Prayer

A 524 Word Interview with the Founder of Mission Blueprint

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Editor’s Note: Matthew Chicoine interviewed Glen Gauer, founder of Mission Blueprint via phone call on January 19th, 2024. Some of the questions have been rearranged and edited to provide the best reader experience without losing any integrity of the answers given.

What led up to the creation of Mission Blueprint?

It started in 1988. I was searching for the truth. I went to Mass my whole life. When I joined the army and went to basic training and all those Baltimore catechism questions came up. Two weeks before basic training, my girlfriend’s aunt visited Medjugorje. I was skeptical. “If Mary was really appearing, then God is real.” In the middle of basic training, I went through the five proofs of Thomas Aquinas. I started a relationship with God during my time in the military.

In 1989, I made a SEARCH weekend. All the questions I had about God I understood based on the testimony I heard at the retreat.

I gave my life to Christ as a Catholic in 1990. 93-94 I did NET Ministry. Later, I worked for the Diocese of Rapid City as the Director of Youth Ministry from 1996-1999. Taught at Saint Thomas More High School (2001-2005) and got married in 2005. I was a Campus Team Director for FOCUS from 2008-2017. Started Mission Blueprint in 2017.

What led you to shift your focus from FOCUS to Mission Blueprint?

I was sitting in Eucharistic Adoration: I asked him: Do you want me to start this ministry? It wasn’t an audible word but it was very clear. “GO!” was his message to me about Mission Blueprint.

My back went out when I was in Atlanta. God was clear He wanted me out of FOCUS and to start a new ministry.

Tell me more about the name Mission Blueprint.

We hired a former FOCUS missionary to help us with branding. The word blueprint is related to our Blessed Virgin Mary. “Create a website that comes from Mary’s pen,” I told the brander. On March 25th, 1990 I had three Catholics pray over me. The power of the Holy Spirit fell over me and it was a life-changing event.

My goal is Mission Blueprint is to help people have an experience the power of God.

What are some ways to go about achieving this goal?

Hosting conferences is the main way we do this. Between 2017-2019 things were trending well. Then 2020 hit and halted a lot of our efforts. We started more praise and worship nights. We have a Men’s Conference, a conference called Revival, a couple’s Conference called Tighten the Knot, and a Women’s Conference.

What is your favorite Marian devotion?

The Rosary. I pray it daily. Sometimes more than once. Our Lady of Good Success is our intercessor for Mission Blueprint.

I’ve never heard of that particular Marian title. I’ll be sure to check it out.

What is your hope for Mission Blueprint in 2024?

“That’s a great question! I want us to explode as a ministry. Like a micro-Pentecost. Because of what’s happened the past few years we have been stuck on idle. It’s time to go AND grow.”

How can my audience contact you?

Go to Mission.blueprint.org

Thank you for your time Glen! It was great chatting with you about your ministry.

Of course! It was great. Remember you are loved and may God strengthen the bars of your gates.

About Glen:

Glen came from a small farm near Ipswich, S.D. After a year with N.E.T. Ministries in 1993 and graduating from Franciscan University in 1996, his career began in the Rapid City Diocese
first as Director of Youth Ministry, then High School Religion teacher.

He married in 2005, joined FOCUS in 2008 and started Mission Blueprint in 2017. He and his wife Jamie have five children: Judah, Gideon, Jakobi, Ezra and Ave Maria.

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From Darkness to Joy: A Catholic Story about Communication and Autism

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It was a Wednesday afternoon…I pushed open the door…

This moment was worth more than all the sales I made the past few months. 

It was worth more than my weight in gold. 

To see my child work through (via play) a parable during CGS and have him gain an understanding of the main message is incredible. 

Josiah’s Journey

An older picture showing Josiah and his sister acting out Good Friday. ✝️ 🙏

He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was 18 months (thankfully we had the benefit of going through the diagnosis process with his older brother a couple years earlier). 

Communication was tough for him. His brain worked differently. He couldn’t tell my wife and I about his basic needs and this led to many meltdowns a day and even banging his head on the ground in frustration. 

Reflecting on this journey I am brought to tears with how amazing God is and the awesome gifts he blessings he gave my son and family via therapy, social support, and comfort through the saints. 

For a while, I was thinking my son wouldn’t be able to ever verbalize his love for my wife and I. My heart goes out to any parent and children struggling with not being able to communicate verbally. 

An Experience More Precious Than Gold

When I opened the door to his Wednesday Atrium session and saw my son acting out the parable of the Good Samaritan it was a moment etched into my heart forever. 

This is one (of many) reason why I continued to help him grow in learning how to communicate daily. 

🗨️ Weekly speech and occupational therapy sessions.

📈 Meetings to go over his IEP goals

🙏 Daily (sometimes 2-3 times) conversations between my wife and I about his progress, backsliding, and new process

Always trying new things.

Finding different sensory tools and educational resources to help him grown and to speak.

I’m currently in the middle of another growing season (trying to launch a neighborhood Catholic magazine in my city). I’ve planted lots of seeds.

But it’s dark and silent. Lots of rejections. I felt like giving up (similar to how I felt years ago when I didn’t see growth in my son’s verbal communication). 

Feelings aren’t full reality. 

Sure emotions are part of what makes us human. 

The Enemy wants us to be discouraged in the silence and in the midst of “NOs”. 

God always cares for you

Sometimes the best growth occurs in the silence and darkness. 

Jesus said, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). 

Death and growth are the same (and different depending on your vantage point). You cannot bear fruit unless you die to your own control and desires. Total surrender to God must happen. 

Today, I renew my pledge to trust confidently in God during this Dark Night. 

P.S. This post didn’t employ the use of AI. 🤖

It was written entirely by a human named Matthew in the presence of Jesus Christ in Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday January 18, 2024. 🍞🍷☀️

One could say I sought out the assistance of a Divine Intelligence. 🙂

Thank you for sharing!

5 Stunning Facts about Saint Catherine of Siena

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Editor’s Note: Post originally published on September 7, 2022.

Saint Catherine of Siena was one of the greatest followers of Christ. Her ability to articulate the Gospel and her ability to charitably bring the papacy to reform are among the key reasons she is one of my favorite saints. My youngest daughter is even named after this amazing saint. Here’s five amazing facts about Catherine.

Catherine of Siena

25 Kids and Counting

While it may seem astronomical to us, having 25 children was not insane back in the Middle Ages. Due to the low infant mortality rate and disease, families gave born to many children but unfortunately few survived to adulthood. Catherine was the 25th child born to her mother, but only half of her siblings survived childhood!

Still, it is incredible to think that if Catherine’s parents lived in today’s society, it would be very likely they would not have been as open to the lives of so many children. It is astounding that God works in miraculous ways to take one of the youngest of such a large family to grace her with the eventual title of Doctor of the Church!

None of the Nunnery

I always believed that Catherine was part of a religious order and lived in a convent similar to spiritual greats like Therese of Lisieux and Teresa of Avila. After reading more about her, I learned that she actually never spent time in a convent. Instead, Catherine joined the Third Order of St. Dominic. This permitted her to associate with a religious society while remaining within the confines of her home.

Gone too Soon

Why do the most innocent and vibrant souls perish too early? From film stars to sports figures that perished at a young age, to maybe someone within your life that died too soon, it is natural to question the purpose of an early death. While I do not have the answer to that question, I found it interesting that Catherine of Siena died at the mere age of 33—the exact age that Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and buried!

Never Let Obstacles Get in Your Way

It would have been easy for Catherine to give up when she wrote the pope but she remained steadfast. Her persistence and charity were instrumental in convincing Pope Gregory XI to return from Avignon to Rome.

Catherine of Siena quote

Unseen Suffering

The stigmata are wounds certain saints received on their hands and/or feet. It is a sign of their closeness to Christ and was given to them as a reminder for Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. In the case of Catherine, the stigmata wounds were visible only to her. She accepted this unique suffering with grace and hope in God’s Providence.

God raises up holy individuals in times of great need. Saint Catherine of Siena is a perfect role model for Catholics in the 21st century in a world where it’s common to be less than enthusiastic about the faith. May we ask for her help to grow in love and devotion to God.

“Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

― St. Catherine of Siena

Related Links

Spiritual Surgeons—Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena’s Miracle in My Life

How Saint Catherine of Siena Leads You to God

St. Catherine of Siena: Saint of the Eucharist

Catherine of Siena Novena

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How The Jesus Prayer Impacted My Life

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By: Jackie Kierulf

Years ago, a friend invited me to a seminar on the Jesus prayer.

As a cradle Catholic, I no longer felt that attending mass on Sunday was enough. Over time, I joined a choir, attended several weekend retreats for young adults and made friends who were more active in parish life than I was, all intended to bring me closer to God.

When I was asked to join one of those friends to learn about the Jesus prayer it felt like another opportunity to enhance my faith and prayer life.

Our group met one cold winter night in downtown Montreal (Quebec.). Before the session began, I struck up a conversation with two religious sisters. At first I thought they were the speakers, but no, they told me, they had come to learn about this prayer, too. I thought that if these two nuns were eager to enhance their faith, there was hope for my own.

Origins of the Jesus Prayer

We learned that the Jesus prayer has its roots in Eastern Christianity. Whereas traditional meditation has the intent in the emptying of minds, the Jesus prayer, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is invoking the name of Jesus Christ to God the Father.

This makes total sense, because Christ IS the focal point of Christian prayer.

We have access to the Father only if we pray in name of Jesus (Catechism 2664). It is the one name that contains everything (Catechism 2666). In fact when we pray to Jesus, we not only invoke him but “call him within us.”

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

We closed our eyes and pondered over those few words speaking quietly and repeating them over and over again.

In all prayer we strive to pray with an open heart and it is no different with the Jesus prayer.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner

Those words held more weight than I knew. As I continue to delve more into scripture and God’s promise of salvation that awaits each of us, those words paint a thousand more.

God Meets You in the Struggle

In our sinfulness and brokenness, God welcomes us through his Son. Like the heavenly prize that Paul speaks of, I too, despite my daily struggles, strive for that perfect spiritual life. Despite obstacles along the way, I press on, knowing the journey towards Him, though difficult at times, will ultimately bring lasting joy and fulfillment. That glimpse of eternal joy is a sliver in our present life, but it is by God’s grace that we experience those moments on our earthly journey.

I am often guilty of being blind to God’s promise of salvation, just as St. Paul was. When I think of God crying out to Paul, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 3:9), I know too well how many times I have offended God, not just by what I have done, but also by what I have failed to do.

The Lasting Impact of the Jesus Prayer

It’s been more than forty years since that night in Montreal. I still pray the Jesus prayer, striving to carve those words permanently into my spiritual life. I’m not always successful, but I like to think that perseverance, in spite of all the worldly obstacles we face these days, is what counts.

At mass, when the host and chalice are raised, I meditate on the words of the Jesus prayer. In that moment, the gift of God’s grace is both convicting for me as a sinner, and at the same time, comforting.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

I say those words slowly, over and over again.

When I do, I cannot help but examine my own heart:

Do I come before God in humility knowing that I need him?

Do I trust God as his adopted daughter knowing that he is with me, and that not my will but his will be done?

Do I persevere in prayer, by praying without ceasing so that through prayer I strive to become more like Jesus, even in moments of dryness and distraction?

We may strive to do all of these things, and sometimes we may do them well, and at other times fall short. It is a battle of prayer that so many saints struggled with, but never gave up by asking for God’s grace through their faith and trust in him.

Prayer brings us closer to the Father

St. Teresa of Avila says of contemplative prayer that it is “nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who loves us.” (Catechism 2709).

We need to remain open to God’s promise of salvation that awaits each of us in the heavenly kingdom. But it is only when we pray from the heart that we will receive His gift of grace and begin to forge that ultimate relationship with him.

Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

May we respond to God our Father’s call to prayer, by the power of the Holy Spirit and through his Son Jesus Christ, with unwavering faith, hope and love.

About Our Guest Blogger:

Jackie lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Her publications include Blessed (Calla Press, 2023), Stories of Faith (Our Sunday Visitor, 2020), Hello and Goodbye (Dribbles, Drabbles and Postcards, 2022), and Birthdays 2022 (Grief Dialogues Stories, US). Besides writing, Jackie enjoy hiking, reading, and traveling. You can find Jackie’s work at  cherishingthedeathprocess.com  and at fromsimplewordstorealstories.home.blog. 

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4 Ways Faith Helps with Holiday Stress

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By Samantha Smith

The holidays are a time for family, friends and celebration. Decorations, special treats and activities bring us joy as we bring the year to a close and prepare for a new one.

Despite the festivities, the season also brings holiday stress. We are easily distracted and overwhelmed with expectations and traditions that can negatively impact our mental health.

As Catholics, we are called to see past the commercialism of the holiday season and focus on the many blessings of our lives, including the birth of Jesus. Thankfully, our faith provides many opportunities to focus on what makes this season important for our faith.

Read on for five ways faith can help with your holiday stress.

Spirit of Gratitude

Gratitude changes everything
Gratitude changes everything (and so does coffee, unless you’re a tea drinker.)

Even though our modern Thanksgiving differs from its historic origins, it is still a day when we gather with loved ones to share a meal and express gratitude for how God has blessed us throughout the year.

However, gratitude is not solely meant for Thanksgiving. It can be done daily in a journal or added to your prayers. Additionally, studies have shown that gratitude has many health benefits, such as improving sleep and mood. It also helps with anxiety and depression, which can be heightened at this time of the year.

To help with holiday stress, thank God for three or more blessings in your life each day. Be intentional with your daily blessings and track how it improves your mood and stress. Consider continuing this practice throughout the year.

Practice Patience

Patience this Holiday Season

Commercialism tends to impose the holidays upon us way before the actual date arrives. Decorations, treats and holiday-themed products hit stores early, encouraging increased spending and a longer holiday season. By the time the holiday arrives, it’s no longer enjoyable and you’re ready for the next one.

The holiday season can also highlight what we are missing in our lives. Children await Christmas with much anticipation for special gifts under the tree. Singles are longing to share the holidays with a spouse. Parents with infertility issues are longing for the day they can celebrate with their own children.

God teaches us the importance of patience throughout life. Patience describes love (1 Corinthians 13:4), is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and is an instruction from God throughout the Bible.

Patience is a requirement of faith. God asks us to wait for his divine timing for the desires of our heart. As all of us enter this season of busyness and stress, ask God to give you patience for yourself and with others. While the holiday season is filled with anticipation, it is also important that we patiently wait for what is in store for us.

Rituals and Traditions

The Catholic faith is full of rituals and traditions that we practice throughout the year. And the holiday season is no different.

Catholics celebrate the season of Advent for four weeks leading up to Christmas. Our Christmas season lasts until Epiphany, which is in January of the new year. We celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord on December 25 with nativity sets in our homes and churches until the Christmas season ends. On January 1st, we celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of God.

All of these seasons and feasts have their own traditions and rituals, which help to keep the holiday season in perspective.

Having an Advent wreath and calendar are both reminders to wait on the Lord and to do good work in this season of waiting. Because Christmas doesn’t end on December 25, we keep the light of Christ shining brightly in our homes and with all we encounter. We are also invited to celebrate other aspects of the holiday season, such as the three kings at Epiphany and mother Mary on the first of the year.

Having rituals and traditions eases holiday stress because of their continuity and stability. They bring us comfort and something to look forward to each year. Embrace these Catholic traditions in your holiday routine. Do a couple of things to get started so you don’t overwhelm yourself or your family.

Community Support

Holy Family
Ask the Holy Family to give you comfort during times of loneliness this holiday season.

The holiday season can heighten feelings of loneliness and isolation, especially for those who live alone, are mourning the death of loved ones or in a transitional period of their lives.

By getting more involved in parish life, you will ease those lonely feelings and be surrounded by like-minded people. This provides a sense of belonging that will lift your spirits.

Connect with your faith community during the holiday season by attending Mass and making the effort to meet someone new. Volunteer with a ministry to help someone in the community or give Christmas gifts to a family in need.

Holiday stress may come each year, but the Catholic faith provides us opportunities to focus on God’s love and the birth of Jesus. May our faith bring comfort and joy to you and your family this holiday season.

About Our Guest Blogger:

Samantha Smith is a Catholic blogger and copywriter. You can follow her blog at spiritandsparkle.net.

Thank you for sharing!

Catholic Meme Monday— Issue 103

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Hope you had a blessed week!

Time for another Catholic Meme Monday. ✝️ 🙏

💦🍷😆
Yep! 🪽🙏
Ask for understanding from the Holy Spirit.
🙏🙏🙂
😆😆😆
Tolkien is awesome!!
😆😆😆
😆😆😆
😳😆🐋
Even superhero realize who the real savior of the world is. 🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏
Parenthood is both the toughest and most rewarding things I’ll ever do.

That’s all I have this week. Stay tuned for next week’s Catholic Meme Monday. Receive updates straight to your email inbox by subscribing to The Simple Catholic blog.

P.S. If you prefer receiving quality Catholic humor in daily doses follow me on Instagram @thesimplecatholic.

Thank you for sharing!

Catholic Meme Monday— Issue 102

/ chicoinematt

Hope you had a blessed week!

Time for another Catholic Meme Monday. ✝️ 🙏

🙂🙂😆😆
Pretty accurate. 😆🙂🙏
The Gospel According to Luke (Skywalker). ✨🙏🙂
Saint Pope John Paul II pray for us!
“Loved the world, God did, His only Son gave, so that not perish, but have eternal life, those who believe in him might.” – Yoda reading John 3:16
The origin of Halloween is rooted in Catholicism.
😆😆😆
Our Lady of “It’s been a Day” pray for us! 😆🙂🙏
For my fellow Lord of the Rings geeks out there.
🙂😆🙏🪓
Perfect outfit for the All-Saints Day Party! 😆🙂🙏🥳
😆😆😆
Our defense against the Devil. 🙏🙏🙏
Epic!!
Last Star Wars Catholic meme I promise. 😆🙏✨
If you agree, then please share today’s post. 🙏🙂

That’s all I have this week. Stay tuned for next week’s Catholic Meme Monday. Receive updates straight to your email inbox by subscribing to The Simple Catholic blog.

P.S. If you prefer receiving quality Catholic humor in daily doses follow me on Instagram @thesimplecatholic.

Thank you for sharing!