Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
“The greatest honor God can do a soul is not give it much; but to ask much of it.” St Therese of Liseux
So grateful to my swim coach as a kid and all those other coaches, teachers and spiritual directors who have gently challenged me and pushed me to a higher level along the way…God’s plan and His dream for us is so much bigger than we think…fan your gifts into a flame and allow him to love and work through you!
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
TKC!
“A thousand difficulties do not make a single doubt.” St. John Henry Cardinal Newman
St. Mother Teresa and so many other tremendous saints all went through darkness and difficulties….but they kept their eyes on Jesus and never doubted his very personal and loving plan for their lives.
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
As the new school year begins, kids and parents have so much going on, so it can be even more of a challenge to get together for a family meal. One highlight of my nearly 20 years of priesthood has been to accompany over 500 different families for this shared experience, but I can tell you, it is becoming harder and harder to find a night that works, especially in today’s busy culture!
I asked one of those moms from Greenwich, Ct., who is married with 2 pre-teen and 2 teenage kids to describe her struggle:
“We have six schedules to coordinate and with work, travel, school events, homework, kids’ practices and activities, it is extremely difficult for us to maintain a consistent family dinner routine. When our kids were younger it was easier as most of their activities were over by 6:00 PM but now many of them are just beginning at that time or later, so it seems like someone is always missing. We try to make dinner happen as often as possible but breakfast, although often a bit rushed, is sometimes the best we can do. I’m appreciative of whatever time we can be together to connect over a meal because I love the opportunity for us to share and support each other and the kids always learn a lot (and on a good day laugh a lot) from hearing each others experiences. Shared mealtimes enhance our bond as a family.”
On a personal note, I had the blessing of having a family meal about 90% of the time, growing up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with my 2 older brothers and older sister. Our sport practices ended at a reasonable hour, none of us played on travel teams, and life was a lot simpler. No radio, no television, no cell phones…and there was no hiding! If anything was going in our hearts and minds, it was clearly exposed to our parents, and they could easily take our daily pulse for both the good and bad elements. My mom and dad would bring up interesting topics to discuss, and we would get feedback on our personal struggles or decisions. If the discussion ever got a little heated, my sister and mom were really good to lower the temperature with a joke or a funny face…and without a doubt it brought all of us really close together, and kept us informed about each other’s lives.
Anne Fishel, a professor at Harvard Medical School, wrote this piece for the Washington Post on January 12, 2015: “20 years of research in North America, Europe and Australia back up my enthusiasm for family dinners. It turns out that sitting down for a nightly meal is great for the brain, the body and the spirit. Adolescents who ate family meals five to seven times a week were twice as likely to get A’s in school as those who ate dinner with their families fewer than two times a week…young adults who ate regular family meals as teens are less likely to be obese and more likely to eat healthily once they live on their own.” It can also be a enriching spiritual experience, as I know families that will discuss the life of a Saint over dinner, or talk about meaning of life issues or answer deeper questions that their kids may have on God or the Catholic Faith.
I currently live in Rye, New York with 9 other really busy priests. We all agreed a few years ago that we need to commit to some shared meal time, to help us live religious life authentically and to give an example to the busy families whom we serve. Breakfast made the most sense, so thanks to one of our generous priests, Fr. Steven Reilly, we are able to enjoy a hearty bowl of Quaker Oatmeal, hard boiled eggs and a tub of yogurt each morning at 8 am. The conversations are funny, lively and edifying, and our community has come together in a deeper way since the institution of this healthy practice. Like many of you, we are all extremely busy, going to NYC, parishes and other ministries up to two hours away…but we try to protect this time, and it has really been paying off!
Please, have this discussion with your entire family to see what you can make work…in the words of St. John Paul II, “The future of the world and the Church passes through the family”, and family meals with prayer is an essential component to building this “dream team” for God!
“Darkness must pass, a new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer.” –J.R.R. Tolkien
This too, will pass…praying that the Holy Spirit will lead our Church through yet another storm with serious reform, and healing for all…
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
“I will not walk backward in life.” J.R.R. Tolkien
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
“For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” –J.R.R. Tolkien
Pray and tap into God’s incredible and unfathomable wisdom…so much deeper and broader than any human mind and any human perspective!
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.” J.R.R. Tolkien
I am all for a healthy body and a rigorous work out plan…but we need to focus even more on our soul. How much time do you dedicate to God each day?
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
“All have their worth and each contributes to the worth of the others.” J.R.R. Tolkien
Team work and appreciation of each other’s gifts all begins at home…look for the good in your family members and try to learn from each one. God has placed you on this dream team and it could not be any better for you!
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
TKC!
“It is good to think about our having our citizenship in Heaven and the saints of Heaven as our fellow citizens…Then it is easier to bear the things that are on Earth.” St. Edith Stein
When I am on mile 19,20,21 in a marathon, it is so helpful to think about the finish line. When life gets a little tougher and God is asking for more humility and selflessness, this image of entering the heavenly gates might be a good one to remember!
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC
TKC!
“If, then, I were asked for the most important advice I could give, that which I considered to be the most useful to the men of our century, I should simply say: in the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” – Leo Tolstoy
God bless,
Fr. Michael Sliney, LC