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“What is your treasure?” In a world where bigger is better, where materialism reigns and fear has gripped so many this question matters enormously. The Old Testament reading tells us that for Solomon the supreme good was a wise and discerning mind. But marvellous as the gift of wisdom is, it is not enough, the New Testament tells us. Much like today, different gods and life philosophies were plentiful in the ancient Roman world. They were like different pearls, available for people to pick and choose which they liked and wanted to keep. In the Gospel according to St Matthew, Jesus continues his teaching on the kingdom of heaven. Matthew collected all these sayings and they unfold before us, one after the other like freshly discovered treasures: When Jesus talks about the ‘kingdom of heaven’ or the ‘kingdom of God’ being like a pearl of great price, he’s referring to the value of the new way of living available through him. The verses given to us in today’s Gospel are emphatic; The kingdom of heaven is like a pearl, like a treasure, like a net full of fish — and the fishermen who heard Jesus, whose very life depended on the catch in their net, understood this value. Everything but everything is as nothing before the great treasure of possessing or belonging to this kingdom. To know the love of God, to know that our God is a God of mercy and justice who cares for the poor and the hungry and the dispossessed is to belong to the kingdom Jesus was proclaiming to those poor Galileans. This is the greatest treasure; he tells them and us. This knowledge of God is so life giving, that in order to possess it, we must be willing to give everything else up — everything! “He went and sold all that he had and bought it. . .” These stories based on the experience of the rural Galileans, of the people who thronged to hear Jesus, made sense to them. St Matthew understands how the kingdom of heaven can change a person. Not only has he given up everything, including riches and security, for the kingdom of heaven but, in attaining it, he is like the head of a household who can welcome others into the kingdom and give its treasures away. The disciples understood these stories, Matthew tells us. When St. Paul writes to the Romans, the same treasure is again brought before another group of listeners and readers. It now takes on the sophistication of an urban mind writing to urban Christians who are already are aware that they are despised and who soon will be persecuted as scapegoats under the rule of the Emperor Nero. We feel weak, we feel afraid. Sometimes, we are so burdened, or so sick and frightened that we are unable to pray, or rather to utter the words. Do not let this stop you, St. Paul tells the Romans and us. It is the Spirit that helps us in our weakness; it is the Spirit that prays for us and with us “with sighs too deep for words.” This is the season of Ordinary Time and St. Paul understood the power and centrality of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian with a clarity and conviction that leave us in awe. It is the Holy Spirit who points us to our treasure and helps us in our desire and search for it. It is the Holy Spirit that intercedes for us. And only through the Holy Spirit are we able to understand the depths and height and power of our treasure — the love of God in Christ. The assurance of St. Paul the great missionary who had found his treasure and never turned aside from it rings through the ages: Be of good cheer, nothing but nothing “can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

dark matter

It's just a little bit ironic that So-called taxpayer funded, reproductive healthcare it's being used to terminate pre-born, healthy human beings. I'm sorry abortion is not the healthcare. It's the exact opposite.

The Sisters of the Little Way are having their first ever vocation event, it will be virtual. Is God calling you to religious life and desire to learn about the life and call of the Sisters of the Little Way? Join us for our first online vocation event Thursday, August, 6th, 2026 from 7 pm - 8 pm ET. Email vocations@sistersofthelittleway.com to register https://www.instagram.com/p/DbHASH8vdWs/

The Sisters of Life just clothed three novices! "On July 19, 2026, our postulants were invested in the religious habit of the Sisters of Life and received their religious names: (L-R) Sr. Gabriella Maria, Sr. Anna Wiktoria, and Sr. Mary Bethany." https://www.instagram.com/p/DbGxtFQFB7x/?img_index=1

And your point is....? Guess you live up to your username ("little2add"), eh?

"Akin" definition essentially similar, related, or compatible I.E. Reproductive healthcare / anti-abortion "Reproductive healthcare" refers to the comprehensive medical services to promote the health of Human beings, in all health matters, including pre and postnatal life stages This includes diagnosis, and treatment of reproductive health issues, ensuring physical, mental, and social well-being throughout all life stages. "anti abortion" refers to the prevention of the termination of human life.

L3.8 Je vous salut Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous etes benie entres toutes les femmes et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles est beni. Sainte Marie, Mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pecheurs, maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort. Amen

None of the above. Just bad cleanliness procedures in industrial food-handling. Expect more. Our food is coming from fewer and fewer sources, farther and farther away, handled by fewer and fewer people but more and more machines; if the fewer people don't keep the more machines clean, then the more food is contaminated.

Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Light (formerly the School Sisters of St. Francis) are having one of their Authentic Femininity retreats, that also act as their initial come and see. Young women ages 18-40yrs old are welcome from Sept 25-27, 2026. Retreat starts at 6pm on Friday and ends after lunch on Sunday around 1:30pm. Event is free, but donations are accepted. https://panhandlefranciscans.org/femininity

The SOLT Family is having their national American Region assembly. During which Sr. Mary Ignatius of the Holy Family professed her perpetual vows. https://www.instagram.com/p/Da4TmTuvKxq/ During this same time, the Brothers clothed 4 novices and several of their lay members took temp and perpetual vows as part of their lay association. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbCly0-lWBq/?img_index=1

L3.7 Je vous salut Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous etes benie entres toutes les femmes et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles est beni. Sainte Marie, Mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pecheurs, maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort. Amen

Not sure I follow.... need more input...

Urgent matter

Planned? AI processed cooling driven?

The Dominican Friars of the Central Province announce that four novices will make first vows on August 3rd. They will have 23 men in their studentate this year. The five sixth-year friars should be ordained deacons soon, but I don't find any announcement of that. The 2026 novices should arrive in Denver, CO in the first or second week of August. I'll post that when it happens. The Dominican Friars of the Southern Province announce that four novices will make first vows on August 8th. They will have 20 men in their studentate. Their one sixth-year friar should be ordained a deacon soon, but I don't find any announcement of that. The 2026 novices should arrive in Houston around the first or second week of August. I'll post that when it happens. NB: The 23 Central Province student friars and the 20 Southern Province student friars all live at St. Dominic Priory in St. Louis and attend Aquinas Institute of Theology for their classes. St. Dominic Priory was originally a girls' academy run by the Sisters of Loretto - quite a big building - that closed. It was converted to temporary living quarters for homeless women and their children, under the aegis of eight congregations of women religious. When government funding for that ran out, the building sat empty until the Dominicans bought it and renovated it into their studentate. It has rooms for 50 friars (plus refectory, parlors, etc.), and at the time, they didn't have anything close to 50 students. Some people thought they were crazy to renovate such a large building. But it's full now! Forty-three students, and the other rooms are probably for the "senior friar community" - the student masters, some of the professors from Aquinas Institute, etc. The Dominican Friars of the Western Province announce that three friars professed solemn vows on May 30 at their provincial house in San Francisco. Five friars were ordained to the priesthood on June 26th. Four novices will profess first vows on September 5th. The 2026 novices should arrive in San Francisco the first or second week of August. I'll post about that when it happens. I have nothing to report from the Dominican Friars of the Eastern Province. They used to keep their social media very up-to-date, but some of what's listed as "news" on their site is from 2024. If anyone in The Pham has up-to-date information, please share it with us.

August 15, 2025 - At Saint Anselm Abbey in Manchester, NH, on August 14, Mr. Noah Manuel was received into the novitiate and clothed in the monastic habit. Abbot Isaac gave him his religious name, Bro. Dismas. He should make first vows in a few weeks, good Lord willing. March 21, 2026 - At Saint Anselm Abbey in Manchester, NH, Bro. Joseph Nicholas Wencis, O.S.B., professed temporary vows. June 29 - St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, IL announced that Bro. Aaron Minix, OSB had made his first vow profession the previous week. He made his novitiate at Belmont Abbey in North Carolina where Father Elias Correa-Torres served as Brother Aaron's novice master. July 19 - Bro. Mark Nelson, OSB was ordained a transitional deacon at Conception Abbey in northwest Missouri.

urgent message

L3.6 Je vous salut Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous etes benie entres toutes les femmes et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles est beni. Sainte Marie, Mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pecheurs, maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort. Amen

The Monastery of the Holy Cross (Benedictine monks) is in the heart of Chicago - the bill themselves as Monks in the City. It's a fairly new monastery, having only recently celebrated their 35th anniversary. They specialize in solemn liturgies, often chanted in Latin. They sustain themselves with a kind of bed & breakfast within the monastery. They're having a Come and See Weekend October 9th - 11th. Participants need to be between 20 and 35 years old, so spread the word to your younger contacts. Good detailed information in the link. https://chicagomonk.org/vocations/monastic-experience-weekend/

Saint Anselm Abbey (Benedictine monks) in New Hampshire posted on this announcement FB on July 1, 2026: "On Tuesday, June 30th, three men were welcomed into our community as postulants. Please join us in welcoming Mr. Thomas Canuel, Mr. Kiean Hickey, and Mr. Jacob Akey back to Saint Anselm. Fr. Augustine will serve as their postulant director. Please pray for these men as they begin their monastic life with us. Please also pray that our community will continue to be blessed with vocations." This monastery has seen a steady stream of vocations over the last fifteen years or so.

A communist/socialism society entails the absence of private property and social classes, and ultimately money and the state. socialism it's just another word for: communism, it has been estimated of deaths caused by communist governments in the 20th century range widely, with figures typically between 65 million and 110 million, depending on the definitions and methodologies used by scholars. Stéphane Courtois’s introduction to The Black Book of Communism presents an approximate total around 94–100 million victims and asserts that Leninist and Marxist–Leninist regimes were responsible for roughly 100 million deaths. Popular graphics and secondary summaries often repeat "around 100 million" or "94 million" as a headline number for deaths attributed to communist states such as the USSR, Maoist China, Cambodia, North Korea and Eastern European regimes. Capitalist societies such as United States created, and are responsible for the middle class. Be careful what you wish for

L3.5 Je vous salut Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous etes benie entres toutes les femmes et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles est beni. Sainte Marie, Mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pecheurs, maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort. Amen

To be fair tho, Catholic tradition has always leaned into the personal conversion and free choice from the heart, not mandating it by a governing authority. For example: So the common good flows from the individual's immersion and education in the life of Christ. Living a holy life leads one towards solidarity but the point of the Gospel isn't solidarity. It's the personal conversion and holiness of the individuals Christ died for, you and me. A big mistake of looking to the church for economic ideas is that it tends to put a by-product of the Gospel as the goal, and achieves neither the by-product of economic solidarity or the goal of the Gospel.

L3.4 Je vous salut Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous etes benie entres toutes les femmes et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles est beni. Sainte Marie, Mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pecheurs, maintenant et a l'heure de notre mort. Amen