All posts by Beth Price

Novena Booklet

Activities, Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis

Novena Booklet

Novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

Oh my God I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell. But most of all, because I offended you, oh my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 1

Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children, extend your merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot….and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life. I give you this knot that torments me and makes me unhappy and so impedes me from uniting myself to You and Your Son Jesus, my Savior.

I run to You, Mary, Undoer of Knots because I trust you and I know that you never despise a sinning child who comes to ask you for help. I believe that you can undo this knot because Jesus grants you everything. I believe that you want to undo this knot because you are my Mother. I believe that You will do this because you love me with eternal love.

Thank you, Dear Mother.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

The one who seeks grace, finds it in Mary’s hands.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 2

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 2

Mary, Beloved Mother, channel of all grace, I return to You today my heart, recognizing that I am a sinner in need of your help. Many times I lose the graces you grant me because of my sins of egoism, pride, rancor and my lack of generosity and humility. I turn to You today, Mary, Undoer of knots, for You to ask your Son Jesus to grant me a pure, divested, humble and trusting heart. I will live today practicing these virtues and offering you this as a sign of my love for You. I entrust into Your hands this knot (…describe) which keeps me from reflecting the glory of God.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Mary offered all the moments of her day to God.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 3

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 3

Our Lady Undoer of Knots Meditating Mother, Queen of heaven, in whose hands the treasures of the King are found, turn your merciful eyes upon me today. I entrust into your holy hands this knot in my life…and allthe rancor and resentment it has caused in me. I ask Your forgiveness, God the Father, for my sin. Help me now to forgive all the persons who consciously or unconsciously provoked this knot. Give me, also, the grace to forgive me for having provoked this knot. Only in this way can You undo it. Before You, dearest Mother, and in the name of Your Son Jesus, my Savior, who has suffered so many offenses, having been granted forgiveness, I now forgive these persons…and myself, forever. Thank you, Mary, Undoer of Knots for undoing the knot of rancor in my heart and the knot which I now present to you. Amen.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Turn to Mary, you who desire grace.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary Undoer of Knots – Day 4

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 4

Our Lady Undoer of Knots Dearest Holy Mother, you are generous with all who seek you, have mercy on me. I entrust into your hands this knot which robs the peace of my heart, paralyzes my soul and keeps me from going to my Lord and serving Him with my life.
Undo this knot in my love…., O mother, and ask Jesus to heal my paralytic faith which gets down hearted with the stones on the road. Along with you, dearest Mother, may I see these stones as friends. Not murmuring against them anymore but giving endless thanks for them, may I smile trustingly in your power.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Mary is the Sun and no one is deprived of her warmth.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 5

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 5

Our Lady Undoer of Knots Mother, Undoer of Knots, generous and compassionate, I come to You today to once again entrust this knot…in my life to you and to ask the divine wisdom to undo, under the light of the Holy Spirit, this snarl of problems. No one ever saw you angry; to the contrary, your words were so charged with sweetness that the Holy Spirit was manifested on your lips. Take away from me the bitterness, anger and hatred which this knot has caused me. Give me, o dearest Mother, some of the sweetness and wisdom that is all silently reflected in your heart. And just as you were present at Pentecost, ask Jesus to send me a new presence of the Holy Spirit at this moment in my life. Holy Spirit, come upon me!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Mary, with God, is powerful.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 6

1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 6

Our Lady Undoer of Knots
Queen of Mercy, I entrust to you this knot in my life…and I ask you to give me a heart that is patient until you undo it. Teach me to persevere in the living word of Jesus, in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confession; stay with me and prepare my heart to celebrate with the angels the grace that will be granted to me. Amen! Alleluia!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

You are beautiful, Mary, and there is no stain of sin in You.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 7
1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 7

Our Lady Undoer of Knots
Mother Most Pure, I come to You today to beg you to undo this knot in my life…and free me from the snares of Evil. God has granted you great power over all the demons. I renounce all of them today, every connection I have had with them and I proclaim Jesus as my one and only Lord and Savior. Mary, Undoer of Knots, crush the evil one’s head and destroy the traps he has set for me by this knot. Thank you, dearest Mother. Most Precious Blood of Jesus, free me!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of our people.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 8
1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 8

Our Lady Undoer of Knots
Virgin Mother of God, overflowing with mercy, have mercy on your child and undo this knot…in my life. I need your visit to my life, like you visited Elizabeth. Bring me Jesus, bring me the Holy Spirit. Teach me to practice the virtues of courage, joyfulness, humility and faith, and, like Elizabeth, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Make me joyfully rest on your bosom, Mary. I consecrate you as my mother, Queen and friend. I give you my heart and everything I have (my home and family, my material and spiritual goods.) I am yours forever. Put your heart in me so that I can do everything Jesus tells me.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Let us go, therefore, full of trust, to the throne of grace.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots – Day 9
1. Make the sign of the cross

2. Say the Act of Contrition. Ask pardon for your sins and make a firm promise not to commit them again.

3. Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.

4. Make the meditation of the day (to be posted each day)

5. Say the last 2 decades of the rosary

6. Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots

Meditation for Day 9

Our Lady Undoer of Knots
Most Holy Mary, our Advocate, Undoer of Knots, I come today to thank you for undoing this knot in my life…You know very well the suffering it has caused me. Thank you for coming, Mother, with your long fingers of mercy to dry the tears in my eyes; you receive me in your arms and make it possible for me to receive once again the divine grace.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, dearest Mother, I thank you for undoing the knots in my life. Wrap me in your mantle of love, keep me under your protection, enlighten me with your peace! Amen.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

PRAYER TO MARY, UNDOER OF KNOTS (Closing Prayer)

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot…I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Novena text used with permission from https://ascensionpress.com/pages/novena-to-our-lady-undoer-of-knots.

Discussion Questions Session 3, Part 1

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss

Personal Reflection & Discussion Questions:

1. What wounds do you carry within you? Who has helped you carry one of your wounds? How did they do that for you? Which of your wounds needs the most healing?

2. How do you see your woundedness coming out in your relationships with others? How do you see the woundedness of the person to whom you are closest coming out at you?

3. Have you experienced God’s light coming into a wound?

4. What emotions or thoughts surfaced while hearing the story of the homeless man who did not shower because his father abused him as a child in the shower? How can we be more sensitive to such situations in our lives? Who in your life might need your attentiveness and understanding so they can begin to heal?

5. Can you think of a time when you were emotionally vulnerable with someone and it brought healing? When someone was emotionally vulnerable with you?

6. Can you think of a time when you were wounded by someone in your parish? Did that wound lead you to become less involved? Perhaps even to leave the parish for a while? Even leave the Church?

7. Do you know anyone who has left the Church due to being wounded by someone (other than due to the Sexual Abuse by Clergy Scandal)?

8. How have you been wounded by the sexual abuse by clergy scandal? As a primary or secondary victim? What part of the scandal impacted you the most? What reactions did that most impactful part of the scandal bring out in you? What could the Church do that would help you to heal? What has the Church already done that has helped you to heal?

9. Has this talk led you to want to place more wounds on the Session 2 Sacred Heart activity to give to Jesus for healing? It is not too late.

Healing and Hope Session 3, Talk 2

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss
TALK OUTLINE & PERSONAL REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Session 3, Talk 2: Our Bindings/Tourniquets
Fr. Joseph Jerome Bambenek, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Talk Outline

I. Our response to wounds is crucial
A. One of the reasons we are impacted by wounds from certain events in our lives, but not other events (some which may have been even more painful) is that we did not tend to some of our wounds in a healthy way when they happened.
B. “Stitches” that can be applied when we get hurt emotionally or spiritually by a painful event in life:
(1) Have our wounds doctored with truth
(2) Apply Gods’ compassionate love and the love of our Blessed Mother as a salve
(3) Sew them up with our fundamental identity as God’s beautiful, cherished, and precious daughter or His beloved and respected son.
(4) Unite our suffering with the suffering of Jesus.
(5) Allow ourselves to be treated with compassion and empathy by wise people around us.

II. How do we respond when wounded?
A. We want to be able to protect ourselves from being hurt again and have a desire, if not even a need, to understand why we were hurt as we were hurt.
B. One of the problems is that despite our desire for an explanation, sometimes there are not satisfactory answers to why some things happen in life. In those cases, with hope, we are invited to trust that God is guiding the details, to accept it, to offer it up by uniting our sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus, and not allow the painful event to define us.
C. When we try to respond to hurt on our own we often tourniquet ourselves… for since we can’t do our own stitches then a more then a more dramatic tourniquet might be the only option we have. Sadly, often when we do this, when we try to come up with the answers on our own to what happened and how to prevent such hurt in the future, the result is not wise nor loving to ourselves.

III. Spiritual Tourniquets – What are they and why are they there?
A. The Devil and his minions want to help us make
sense of what happened… for the purpose of destroying us.
(1) They don’t want us to have freedom… they want to enslave us.
(2) Rather than God’s gentle invitation, to turn to Him and find the answers by uniting our suffering with His, the Devil and his minions will pester us… they will tempt us…. they will propose ideas on how to make sense of things and how to protect ourselves in the future from similar hurt.
(3) In contrast, Jesus says, “Come to me all you who labor and are weary, and I will refresh you.” (Matthew 11:28). God invites us to turn to Him in our pain…
B. Identity lies are one of the most common tourniquets we apply when we are hurt.
(1) If we don’t turn directly to God and rest in our fundamental identity that we are a beautiful, precious and cherished daughter or a respected and beloved son of our loving Heavenly Father, the Devil and his minions appear to help us, but of course they don’t let us see the whole picture. They deceive us into thinking that nobody cares or will listen to us.
C. Another strategy of the evil one: trying to get us to think that whatever the specific situation we are facing is more absolute than it really is.
D. The Evil team tries, as well, to equate our identity
with our failings.
E. Addiction can be another tourniquet. Whatever untreated wound we have is too painful to endure, so we try to numb it with pleasures, success or over-accumulation of things.
F. We can also do things to tourniquet ourselves through our emotions.
(1) Anger can be a tourniquet we use to protect ourselves by lashing out at others in self-protection. But anger is also a tourniquet that is especially prone to harboring spiritual infections such as hatred, bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness. All of these infections keep us from being able to move forward and heal. They rob us from being able to truly love and be loved.
(2) Another tourniquet is one in which we wall off ourselves and shut down our hearts to anyone so that we will not be hurt again.
(3) We might put on a tourniquet of negativity. We might intentionally become negative to push people away from us so that they can’t get close to us and hurt us, or so that they will fulfill the lie we believe about being rejected or being unlovable.
(4) A very common tourniquet, especially for people who grew up in chaotic or addiction-filled homes is a tourniquet of control: of attempting to control everything in our lives, including everyone around us, thinking that if we can control them they won’t hurt us and that we know what is best for them.
(5) We might also tourniquet ourselves with self-pity or with having a victim mindset.
(6) Another unhealthy way that we tourniquet ourselves is through ungodly vows. … Sometimes the vows we make are in theory a good thing, but they become bad because we speak them out of fear, anger or pride, rather than love.

IV. Now what?
A. Just because they are an understandable response to adversity, that does not mean it is
healthy to keep on the tourniquets past momentary survival.
B. A bit of a caution on moving forward. Some of us have been going around with a lot of tourniquets on for a long time. Taking them all off at once, especially if we are not in the care of a trained person to help us, may not be the most prudent idea.

Discussion Questions Session 3, Part 2

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss

Personal Reflection & Discussion Questions:

1. If/when I have depended upon myself to make sense of what has happened to me, why have I relied upon myself, with all the risks entailed in going it alone?

2. Am I able to see people in my life who I can turn to when the next challenge of life comes my way?

3. What tourniquets have I applied to myself?

4. What tourniquets might God invite me to let go of on this retreat? How does that make me feel?

5. Have I believed any identity lies about myself? If yes, how have those lies hampered my freedom? How have they hurt the people around me?

Healing and Hope Session 3 Talk 1

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss
TALK OUTLINE & PERSONAL REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Session 3, Talk 1: The Wounds in the Body of Christ
Paula Kaempffer, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Talk Outline

I. We are all wounded.
A. We live in a wounded world. It affects all of us.
B. We act because of how we have been wounded.
1. Story of Homeless man who struggled to shower due to having been abused.
2. I cannot sit in judgment on another person for the way they look or the way they act. I cannot get inside of their heart. Only God can do that.

II. How have you been wounded?
A. We tend to hide our wounds
1. We can see wounding as total weakness, but hiding wounds does not work.
2. “The difficult thing is that vulnerability is the first thing I look for in you and the last thing I’m willing to show you. In you it’s courage and daring. In me, it’s weakness.”- Brené Brown
B. Hurt people hurt people.
C. Owning our wounds and loving ourselves through them is the bravest thing we will ever do.
D. The wound is the place where the light enters you. Shutting ourselves down closes us off to God and what He wants to do.
E. God wants to bring us into wholeness, exactly as he has created us to be.
F. It is painful to surface our wounds but naming them gives them less power over us.
G. Our very woundedness is why we need a God who loves as our God does.

III. Wounds from experience of Church
A. Examples of individual interactions
B. Sexual abuse by clergy scandal
1. Rocked our Church from the inside out.
2. Many parishioners appear tired of hearing of it; but victims are not going away. They are deeply fractured and wounded.
3. If victims could get over it, don’t you think they would?
4. Betrayed by the Hierarchy in the Cover-up.

IV. How to help Victim Survivors
A. Victims wanted to be believed and hear someone in the hierarchy say they were sorry.
B. Victims want to be listened to and believed.
C. Shared pain is no longer paralyzing but mobilizing, when understood as a way to freedom from that pain.

V. Secondary Victims
A. All of us, we are the Church, the Body of Christ, have been betrayed.
B. Many have left due to clergy who harmed.

VI. Virtual Support Groups
A. Started with COVID 19; on Mondays.
B. Victims are healing each other by sharing their stories and affirming one another.

VII. There are still victims coming forward
A. If they are wounded, we are wounded, because we are joined to one another… when one hurts, we all hurt.

VIII. What will it take for you to heal from being wounded by the Church?
A. We won’t heal from our wounds by doing nothing.
B. Pray for guidance and then act.
C. As you heal, so shall we all heal, because we are all part of the Body of Christ.

IX. Closing Quote
“Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, Whether physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. The main question is not, “How can we hide our wounds?” so we don’t have to be embarrassed, but “How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?” When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a sources of healing, we have become wounded healers.” – (The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen)

Preguntas de Diálogo para la Semana 3

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Discusión
  1. La oración ocurre en el corazón y los movimientos del corazón son movimientos afectivos. En su oración de la semana pasada, ¿cómo vio a Dios obrando afectivamente en sus pensamientos, sentimientos o deseos?

 

  1. El Diácono Ramón habló sobre la distinción del movimiento del corazón en tres niveles: psicológico superficial, psicológico más profundo y espiritual. Dé un ejemplo de un pensamiento, sentimiento o deseo para cada uno de estos distintos niveles.

 

  1. Prácticamente, la lucha por la pureza del corazón ocurre en el segundo nivel del corazón. A través de la conversación con Dios en oración, reciba la verdad del amor de Dios en el tercer nivel del corazón. ¿Cuál es una lucha que podría relacionar con Dios en oración y recibir la verdad que Él tiene para ofrecerle?

 

  1. San Ignacio llama a los movimientos del corazón en el tercer nivel consolación espiritual o desolación espiritual. Describa un momento en el que experimento alguno de estos.

 

  1. ¿Cuáles son los cuatro pasos prácticos para entregar nuestro corazón a Dios? (Pista: rece como el ronroneo de un gato… R-R-R-R). Describa brevemente cada paso con sus propias palabras. ¿Cuáles de estos pasos le resultan difíciles y por qué?

 

  1. Cuando conversamos con Dios en oración sobre los detalles de nuestra vida, él puede mostrarnos su bondad en cada situación. Comparta un momento en el que experimentó a Dios mostrándole su bondad.

 

  1. Como se relata en la historia de Jesús en el jardín y la espina en el costado de San Pablo, la oración es el lugar donde me entrego a la voluntad de Dios y recibo su gracia y paz. ¿Qué es lo que se mueve en su corazón que le gustaría entregar a la voluntad de Dios?

Discussion Questions Session 2, Part 1

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss

Personal Reflection/ Discussion Questions

1. Which wounds am I holding on to?

2. Whom have I wounded?

3. What is holding me back from healing?

4. When I grieve: What is lost? What is left? What is possible?

5. Who is in my support network? Which relationships can I rely on to help work towards healing?

6. How do I choose each other, and choose Christ in my actions every day? In what ways can I do that more?

7. Do I really have hope that Jesus loves me, including my woundedness, not in spite of my wounds? How could I grow in that hope?

Discussion Questions Session 2, Part 2

Archdio of St. Paul Minneapolis, Talks/Discuss

Personal Reflection/ Discussion Questions

1. How might God be drawing you to him through the wound you are dealing with? How is light wanting to flow into and through that vulnerable “crack”? What is your reaction to that possibility?

2. What have you discovered of the natural grace and gifts of resilience with which you have been endowed? What are the internal strengths and holy desires that keep you going? And what brought you to this retreat?

3. Resistance to change and trust is normal when we have been wounded. What do you understand of your own resistance to healing and growth? Can you treat that resistance with respect without letting it be fully in charge?

4. What signs, what “glimmers of hope” do you see, that your healing is already underway?

5. Healing is gradual. What would a next step look like? (examples: talking with the trusted friend, a spouse, a priest, a therapist; improved self-care with sleep, exercise, eating; return to the sacraments; getting out of myself with acts of charity or conversely; withdrawal into my core with increased prayer and stillness). Notice that these needs will vary over time in response to the ever-present invitation to healing.

6. Pain and wounds often demand all of our attention and can crowd out our true identity. What is your greater source of identity in the face of those wounds? What is your sense of purpose and meaning now? What purpose do you want to reclaim?