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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Embarrassed Again



As many of you already know, I was fired from my previous job back in January, as I told you in a previous post here.

At the time, I did not want to go into the details of the reason I was given for being fired, so I will now. My former employer had told me, and the young lady that I worked with, that he was going to have to cut hours. She had found out a few weeks earlier that she and her husband were expecting their first child. She had to miss some work due to some related problems, and then she was laid off. Meanwhile, my hours were cut from 40 per week, to 26 per week. No one else had any hours cut.

Then, my former employer hired four new employees. One was full time, and the other 3 were part time. So in talking to another employee, I had complained about my hours being cut, while no one else was cut, and the fact that new employees were hired. I suppose that my having been with this company the longest did not count.

Any way, my employer was told that I had complained about my hours being cut and his hiring more people, so he said he was firing me because I had complained.

So, I finally found a new job 2 weeks ago. I started out at less pay per hour, but at least I am working and getting 40 hours per week.

The thing is, being unemployed for 3 weeks with no money coming in, combined with already being in a financial bind because of my reduced work hours, has really put me behind on my necessities, like the rent, power bill, and such.

It was also time to renew the license plate for my car, and have it inspected. I have not been able to have that done, because the check engine light was on, and they can not inspect a car until the reason for it being on is repaired. I had the repairs done by a mechanic friend, and I now owe him $270.00 for the parts alone.

I have been getting by on food by eating ramen noodles, beans and rice, and pasta. Sometimes I get tuna and maybe chicken when it’s on sale.

I owe a months rent, and a power bill (I have been using a portable kerosene heater to heat with to reduce the power bill), and still can’t get the car inspection and license renewal done because I only have $3.50 left in the bank. In other words, I am already in the red over $800.00 before I even get started.

So, once again, I am asking my blog readers and friends to please make a donation to me through PayPal. I hate to ask you to do this, but I have nowhere else to turn.

If you can’t make a donation, your prayers are surely needed and deeply appreciated!

Thank you for reading and following Faith of the Fathers blogs!

Your brother in Christ,

Steve Smith





Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Ash Wednesday (Goffine's Devout Instructions)



Why is this day thus named?

Because on this day the Church blesses ashes, and places them on the heads of her faithful children, saying: "Remember man, thou art dust, and unto dust thou shaft return."

Why is this done?

St. Charles Borromeo gives us the following reasons for this practice: that the faithful may be moved to sincere humility of heart; that the heavenly blessing may descend upon them, by which they, being really penitent, will weep with their whole soul for their sins, remembering how earth was cursed because of sin, and that we have all to return to dust; that strength to do true penance may be given the body, and that our soul may be endowed with divine grace to persevere in penance.

With such thoughts let the ashes be put upon your head, while you ask in all humility and with a contrite heart, for God’s mercy and grace.

Is the practice of putting ashes upon our heads pleasing to God?


To read more, please click here.

The Pope offers Mass in the Sanctae Marthae Chapel for the Copts killed in Libya

Pope Francis (AP)

Vatican City, 17 February 2015 (VIS) – Pope Francis offered this morning's Mass in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae for the 21 Egyptian Copts murdered yesterday in Libya, whose funerals will be held today.

Let us offer this Mass for our 21 brother Copts, beheaded for the simple fact of being Christians. Let us pray for them, so that the Lord may welcome them as martyrs, for their families, and for my brother Tawadros, who suffers deeply”.

He went on to pronounce the antiphon from Psalm 31: “For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me”.

Yesterday afternoon the Holy Father telephoned the Patriarch, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, to express his participation in the profound sorrow of the Orthodox Coptic Church for the recent barbaric massacre of Egyptian Copts at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. He assured him of his prayers and today, the day of the victims' funerals, joined spiritually in the prayers and the suffering of the Coptic Church, in the morning Eucharistic celebration.


You can find more information at: www.visnews.org
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