wisdom center. If you want to wear a dress or other fun outfit that is wonderful....there are dresses there you can change into also (for the girls obviously!) . The dance is usually the most fun evening activity of the entire week so it was be a blast!!! Any questions please feel free to email me at call me 904-465-5168. :)

Emily

Ps. If you can come at 3:00 pm to help decorate (which is greatly needed) please shoot me an email response to let me know! Thanks so much!

Emmaus This Thursday!!!

Greetings All!!! This Thursday, Emmaus will be engaging in a rousing game of "Catholic Cranium"! Please join us at Assumption Catholic Church, in Kohl's Hall, at 7:30 pm and be ready to have lots of fun and laughter while we challenge each other's knowledge about all things Catholic! Of course this will all be done in the loving Spirit of Christ! We will be meeting at 7 pm to pray a Rosary before the games begin for those of you who can make it.

Additionally, we will be having a short discussion about our meeting for Thursday, June 23rd. As a reminder, next week's meeting will be a service opportunity with Camp I Am Special and the Emmaus group will be meeting at the Marywood Retreat Center to help children with disabilities prepare for a social dance and help serve h'orderves during the dance. More details will be provided during our meeting this Thursday and in e-mails to follow.

God Bless You,

Emmaus Core Team
Jen, Russ, Emily, and Adam

Emmaus this Thursday - Faith and Finances at Assumption

Hello dear brothers and sisters!

I am happy to announce to you all that our new permanent meeting home for Emmaus will be at Assumption Catholic Church
2403 Atlantic Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32207

7:00 - Rosary
7:30-9:00 Meeting

unless otherwise noted in the weekly email, we will be meeting in Khol's hall, next to the gym
(it is labeled Khol's hall on the outside of the building)

This week, we will have a discussion about our faith and our finances! This is not just about tithing...we will also discuss reasons WHY we should be good savers and self-less stewards of the blessings God has given each of us, particularly as it applies to preparing for marriage! Just as we should prepare for marriage by developing a deep and life-giving prayer life, praying for and guarding our purity and the purity of our future spouse, and even fasting and offering up sacrifices for our future spouse, our finances is another way in which we can love our future spouse now. But, having a generic, undefined goal of saving money for them can make it difficult to find the daily motivation to say "no" to some spending now for the sake of your future family's benefit later, so we'll take a little time to define the "yes" - what saying we're really saying yes to by saving. Of course some dying to self is involved in choosing to love your future family not just in the future, but also now, but that is why love is so connected with the cross. After we found our proper motivations, we'll also talk about some practical ways to set and accomplish our financial goals.

As a side note, last, October 6th, to be precise, David Keegan passed along an email entitled Jamey's thoughts ...if you didn't happen to read it all, now might be a good time to go back and take a look. There were several points, some related to the topic of finances, but most just ways in which we as single people can prepare and actively love our future spouse now without even knowing who they are.

Love and blessings to all. See you in Khol's hall at Assumption on Thursday!

Russ, Emily, Adam, Jennifer

Memorial Day Beach Bash- Monday May 30th!

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

It is time for more beach fun at our annual Memorial Day Beach Bash! We will be meeting at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park in Mayport on Memorial Day at 12pm. It costs $3 per car (up to 6 people) to get in the park. Once you get in the park, go to parking lots 7 & 8 (near the lifeguard station). I will bring my volleyball stuff. Please bring whatever food you would like to have for lunch, and any snacks you wish to share. We will have grilles available. Don't forget plenty of fluids! Also bring: sunscreen, towel, football, frisbee, boogie board, etc. If you can bring a folding table, that would be great. Also, bring a tarp/sun shade if you have one. Call me if you have any questions. Russ: (352) 359-0629 Hanna Park Address: 500 Wonderwood Dr., Jacksonville, FL We look forward to seeing everyone there! God Bless!

The Emmaus Core Team (Adam, Emily, Jen, and Russ)

PS- As we mentioned for the Cinco de Mayo beach party, please remember your great dignity and value when choosing your beach attire. You will be honoring the dignity and value of your fellow brothers and sisters as well. May God richly bless you!

Volleyball at Assumption This Thursday!

Hello brothers and sisters, This Thurs. we will be meeting at Assumption at 7pm in the gym to play volleyball. Invite a friend, and don't forget your "A" game! :) Come early at 6:30pm, if you are able, to pray the rosary.

 

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, Russ)

This Thursday- Mass with Fr. Ed

JMJ


This Thursday we will be having Mass and confessions with Fr. Ed. Rosary will begin at 6:30pm and Mass will begin at 7:00pm. Afterwards we will be heading to Panda Express at the Town Center to support the fundrasier that is being held there for the mission trip! Please join us!


God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Russ, Adam, and Emily)

This Thurs.: Mary and the Eucharist

Hello all,

Since our new bishop has stated that he would like to dedicate his episcopate to Mary the Eucharistic Woman, this week at Emmaus we will have Gerald Lamb speaking on Mary's connection to the Eucharist based on scriptural passages and related mysteries of the Rosary. Gerald received a Master's Degree in Theology from Franciscan University at Steubenville in May of 2006. His talk should be very interesting, so come on out and join us, and bring your bible! Rosary at 7pm if you can make it a little early.

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, Russ)

New Bishop to be named!

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

I have just received word that a new bishop will be named for our diocese tomorrow morning at 10:30am! Please pray for him and that his selection may be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

God Bless,

Russ

Thurs: Sex, God, and Purity

This Thursday we will be discussing Sex, God, and Purity. We talk about the relationship between our sexuality and spirituality. We will break up into two groups, women and men, and talk about the ways in which we can lead a pure life and what our sexuality means for us as Christians. I hope to see you there. Happy Easter!

Sean

Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Emily, Russ, Adam)

Celebrate Easter Triduum with us starting this Thursday!

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

Please join our Emmaus family in celebrating the Easter Triduum. We will be attending the Mass as follows:

Holy Thursday: Assumption, 7pm

Good Friday: Immaculate Conception, 12-3pm

-Reading of the Passion

-Veneration of the Cross

-Communion service

-Seven last words of Christ

-Stations of the Cross

-Divine Mercy Chaplet

Saturday Easter Vigil: St. John the Baptist in Atlantic Beach, 8:30pm

Please come to the Easter Vigil and help us celebrate with our brother Jonathan Daugherty as he enters the Catholic Church and receives his Confirmation. Praise and thanks be to God! The address is: 2400 Mayport Road, Atlantic Beach, FL

Hope you can join us, and may you have a fruitful Holy Week and a very blessed Easter!

Alleluia, He is risen!

Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

This Thursday: The Seven Last Words of Christ

Hello dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Thursday at Emmaus we will be discussing the seven last words of Christ. Bring your bible! Come a little early at 7pm and pray the rosary with us if you can. Have a blessed day!

In His Love,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, and Russ)

This Thursday- Divine Mercy Talk

JMJ

Dear Friends-

This Thursday we will be discussing and sharing about a favorite topic for many of us-- the Divine Mercy of our Lord as well as the sacrament of Confession and how they go hand in hand. Please bring your bible and your willingness to share your own experiences. :) Rosary will be at 7:00 pm and the talk will begin after that at 7:30 pm. We will be meeting at St. Ephram's off of Kernan Blvd.  Jesus, We Trust in You!

Your Emmaus Core Team,

Jen, Adam, Russ, and Emily

Volleyball at Assumption this Thurs.!

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Thurs. we will be meeting at Assumption in the Gym to play volleyball from 7-9pm (note time change). Come early at 6:30pm and pray the rosary with us if you can. Hope you can make it for some fun and fellowship!

In JMJ,

The Emmaus Core Team (Jen, Adam, Emily, Russ)

Fr. Remek at Emmaus This Thursday

Hello brothers and sisters!

Our dear friend and Father, Fr. Remek, will be coming to Emmaus this Thursday to speak on the timely topic of Sacrifice. Why is it important to discipline ourselves through acts of love and sacrifice during the beuatiful season of Lent and throughout the year as a way to grow closer to our Lord? Through discipline and sacrifice we are able to train ourselves, with God's grace, that later, we are better able to resist temptation. Not only do fasting and sacrifice increase our ability to love and have real compassion for the poor, in some small way, we experience their need and the experience is meant to change us if we really live it and pray it. Fasting and sarifice have a way of super charging our prayer, particularly when we make the conscious effort to unite our sufferings to the saving Passion of Christ on the cross. He gives us the great privilege of walking with Him to Calvary and participating to some degree along side him in His Redemptive work, for our good and the good of others. Perhaps your Lenten sacrifices this year will also prepare you to be better disposed to be attentive and aware of God's grace and blessings in your life. An attitude of gratitude can bear fruit in so many ways.

Just in case you are looking for something else to offer our Lord, our love, during this special season, here are a few ideas that can work for all of us:

Give up complaining - focus on gratitude
Give up pessimisism - become an optimist
Give up harsh judgements - think kindly thoughts
Give up worry - trust Divine Providence
Give up discouragement - be full of hope
Give up bitterness - turn to forgiveness
Give up hatred - return good for evil
Give up negativism - be positive
Give up anger - be more patient
Give up pettiness - become more mature
Give up gloom - enjoy the beauty that is all around you
Give up jealousy - pray for trust
Give up gossiping - control your tongue
Give up sin - turn to virtue
Give up giving up - hang in there!

with love in Christ,

Jennifer, Emily, Adam, Sean, & Russ

Correction for Thursday 03-17-11

Sorry for the confusion, but the correct address for our meeting tomorrow is 4131 University Blvd.  This clinic is located right beside the Women's Help Center on University.  Still plan to meet at 6:30.  Thanks for your patience.

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team
(Jennifer, Russ, Emily, Sean, Adam)

Emmaus - This Thursday the 17th - 40 Days for Life

 

Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life,
And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters.
I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion,
Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death
by the Resurrection of Your Son.
I am ready to do my part in ending abortion.
Today I commit myself
Never to be silent,
Never to be passive,
Never to be forgetful of the unborn.
I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement,
And never to stop defending life
Until all my brothers and sisters are protected,
And our nation once again becomes
A nation with liberty and justice
Not just for some, but for all,
Through Christ our Lord. Amen!



This Thursday, Emmaus will be gathering to silently and prayerfully witness for life!  We will be gathering at 6:30 in front of the abortion clinic on Beach Blvd to pray a Rosary and hold signs along the sidewalk in front of the clinic.  We will not be meeting at St. Ephrem's like we normally do.  Please come out and invite as many people as you can to join us.  In the past, word has gotten back to us that a young pregnant mother chose to not have an abortion because of our prayerful presence in front of the clinic.  We may never know how many lives of unborn babies we will actually be able to help save, but to know that we have helped to save even one life is more than enough!  We will be have fellowship afterwards to Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone this Thursday!

6:30 pm - Meet at 3850 Beach Blvd for a Rosary and peaceful witness

7:30 pm - Join the rest of the Emmaus family for food and fellowship to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day - Location TBD

God Bless Each of You and Pray for the Beautiful, Unborn babies

The Emmaus Core Team

(Jennifer, Russ, Emily, Sean, Adam)

Thurs: Lenten Mass and Confessions

This Thursday we will be having Mass and confessions with Fr. Ed. Confessions start at 7:00pm and Mass at 7:30. Start your lent off good with confession and Mass. See you there.

In Christ,

Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Adam, Emily, Jen, Russ)

Thurs: Do you know how to Evangelize?

This Thursday we will discuss Evangelization. We will look at the what, how, when, why, and where of evangelization. You will learn how to evangelize and the importance of it. It will be a fun night of discussion and improv. I look forward to seeing you there.

In Christ,

Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Jen, Adam, Russ)

http://emmauscya.blogspot.com/

Thurs: Purgatory and Indulgences

This Thursday Fr. Ed will be discussing Purgatory and Indulgences. We will learn how to defend your faith in reference to these two topics. We will discuss:

• Where is Purgatory in the Bible?
• Are indulgences biblical?
• Who goes to Purgatory and how do you get out?
• How do we gain indulgences and are there different types?

I look forward to seeing you there. Come with questions. Below are some indulgences.

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/indulge/#PARTICULAR%20GRANTS%20OF%20INDULGENCES

In Christ,

Sean, Adam, Jen, Russ

Sunday: The Rite - Exorcism movie

Sunday we will be watching The Rite at the Regal Movie Theater at the Avenues. The movie is at4:15pm. Cost is $5 plus tax. This is a movie about faith and the healing ministry of Exorcism. I hope to see you there. Get there early so we can sit together unless you are possessed, then I will not sit with you.

Directions: 9525 Phillips HighwayJacksonville, FL 32256

Interview with the real life priest on whom the story is based below.

http://catholicmediareview.blogspot.com/2011/01/interview-with-fr-gary-thomas-of-rite.html

In Christ,

Sean and Buford.

Thurs: Why do Catholics eat fish on Friday?

Hello Emmaus Family! Thursday we will be discussing some of our favorite Church traditions along with some lesser known or understood traditions that we practice. We will look at why we do the sign of the cross, have bells, holy water, and much more. It will be a fun night so come out to Emmaus. Also, everyone should come ready to talk about some of their favorite traditions that they like to practice with the Church in general or in personal devotions. Everyone is invited and bring a friend! Rosary starts at 7pm followed by our meeting at 7:30pm. See everyone there!

God Bless You!
The Emmaus Core Team
(Sean, Jennifer, Russ, & Adam)

Thurs: Mass and Confession

This Thursday we will be having Mass and Confession. Confession start at 7:00pm and Mass at 7:30pm. I hope to see you there. Afterwards we will try to go to Pollo Loco in the St. Johns town center.

Picture is of St. Padre Pio receiving communion. How cool is that!

In Christ,

Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Jen, Adam, Russ)

http://emmauscya.blogspot.com/

Emmaus This Thursday - Bible Study and Discussion on Community

Hello brothers and sisters!

Please bring your bibles this Thursday for our study and discussion about what it really means to be brothers and sisters in the Lord. What practical implications does being part of Emmaus and the Body of Christ really entail? Do we really see Christ in one another and act in accordance? What practical ways can we grow in being a community where we truly love God and each other and are willing to sacrifice for each other? Are you committed to your Emmaus family not only because of what you can get out of it each week, but because of what gifts you have to give that the community needs? How can you and I be a "Simon" to one another by helping each other carry our crosses as Simon of Cyrene did for Christ? We'll discuss several scriptures verses as well as some other quotes from our big brothers and sisters in the faith who have gone before us.

It is a relatively recent phenomena to have a society where so many people live alone. It used to be that people lived in families until they formed new families, but even then it wasn't uncommon to have multiple generations living in one house. The idea of daycare and assisted living was foreign because families took care of each other and when one family's barn burnt down all of the neighbors would pitch in to help rebuild. The bottom line is - we still need each other. Silo living has created a great loneliness that we all try to pretend is not there. So, how can we be counter cultural and create a culture where love is poured out to all ... after all, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love..."

with much love,

Jennifer, Sean, Russ, and Adam

Emmaus This Thursday - Our Mission

Hello dear brothers and sisters!

It is with much joy and enthusiasm that those of us who recently returned from visiting our little brothers and sisters in Christ at two orphanages in Mexico desire to share our joy and experience with our Emmaus family! We have a slideshow full of smiles and will tell stories of our experience and the love that God showered upon us as He gave us the privilege of serving. We'll also have the opportunity to discuss how we are all "sent" to love and serve the Lord, the Church and each other (Mass comes from the same word as mission...to be sent). What "mountain top" experiences God has used in your life to draw you closer to Himself?

So on behalf of our mission team (James, Jen S, Jen W, Jonathan, Chantal, and Jason Wheeler) and God's beautiful children in Mexico, THANK YOU to all of you for your prayers and financial support that made this mission possible. We are already looking forward to going back this summer (we now understand something they call "orphan withdrawal"); but in the meantime, we eagerly await to share some orphan love with you all! This is what it means to be Christian, to be the Body of Christ, to love and serve Christ and each other - radically!

Bible Study at Emmaus this Thurs.

Hey Everyone,

This Thursday at Emmaus our good friend Joe Johnson will be leading a study of the Book of Hebrews Chap. 1: 1-4. He did the same study at the Monday night Men's Group a couple months back and it was very good. There is a lot of meaning packed in these few verses. Come and see! Come join us for Rosary at 7pm if you can.

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Jen, Russ, and Adam)

Sat: March For Life and Carpooling

This Saturday is the March for life in St. Augustine. We will be carpooling from St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mandarin starting at 10:00AM. The march will begin at 12:00pm starting from the shrine. For those who wish to go down early there will be a Mass with the Bishop at 9AM followed by skits from Project SOS. After the March there will be speakers and a spaghetti dinner. Some will be returning to Jax after the March in case you cannot stay. I hope to see you there as we support as we pray for an end to the culture of death.

If you need directions or have any questions please call me, 904-307-0824.

Sean

Holy Mass This Thurs. at 7pm

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This week at Emmaus we will be celebrating Holy Mass with Fr. Ed a little earlier at 7pm. Fr. Ed will be available for confession at 6:30pm as we pray the rosary. Come join us to worship and receive the source and summit of our Christian life.

God Bless,

The Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Jen, Russ, and Adam)

Thurs: Three Wise Men or 3 Kings

This Thursday we will discuss the three wise men. We will look at at

• Who these three men were
• What their names are
• If they were kings or magi
• What they brought Jesus
• Where they were from
• and more

We are meeting at St. Ephrem's at 7 for the Rosary and 7:30 for the discussion. See you Thursday. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In Christ, Emmaus Core Team (Sean, Jennifer, Adam, Russ)

http://emmauscya.blogspot.com/