While our retreat is no longer annual, it is possible when requested. In the past, our retreat conference was a silent retreat with daily Holy Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from after the first Holy Mass until the beginning of the last Holy Mass, opportunity for Reconciliation through proper preparation, examination of conscience and private Confession, plus conference sessions lead by nationally and locally known speakers.
PFMC Association membership is established by written contact for pilgrimages, retreats and/or other PFMC activities. Membership is maintained current by at least once per year written correspondence with the PFMC.
We appreciate free will and love offerings as often as members can afford them. Monthly donations are especially beneficial for budget planning, and we offer to take them by credit card every month.
Joe Bridgeman was a PFMC volunteer who passed away on Wednesday, October 13, 2004.
Joe wrote a prayer for the PFMC that was so well liked that we had it printed on the back of a holy card, and distributed 100’s of them. This PFMC prayer was revised slightly, and printed on the back of more than 4000 Christmas Cards inserted in the December 2003 issue of “The Pilgrim” and then printed in the text of the January 2004 issue of “The Pilgrim.”
Thanks again, Joe.
Preparation to be received by the church differs slightly depending on if you are already a baptized Christian or not.
If you are unbaptized:
You begin with the rite of reception into the order of catechumens, where you first express your desire and intention to become Christian. Catechumen is the term for one who is under instruction before baptism. during this period, you study a thorough background of Christian teaching, and reflect upon and affirm your desire to become Catholic.
The second step is the rite of election, where the names of the catechumens are written in a book of those who will receive the sacraments of initiation. Here, you once again express your desire and intent to become Christian, and the Church judges that you are ready to take this step. This rite of election usually occurs on the first Sunday of Lent.
Initiation usually occurs the evening before Easter day, known as the Easter Vigil. Here, you will attend a special Mass to celebrate and be baptized, confirmed, and receive the Holy Eucharist- and are officially a Catholic in full communion with the church!
If you have already been baptized:
If you are already a baptized Christian, reception into full Catholic communion is determined by addressing each individual case. For anyone who has been baptized but does not live a Christian life or who has not received instruction on their faith, they go through the same instruction as catechumens. For anyone who has been baptized and who does live a life instructed in the Christian faith, only instruction in Catholic tradition and a "degree of probation" within their Catholic community is required. Reception into the church for those who have already been baptized usually takes place at the Sunday Eucharist of their parish community instead of the Easter Vigil, to avoid any confusion on their distinction from catechumens.
Confession is a beautiful aspect of the sacrament of Reconciliation. This sacrament "washes us clean" and renews us in Christ, allowing us to obtain forgiveness for sins and reconciliation with God. Normally, any Catholic in the church above "the age of discretion" (which is around 7 years old) is obligated to confess their serious sins in confession at least once a year.
The sacrament of baptism removes all of the sins committed before it. For Christians that have already been baptized and are seeking to be part of the Catholic church, they must confess the mortal sins they have committed since their baptism before receiving confirmation and the Eucharist.
The rosary is an outward, sacred sign of our faith that is used as an object of devotion along our Christian walk. They are intended for daily prayer, and they help us keep certain principal events in the history of our salvation in our memory. The rosary is divided into "decades", five groups of ten beads each. Events of our Lord's life and Passion are called Mysteries. There are the Joyful Mysteries, the five Luminous Mysteries, the five Sorrowful Mysteries, and the five Glorious Mysteries. Normally, the mysteries you focus on depends on the day of the week on which you are praying.
Joyful (Monday and Saturday)
Glorious (Wednesday and Sunday)
Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday)
Luminous (Thursday)
To pray the Rosary:
1) On the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and say The Apostles Creed.
2) Begin the Rosary with the "Our Father"
3) Pray three "Hail Marys" for increase in Faith, Hope, and Love / Charity.
4) Say the "Glory Be"
5) Announce the first mystery (depending on what day of the week it is) and say the "Our Father"
6) Say ten "Hail Marys" (one for each bead of the decade)
7) Say the "Glory Be", conclude the decade with the "Fatima Prayer" (optional)
8) Repeat steps 5-7 for the remaining decades
9) Pray the "Hail Holy Queen" and the "Final Prayer" to conclude
10) Make the Sign of the Cross.
Please call 856-347-9496 and send e-mail to keithwerner@yahoo.com if there is something URGENT in your Contact Us Message or you wish to “Visit Us"
Keith Werner now lives at: “9 Raven Court, Elkton, MD 21921- 4660” with PFMC Archives in a Storage Unit nearby.
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