JAN 26, 2016 |  ISSUE 15
Thy Kingdom Come!

Spiritual Exercises, a weekend retreat

Offered by the Legionaries of Christ, the retreat is based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and is comprised of guided meditations, private reflection, Mass, opportunities for Confession and spiritual direction.   Weekend for MEN   Weekends for WOMEN

Questions? info@regnumchristinyctnj.org or 914 244 3685
JAN 27: Holy Happy Hour
NEW LOCATION- 815 Boston Post Rd, Rye
Registration REQUIRED to attend

Join Fr Jason Smith, LC and Jeffrey Sprague for drinks, appetizers and fellowship at the Legionary community house in Rye.  Fr Jason will offer a brief talk on "The Catholic Man's Identity" followed by reflection and discussion.

ONLINE REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO ATTEND; $25

Questions?  Jeff Sprague jeffsprague@optonline.net

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions
JAN 15  Every Christian community should be an oasis of charity and warmth in the midst of a desert of solitude and indifference.

Universal  -  
 Interreligious Dialogue
That sincere dialogue among men and women of different faiths may produce the fruits of peace and justice.

Evangelization -   Christian Unity
That by means of dialogue and fraternal charity and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Christians may overcome divisions.

Three to Get Married
You, your fiance & God 
Mar 4-6  |  Resurrection Church in Rye, NY
Jun 24-26  |  St Patrick's Church, Yorktown Heights, NY
Apr 22-24, Oct 14-16  |  St Patrick's Old Cathedral in NYC

As you plan your wedding take a weekend for yourselves to plan your marriage. Our day program is given by qualified professionals, priests, therapists and volunteer lay couples. It extends over one weekend to provide each couple with a reflective and in-depth preparation for a joyful marriage and for love that not only lasts but grows stronger year after year!
 
Cost $295; more information
FEB 27:  Women's Lenten Retreat
Fr Jason Smith, LC will offer a talk followed by reflection, opportunity for Confession, Adoration, Meditation and Mass.  
WHEN
Sat, Feb 27th from 9:30am-12:30pm
WHERE
Church of St Patrick, 29 Cox Avenue, Armonk, NY 10504
COST
$25 - kindly register by Sat, Feb 24th;  REGISTER ONLINE
QUESTIONS?

Contact Linda Romagnoli email  LadyYoli@aol.com  or call (914) 391-2309  
MAR 11:  Cup of Mercy - women's morning
God will always be the One who is present, close, provident, holy & merciful!

Time 9:30am -11:30am; 9am Parish Mass
Place St Patrick's Church, 
137 Moseman Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY 
Cost $10 suggested donation to cover costs
Babysitting available for a modest fee; sign up before event email Kate kagolden@msn.com 

We hope you can join us!  There will be a talk & meditation given by a Legionary priest, small group discussion, the opportunity for Confession and prayer in the Adoration Chapel.  
Click on links for 
more information or to register online
MAR 3:  Missionaries of Mercy
Church of St Patrick, 29 Cox Ave, Armonk, NY 

Morning will be led by Fr Jason Smith, LC and Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC or another visiting LC priest and will include the sacraments of Mass and Confession, Adoration, meditation and a practical talk.  Regnum Christi women only.

Questions? Hombeline Baugier hombelineb@gmail.com

Upcoming Pilgrimage

Mar 11-19:  Join Fr Simon Devereux, LC and Fr Daniel Brandenburg, LC on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land!  Visit the land of Jesus and discover more fully the Father of Mercy. 

Questions?  Phil Liquori  phil.liquori@legionofchrist.org   or 203 530 8778.
Spiritual Espresso:  
Behind the Scenes

"Why do you delay? Why do you procrastinate? From this moment on you can love your God! Rise on this great day and take your glory in His!"
- St. John of the Cross
 
Over Christmas 79 high school and college men visited us in Cheshire. They prayed and played along side the seminarians. If you would also like the chance for a "behind the scenes" look at our seminary or know of someone who would, just let me know.   God bless you!   Fr. Simon   www.LCCollege.org

To request the "Spiritual Espresso" daily email reflections email 
sdevereux@legionaries.org
AFIRE:  Were not our hearts burning along the way?

Podcasts & videos of the preaching of the
NY Tri-State Legionaries  BLOG



Plan B:  The Blessed Mother -  Life's failures and setbacks have an answer-the Blessed Mother has a Plan B. Fr Steven Reilly's homily on the wedding feast at Cana was given at Resurrection Parish, Rye, New York.
Regnum Christi Spotlight:
Welcome Fr Eric, one of our new Legionary of Christ priests

Fr Eric Nielsen grew up in Seattle, WA, together with an older brother named Bill. Here is "his story" is his words.
 
I can't say I grew up in a particularly religious background. My dad left the Catholic Church, probably before I was born, and my older brother followed suit. Neither was I particularly "Catholic," other than attending Sunday Mass with my mom and attending a nominally Catholic school from 1st-8th grade. As a kid, I used to spend my time either in role-playing games, which were a new thing at the time, in the undeveloped woodland I was fortunate enough to live across the street from, or playing football.
    

I didn't "get religious" until around the time when I graduated from College. There was no particular "religious experience" that led to this. It was simply the God-given inspiration that every day there are thousands of souls who will die, and many of whom would need someone to pray for their eternal salvation. That simple idea was the life-changer that began a two-year process of change leading up to the seminary.
 
At the end of this process, while taking a semester off from the local community college where I had been studying, I met my first Legionary - a recently-ordained Fr. Edward Hopkins. That would have been around May of 1991.
 
Upon meeting my first Legionaries, I realized there was something different about them. On the one hand, they were normal. Fr. Edward had a good sense of humor. He had a basketball in the trunk of his car. He was young. He was the kind of person I could identify with, and could picture myself becoming like.
 
But on the other hand, he spoke to me of God and of a mission in a way I'd never heard before. I knew that this group had something I didn't have, and that attracted me.
 
My subsequent trip to Cheshire that summer confirmed this initial feeling. There I found about another 40 young guys of every imaginable character and background. But we were united by a spirit of virility, of joy, of enthusiasm & of spirituality that I didn't even know were possible. After 3 days in the Candidacy, and with a lot of prayer, I made up my mind: "Until you kick me out, God, I'm staying."
 
As a seminarian I dedicated himself mostly to fund-raising. I was ordained Dec 24th, 2005, and upon finishing a License in Theology, went to help found the Legion in Manila as a first priestly assignment. For eight years I functioned as Young Men's Section Director, and also worked with the youth in the ECYD- Experiences, Convictions, and your Decisions program for four of those years. For my final year in Manila I was named chaplain of Everest Academy.
 
I am currently one of three Legionary priests serving in St. Peter's-St. Denis Church in Yonkers, NY. I am in charge of youth ministry, which has been a whole new experience for me. St. Peter's-St. Denis is an extremely vibrant parish, made up of largely Latino families from the Caribbean, with a remnant of Irish-Italian in the neighborhood. A lot of our parishioners are first generation immigrants, who bring with them the cultural richness of their diverse backgrounds. Their children, on the other hand, tend to be more "American." As such, a great deal of what we do here is in Spanish, while the youth ministry is in English.
 
When one becomes a parish priest, one inherits a parish with its own history and character. As such, Regnum Christi is just one spiritual family among many in the parish setting. It has been beautiful to get to know these other religious expressions. It has also enhanced my appreciation for Regnum Christi and the particular gift we bring to the table. That much said, Regnum Christi is very much my spiritual family, and I feel most at home when among Regnum Christi members and activities.
 
My greatest satisfaction is to watch people develop over the years, especially young people, and become true apostles in their own right.   The means we offer for this to take place can be any number of things. However, one activity I've witnessed that seems to leave a particularly strong impact in a person's life is the evangelization missions we offer in programs like Mission Youth.
 
I am a "people person," and in my free time enjoy simply being around the people I love!  
Following the Light of the World
with Father Jason Smith, LC
17 Jan 2016 posting from Fr Jason Smith_s Instagram page
At the wedding at Cana six empty jars are filled with water that Jesus then turns into the finest of wines at the invitation of his mother Mary. I find this dynamic of going from emptiness to abundance fascinating. I see it in my priesthood every time I hear confessions. The heart, left empty by sin, encounters the fine wine of God's abundant mercy, and is filled. The Church, like a mother, welcomes all in need and points us to Christ, the Way, Truth, and Life, reminding us that mercy is made full when we, "Do whatever he tells us." Having been forgiven life is filled again with joy and the following poem rings true: "Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine there is laughter and fine wine, at least I have found it to be so, benedicat Domino." #thenameofgodismercy#yearofmercy #forgiveness #catholic#católico #confession

Like us on Facebook    AFIRE blog

In This Issue
Be Yourself
Fr Michael Sliney, LC offers words of wisdom to start your day in 45 sec video clips. 

Click here to view a sample.
If you would like to have them sent to your email each morning click on the button under the video to subscribe.
Couples
Men
Women
Regnum Christi Members
RC materials
Need a new prayer book, commitment card or the RC Handbook?   online store
Cheshire, CT
NY Diocese
Bridgeport Diocese
Rye Legionary Community

Fr Shawn Aaron, LC
Fr Stephen Dyas, LC 
Fr Jose Helio Cantu, LC
Fr Edward Hopkins, LC
Fr Eric Nielsen, LC
Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC
Fr Jose Felix Ortega, LC
Fr Steven Reilly, LC
Fr Michael Sliney, LC
Fr Jason Smith, LC
NY Tri-State RC
Local Committee
Members 

Jeff Sprague- director
Fr Shawn Aaron, LC
Evelyn Auth
Candy Nesbit
Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC
  Dr Lisa Rooney
Fr Jason Smith, LC
Charles Spinelli
Mary Wolff, secretary
NY Tri-State RC
Local Committee Advisors

Steve Auth
Barbara Benvenga
Pamela Brown
Niamh Cronin 
Bob Infanger
Brenner LeCompte 
Lisa Leonard
Cecile Martin-Houlgatte
Tony Macdonnell
Jenica Purisima
Bob Rooney
Val Sprague
Terry Weaver 
Lynda Withiam 
NYCT section team

Fr Jason Smith, LC- leader
Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC
Fr Shawn Aaron, LC
Brenner LeCompte
Saul Padilla
Val Sprague
Lynda Withiam
Kristin Chmiel 
NJ section team

Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC-leader
Charly Spinell
Terry Weaver
Jeanine Agugliaro
Evelyn Auth
Joe Fazio
Fr Michael Sliney, LC

Section Directors 

Fr Jason Smith,LC-NYCT
Fr Donal O'Keeffe, LC-NJ
Candy Nesbit- Greater CT 
Section Assistants

Val Sprague- NYCT
Brenner LeCompte-NYCT
Charly Spinelli-NJ
Terry Weaver-NJ
Jenica Purisima-NJ 
Executive Assistants

Pam Brown
Marnee Wohlfert 
Mary Wolff

Regnum Christi NY | 914-244-3685 | info@regnumchristinyctnj.org | www.regnumchristinyctnj.org