 Last week, the Union of Catholic Apostolate (UAC) held its seventh General Assembly in Frascati, Italy. The UAC is an international public association of the faithful that has its roots in the original foundation of St. Vincent Pallotti in 1835 which had lay people, religious, and clergy as co-equal and co-responsible members in communion with one another. The UAC is led by lay people, religious, and clergy. The recently elected international president is a lay woman, while the vice-president is a Pallottine priest. The members of the General Coordination Council are international and come from all states of life. This association is unique in the Church and tries to live well the call to communion and mission in the way that St. Vincent Pallotti intended. Each of us, not just those who are members of the UAC, are called to live communion and mission. Communion with God and one another, and living the mission of Christ in daily life, are what each baptized person is called to do. St. Vincent Pallotti fully understood this. The members of the Union of Catholic Apostolate embrace this understanding. The Catholic Apostolate Center serves the Union of Catholic Apostolate as well as the Church through fostering greater collaboration, communion, and co-responsibility through our many resources that assist all in going forth as apostles on mission. As a Church, we are still in need to come more fully to the understanding that all are co-responsible for the mission of Christ and his Church. We need to accompany one another more deeply into this understanding. This is the central focus of the reflections of the recent Synods. As we move into the implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality, we need to commit even more fully to living the mission of Christ and assisting others in doing so as well. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
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 Encounter, Accompany, Community, Send – these aspects of Christ-centered evangelization are the path to follow if we want to live as missionary disciples or apostles of Christ. We encounter Christ in a variety of settings; the supreme one is in the Eucharist. That encounter needs accompaniment, which is not meandering around, but leads ultimately into the community of faith we call the Church. It is from the Church that we are sent forth to accompany others into their encounter with Christ. These aspects of the journey of evangelization are outlined more fully in the document of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Living as Missionary Disciples, which the Catholic Apostolate Center helped to develop. The choice is ours. We can keep our faith to ourselves or we can share it in word and deed. When we encounter Christ, we need to take action in our lives, not simply within ourselves, but going forth for him. Sometimes, we think this is difficult to do. It is difficult if we think that it is all on us. We are in collaboration with the Holy Spirit who moves us forth in action for Christ. As Pope Leo XIV tells us, “There is a need for renewed zeal in the proclamation and transmission of faith” (Address to Italian Episcopal Conference, June 17, 2025). May we be zealous in sharing our life in Christ. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 "Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done well." – St Vincent Pallotti We are called to go forth, not wait for others to do it. St. Vincent Pallotti was clear about this through his understanding that all followers of Christ are also apostles. We are sent by Christ into a world in need of deeds of faith and charity. Growing in holiness is not easy, we need the grace of Christ, assistance of the Church, and willingness to strive to be a saint. Similar to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), it does not matter when you begin working for the Lord. The important thing is that we do for him, that we live his mission to go forth proclaiming the Good News and being his healing presence to others. The owner of the vineyard, Jesus Christ, invites us to labor for him there. He tells us that he will give us “what is just” (Matthew 20:4). He offers us the opportunity for eternal life with him. St. Vincent Pallotti understood this well, not only for his own life, but for the lives of all. Some people talk a good talk or dream about doing something someday. Neither of these are what Christ is asking of us. He is asking for action and deeds on our part, not for ourselves, but for him. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 What does it mean to be called to revive? It means reviving faith! In a world where so many look away from faith and into trust of many things other than God, it means making God the center of our lives through our way of thinking and our actions. It means looking beyond self and seeing our neighbor as one in the image and likeness of God, even when that may be difficult or painful to do. It means believing, even when life becomes difficult and crosses are many. It means living the virtue of hope. Pope Leo XIV when he addressed young people of Chicago and the whole world put it this way: “So many people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness - they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope, and that actually, coming together as friends, as brothers and sisters, in community, in a parish, in an experience of living our faith together, we can find that the Lord’s grace, that the love of God can truly heal us, can give us the strength that we need, can be the source of that hope that we all need in our lives. To share that message of hope with one another - in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place - gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world” (Video Message, June 14, 2025). When we live faith, and, more so, live together in a true community of faith, then we can be more fully present to one another in the sorrows and failures, joys and successes of life. Together we can move forward in revived faith that witnesses hope, and lives in love. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 “With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity. Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.” – Pope Leo XIV, Homily for the Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate In the early days of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the Church sees a missionary, a unifier, and an advocate for the marginalized. He is a person with global experience, who also understands deeply and well both Church and society in North and South America. These traits and many others that we will see over time give us glimpses not only into him, but, more importantly of Christ. Steeped in the spirituality and traditions of the Augustinian Order, Pope Leo seems to want our hearts to rest in God, in the way of St. Augustine, but not rest from our loving care of others. As he shared in his first homily as Pope: “This is the world that has been entrusted to us, a world in which, as Pope Francis taught us so many times, we are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior. Therefore, it is essential that we too repeat, with Peter: ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’ (Mt 16:16). It is essential to do this, first of all, in our personal relationship with the Lord, in our commitment to a daily journey of conversion. Then, to do so as a Church, experiencing together our fidelity to the Lord and bringing the Good News to all (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1).” Let us pray for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV! May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 “Because you, O God, are the Infinite Love, you have loved us and, in your mercy, wished that your only begotten Son should become one of us and bring us who our sinners before you. That is why you sent your Son as our Redeemer” (OOCC III, 139). – St. Vincent Pallotti We are celebrating the great act of our redemption. Jesus died on the Cross, but the Father did not make that the end. Sin and death did not prevail. He innocent Lamb of God, sacrificed himself for us. Through the Cross and in the Resurrection, we are redeemed, we have hope! God, who is Infinite Love gave us the Son so that we could have the opportunity for Eternal Life. St. Vincent Pallotti knew this well as did our recently deceased Holy Father, Pope Francis. On April 21st, the day of the death of Pope Francis, we also remembered the 230th anniversary of his birth in Rome in 1795. He had a deep mystical experience of God, the Infinite Love, which moved him to go forth as an apostle of Infinite Love Incarnate, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. As we celebrate the Easter season, we are called to embrace Infinite Love, the Risen Christ, more fully. He is our true hope in life. Everything else will fall short, but the Risen One will not. He is Infinite Love and calls us to share this love with others in what we say and do. May we be his witnesses in the world, as Pope Francis called us to do, drawing others into his all-embracing Infinite Love. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 Reviving Faith – Rekindling Charity – Forming Apostles. This is not simply a tagline for the Catholic Apostolate Center. These three are central to the charism of St. Vincent Pallotti which informs all that the Center does. Pallotti understood in the early 19th century that Catholics, as people of faith, are called to be apostles, sent on mission by Christ into the world to share the Gospel and care for our brothers and sisters. Rekindling charity means that we are called to deepen love of God and neighbor. Pallotti understood clearly that all are in the image and likeness of God, and we should not allow another image and likeness of God to suffer. The fire of charity, of love, in our hearts needs to burn brightly through all that we do for our brothers and sisters. This is at the heart of almsgiving during the season of Lent. We are challenged by this Lenten practice to give of ourselves fully to others, not simply from our surplus. Rekindling charity is not only for Lent but also should be practiced by people of faith always. St. Joseph, whose feast day is today, is an example of a person who gave of himself fully for God in charity, not thinking of himself, but of others, particularly the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus. Pallotti offers us this consideration in a world that is quite divided, as it was in his time: “If we are truly animated by the spirit of love, we shall always treat all with love, look on all with love, think of all with love, and speak of all with love” (OOCC III, 338). May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 Our Lenten pilgrimage is almost upon us! In this Jubilee Year as “pilgrims of hope,” we journey during Lent toward the hope of the Resurrection. We will go from walking into the desert with Jesus to walking to Emmaus with the Risen Christ. Throughout, he is accompanying us to a deeper encounter with him. In the Lenten part of our pilgrimage, we will use the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving not as ends in themselves, but as means to live more fully our life in Christ. Our own effort alone does not produce holiness. Christ gives us the grace to grow more fully into life in him. The pilgrimage of Lent is not an end in itself. It is a time of preparation to celebrate our ultimate hope in the Risen Christ. He is hope itself. As Pope Francis reminds us: “The death and resurrection of Jesus is the heart of our faith and the basis of our hope” (Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year, 20). How do you intend to prepare for your Lenten pilgrimage? This pilgrimage is not a solo journey. We are on it together with the whole Church. In fact, our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving should move us to encounter Christ in the community of faith, the Church, and in those who are in need. Then, we become a sign of hope to others, accompanying them to greater life in Christ. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 During this deep portion of Advent, the time of the O Antiphons, we await the celebration of Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord. Our Savior, the Prince of Peace, comes to us in humble poverty since there is no room for him in the inn (Luke 2:7). Jesus, who is love incarnate, is greatly loved by Mary and Joseph. They witness to us how to love the Son of God unconditionally. His love is infinite, more than we can ever fully comprehend. Yet, it is also intimate, loving us individually and unconditionally. In response to Christ, the Infinite Love, we are called to more. The best response to Christ’s love is showing love more fully to God and others. As we come near Christmas and then the end of another year, it is a good opportunity to consider the quality of our love. Is our love conditional, seeking something from the other person or from God or is it striving toward being unconditional? We can only answer this question after reflecting, which we are invited to in these waning days of Advent. In our reflecting, we can call upon the wisdom of God. “O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!” (O Antiphon for December 17) This path of knowledge is the way of love, a reflection of the infinite love of Emmanuel, God-with-us. May you have a blessed Christmas and a good New Year! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 Advent approaches. How are we preparing ourselves for this season that can go by so quickly? We are given this time by the Church as an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and wait. At the same time, we are called to more in Christ. It is not a complacent time, but one of active waiting. We are preparing ourselves for Christ, but not simply through waiting for our remembrance of the Incarnation at Christmas. We are also called to examine our lives and see how we are living for Christ now. Our lives need to be aligned to what he wants of us, not simply what we want, how he wants us to give of ourselves, not simply receive. Advent helps us examine our intentions, our motives, our ways of living and see how they can be more Christlike. We can do this through being more intentional about our time with God and with others, aligning our hearts more closely to Christ. Rather than rushing these encounters, we are offered an opportunity to patiently be in them through our prayer and care. We at the Catholic Apostolate Center hope that you have a blessed Advent season. We have many resources that can assist you in using this special time well. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 The Church has an excellent opportunity to strengthen its hope in the Lord as we prepare for the 2025 Jubilee Year whose theme is “Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis has invited the Church to prepare for this time of Jubilee with a Year of Prayer. Prayerful preparation for the Jubilee allows us to discern how we can witness the hope that comes from Christ the Lord. Pope Francis in the Bull on Indiction for the Jubilee says that “hope is born of love and based on the love springing from the pierced heart of Jesus upon the cross” (Spes Non Confundit, 3). The merciful heart of Jesus offers us the way toward hope. In his recently released Encyclical, Dilexit Nos (He Loved Us), Pope Francis reflects on the reality of the world and the need for all to live more aligned with the way of love of the heart of Jesus. He offers this reflection: “The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs” (32). When we align ourselves in this way, we can assist in growing unity through two of the fruits of love, reconciliation and peace. Division is not from God, wherever that division is found. We might find such a thought incredibly idealistic, if not impossible. Yet, that is what we strive toward as Christians. Pope Francis reminds us: “It is only by starting from the heart that our communities will succeed in uniting and reconciling differing minds and wills, so that the Spirit can guide us in unity as brothers and sisters. Reconciliation and peace are also born of the heart. The heart of Christ is ‘ecstasy’, openness, gift and encounter. In that heart, we learn to relate to one another in wholesome and happy ways, and to build up in this world God’s kingdom of love and justice. Our hearts, united with the heart of Christ, are capable of working this social miracle” (28). The heart of Jesus opens our own hearts and the impossible can become possible. May the Charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 We are neighbors to all. Each person is created in the image and likeness of God. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, calls us to love our neighbor. The parable of the Good Samaritan is clear, everyone is our neighbor (Luke 10:25-37). Pope Francis in his Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti, which uses this parable as a guiding image, says: “If every human being possesses an inalienable dignity, if all people are my brothers and sisters, and if the world truly belongs to everyone, then it matters little whether my neighbor was born in my country or elsewhere” (125). We are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (cf. Mark 12:29). Love, according to St. Thomas Aquinas, is “willing the good of the other.” As Christians, we will the good of the other, even if others do not will our good. This is not the way the world tends to function, though. Too often, we divide in various ways. Such division is not what Christ wants of us, especially within the Church, as well as among all humanity. He prayed that we “may be one” (John 17:21). Pope Francis, in Fratelli Tutti, puts it this way: “Love, then, is more than just a series of benevolent actions. Those actions have their source in a union increasingly directed towards others, considering them of value, worthy, pleasing and beautiful apart from their physical or moral appearances. Our love for others, for who they are, moves us to seek the best for their lives. Only by cultivating this way of relating to one another will we make possible a social friendship that excludes no one and a fraternity that is open to all” (94). May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
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