The CatholiCity Message

Volume XX, Number 9 – September 30, 2016

What is a Bud on His Birthday?

Dear CatholiCity Citizen,

I missed you guys. I will keep everything brief. We're praying in the second item—I'm the birthday boy! I will be back next week with a longer, duller CatholiCity Message. Do not read that one. Read this one. Only kidding. (Except about reading this one. And that the next one will be boring.)

Rome Follow-Up
One of your fellow benefactors wrote to me after my pilgrimage bringing your intentions to Rome to let me know that her adult son has suddenly stopped using hard drugs after a lifetime of abuse and seemingly worthless rehab. If you have had your intentions answered, great or small, let me know by replying to this email.

October 1: My 54th Birthday, My Parents, Therese of Lisieux
If anything good and Godly has every happened in your life because of Mary Foundation materials, my novels, the CatholiCity Message, then we all owe profound thanks to St. Therese of Liseiux, the Little Flower, my patron saint, whose feast day is October 1. What is a "Bud," after all, if not a little flower? (Of course I am also grateful to Bud and Pat Macfarlane, my parents, for loving each other so deeply to this very day; I am the fruit of their love.) St. Therese's autobiography, The Story of a Soul, radically changed my life when I was a young man. The childlike faith, humor, trust in God, and hopeful spirit I share with you is her faith.

I pray the prayer that follows every day. Let us, all of us, tens of thousands of us, ask for the Little Flower's help today, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit...

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick a rose for me from the heavenly garden and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands State Your Request. Saint Therese, help me to always believe as you did in God's great love for me so that I might imitate your Little Way each day. Amen.

The Secret to Happiness
God wants you to be happy. He does. The secret to happiness is to know and do His will and to be in friendship with Him. It is possible to enjoy Jesus-based happiness on this earth, even amidst challenges, suffering, and difficulties, especially through the healing sacraments of Confession and the Eucharist. I do. You know that about me. I am a very happy man.

A Wonderful Source of Happiness
Lately I have noticed my own happiness results from the people I love being happy. Often I tell them, "When you're happy, I'm happy." And I really mean it. (You know who you are.) The flip side: when my beloveds are sorrowful, I suffer. Resurrections are preceded by crosses, I suppose. I believe this is how Jesus experiences our lives, but a gabizzillion times more powerfully and intimately. Sort of. I'm still pondering this.

Quote of the Week

The science of loving, yes, that's the only kind of science I want. I'd barter away everything I possess to win it.
– St. Therese of Lisieux

Fasting and Fasting Bread
I have renewed my dedication to fasting much more often after meeting Andrew LaVallee, the founder of LivetheFast.org, at the Catholic Marketing Network trade show in Chicago a couple of months ago. Our longtime readers know that I have encouraged you to fast for many years. Andy has become a friend and I'm looking forward to telling you more about him. In the meantime, please familiarize yourself with his apostolate. Order his amazing fasting bread—it will make all the difference for many of you who struggle or feel ill when when fasting on crappy bread.

Fr. Riccardo on Fasting
So, finally finally, even if you have not heard our new CD by Fr. John Riccardo, Knowing Jesus, please listen to this online version of Fr. John's talk on fasting.

Thank you for staying with me today. I will be back sooner than you think. In that Message I will tell you the miraculous story of how I stopped smoking. My son and a close friend also quit as a result. I will share this because I know many of you (beloved, fellow) addicts will be able to quit with ease, be happy while doing so, and not have to use any willpower.

With Saint Therese, the Little Flower,

And Mary,

Bud Macfarlane Founder and Executive Director