Crossed The Tiber

An Evangelical Converts to Catholicism

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Location: Pennsylvania, United States

I was born into the Catholic faith. At 14, I was "born again" and found Jesus personally but lost His Church. After thirty years as an evangelical protestant, I have come full circle to find that He has been there all the time, in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I wish others to find the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith as I have found.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

"Sentire cum Ecclesia" To Think With The Church. Sisters Re-Unite With Rome.

A group of schismatic nuns 40 years ago formed in the Pacific Northwest believing that the past three popes were not valid and the Church was without a pope. In 2008 , 15 of 32 sisters returned home to the Church through the prayers and intercession of Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta. A priest and his congregation in 2002 started praying for them to return and invited the Missionarys of charity to come to Spokane and evangelize these sisters. Then, in 2005 they were allowed to watch  the funeral of Blessed JP2 on the news. This led to them secretly listening to Catholic Radio and going to EWTN's website. The rest is history as they say.    Check out Set DeMoor's One Billion Stories Interview with two of these vibrant sisters.

Just reading the description of the design of their orders new crest symbol was a lesson in humility and love for Jesus and His Church. As one who has spent most of his adult life away from the Catholic Church and "in schism"  as a protestant,  this story really resonated with me.  See the description below:


"Our crest represents the Marian and Petrine aspects of the Catholic Church. We honor the Virgin Mother of the Church and the successor of Peter upon whom the Church is built.

At the center of the crest is the heart which beats at the center of the Church: the Immaculate Heart of Mary, aflame with love for God and for us, the children bequeathed to her from the cross. As virgin and mother, Mary is the image, model and mother of the Church.  We claim her as our model, in our efforts to live "in the heart of the Church."

The keys of Peter symbolize the Church's apostolic authority received from Christ, the authority to which we pledge our lives. "Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia."  (“Where Peter is, there is the Church.”)
The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove overshadows the heart and the keys, just as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary at the Annunciation, and again when she was gathered with the apostles in the cenacle at Pentecost

Seven rays emanate from the Holy Spirit, symbolizing His seven gifts as well as the seven Sacraments, channels of sanctifying grace for the whole Church.  The combined rays symbolize the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit:  charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity. The twelve rays also signify the twelve Apostles.

The top banner with the words,  "Sentire cum Ecclesia" ("to think with the Church," an expression used by St. Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercises) is the motto of our Community.
The lower banner is the title of Our Lady, patroness of our community: "Mater Ecclesiae" (Mother of the Church).

The crest is enclosed in the shape of the colonnade at St. Peter's in Rome, the center of Catholic teaching, worship and unity in the world. The four pillars represent the foundational pillars of our religious life:
The vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience together with our total consecration to Jesus through Mary. 

The dome of St. Peter’s reminds us of the FAITH we profess in all that is taught and maintained through the ages by Christ’s holy Church.

The cross atop the dome draws our gaze heavenward, filling us with HOPE in Christ crucified and risen, in Whom we seek eternal fulfillment.

The colonnade resembles the open arms of a mother welcoming all into her embrace, reminding us of the CHARITY that emanates from the heart of the Church and inflames the hearts of her children, filling us with supernatural love for God and neighbor."

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