June 2025 Embers

This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council, the Council of Nicea (325 AD). The Nicene Creed, recited each Sunday at Mass all over the world, was the fruit of this council and it unifies, defines and proclaims the Catholic Faith in salvation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity. The Vatican issued this document, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, to explain the importance of this Council. The image above is a fresco depicting the Council of Nicea, which resides in the Sistine Salon at the Vatican. Enlightening reads on the Creed include Praying with the Creed by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. and Bishop Robert Barron’s What Christians Believe: Understanding the Nicene Creed.

The month of June is dedicated to The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (6/27), a devotion that dates back to the 11th century. This solemnity is celebrated the Friday after The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) (6/22). This devotion includes the nine First Fridays which contain twelve promises made by Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

We also suggest praying the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the nine days before the solemnity or every day like Padre Pio!

Our theme for this month is The Heart of the Father. This year Father’s Day falls on Most Holy Trinity Sunday (6/15). Many children are growing up in single parent households today, without the example of a father. In Catholic families, the faith and witness of the father in the home is incredibly important for the children to persevere in the Faith. Other father figures in a child’s life can also play a major role in their spiritual formation. We recommend the book, Peaceful Hearts, Zealous Hearts by Deacon Gerard-Marie Anthony.

Registration is now open for our 94th annual educational conference, “Tradition, Ever Ancient, Ever New”, Sept. 4-6, 2025 in Kansas City, MO.

The CMA ZOOM Prayer Group will meet Sat. June 14 at 2:00 PM EDT. Come pray with us!

 St. Josemaría Escrivá (6/26), the founder of the lay movement Opus Dei, evangelized the universal call to holiness, including in our work. He wrote many inspirational books. 

The feast of SS. Peter and Paul (6/29) celebrates the first Pope and the author of much of the New Testament. This feast dates back to 395 A.D. and St. Augustine of Hippo explained: “Both apostles share the same feast days, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so, we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.”

Additional reading suggested for the summer include Following the Holy Spirit by Walter Van De Putte C.S.SP. and The Hour of Testing: Spiritual Depth and Insight in a Time of Ecclesial Uncertainty by Father Donald Haggerty. A great movie on formed.org is Saint Peter, with Omar Sharif.

Have a restful summer!