MEETING NEW PEOPLE IN HAWAII

While on our way to Hilo Monday, Karen played me a tape of MATTHEW KELLY, which had been introduced to us the previous week by the priest giving the retreat on stewardship. I laughed so hard at parts, that the tears flowed down my face! While he does not say anything most of us Catholics don't already know, it is a refreshing approach and reminder of who we are as followers of Christ. What he says is solidly based on Vatican II’s call to holiness and encourages people to rediscover the glory of the Church through personal prayer, a deeper appreciation for the Sacramental life of the Church, and the Eucharist.

Matthew Kelly was born in 1973 in Sydney, Australia and is the fourth of eight boys. He was raised Catholic, but was “restless and discontent” in his faith until his later teen years, when a family friend encouraged him to look deeper into his faith. This family friend, a physician, challenged him to spend ten minutes each day in a church in prayer. After a few days, Matthew was encouraged to go to daily Mass, where he truly began to connect more deeply with his faith.

He began speaking and writing in 1993. Since that time he has traveled to more than fifty countries and spoken to over four million people. He has written twelve books which have appeared on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists and have been published in twenty-five languages.While he has written many books, I would recommend this tape for everyone. It can be found through the Augustine Institute in Denver.