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Ave Maria Farm Retreat
Spiritual Retreat and Community Garden Planting
March 9-14

We are gearing up for our third Spring Retreat and Community Garden Planting at the Ave Maria Farm. If you are interested in attending please reach out by email: Father Kavanaugh@gmail.com

This will be an opportunity for prayer, fellowship, and hard work as we plant our community garden — putting St. Benedict’s philosophy to practice: Ora et Labora! Please feel welcome to participate in whatever manner you are comfortable and reach out if you have questions. Here is the itinerary and a few matters to help you prepare and have a great time.

Continue reading “Spiritual Retreat at the Ave Maria Farm”

With every gain comes loss. Smartphones give us incredible power, but power requires sacrifice. It is prudent to ask, what are we sacrificing to the altar of efficiency?

The following notes are taken from Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.

Continue reading “Sacrifices at the Altar of Efficiency”

How much are we willing to give up to save our souls, families, children, society . . . the world?

In the next few weeks, I will offer a few notes taken from Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation.

You should read the book.

A Dream to Restore Agrarian & Traditional Orthodox Christian Culture

We are looking for an Orthodox family that wants to be part of a growing, agrarian Orthodox community. Our family has recently acquired a beautiful country farm home on 30 acres of lush pastures and a well-set up farm, available for rent now. Learn more here.

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In order to join, please contact: office@saintemmelia.com

Reflections on Prayer

“Forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return
to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning,
watching in prayer, persevering in fasting, beseeching in our
supplications the all-seeing God not to lead us into temptation.”
~ St. Polycarp, 2nd century

Reflections on the Sacrament of Confession

“It is necessary to confess our sins to those to whom the dispensation
of God’s mysteries is entrusted.” ~ St. Basil the Great, 4th century

“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Ps 132.1).

Marriage: A Sacred Tonsuring

The sole purpose of marriage and family is the pursuit of the Kingdom
of God. The decision to marry is little different than the decision to
become a monk. It is a sacred vow to pursue holiness and divine love
within a sacrificial relationship, calling us to the pursuit of unceasing
prayer and purity of heart.
“A wedding is to life in the world what a tonsuring is to the life of a
monk. It finalizes a decision and celebrates a call to a particular way of
seeking the kingdom of God” (Opperwall 91).

Continue reading “Enlightenment in the Day to Day: Marriage and Family”

Reflections on Prayer

“Those who have truly decided to serve the Lord God should practice
the remembrance of God and uninterrupted prayer to Jesus Christ,
mentally saying: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a
sinner.” ~ St. Seraphim of Sarov

Reflections on the Sacrament of Confession

“[Regarding confession] some flee from this work as being an
exposure of themselves, or they put it off from day to day. I presume
they are more mindful of modesty than of salvation, like those who
contract a disease in the more shameful parts of the body and shun
making themselves known to the physicians; and thus they perish
along with their own bashfulness” ~ Tertullian

We Work Out Our Salvation in Community

Salvation is primarily worked out in our relationships with
others. Our interaction with our spouse, children, fellow
parishioners, boss, co-workers, waitresses, and each and every
person we encounter in the day — this is where we fine tune our
soul. In every scenario, our task is straightforward: to cultivate
love and assuage anger.

Continue reading “Enlightenment in the Day to Day: Love and Anger”

Reflections on Prayer

“Put away doubting from you, and do not hesitate to ask of the Lord,
saying to yourself, “How can I ask of the Lord and receive from him,
since I have sinned so much against him?” ~ Hermas, c. AD 170

Reflections on the Sacrament of Confession

“Confess your sins in church, and do not go up to your prayer with an
evil conscience. This is the way of life. . . . On the Lord’s Day gather
together, break bread, and give thanks, after confessing your
transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure.”
~ Didache 4:14, 14:1, c. A.D. 70

PURSUING ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE DAY TO DAY

THE GOAL AND TELOS

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How Can We Achieve Enlightenment within the World?

“How, we might ask, can a married person learn about chastity from
ancient celibates? How can a wealthy person in the world learn about
charity from people who owned nothing? How can a construction
worker learn about fasting from people who ate little more than a
biscuit every day?” (Daniel G Opperwall, A Layman in the Desert 11).

Continue reading “Enlightenment in the Day to Day: The Goal and Telos”