Tag Archives: studies

Life continues to change…

Posted on by

This past week I shut down my primary blog, however, I kept the domain and email services.  I was using PowWeb, which at one point was a good service, but they have gone down hill over the past couple of years, which was a partial reason I let them go.  (That said, they still host this site…)

As I move on in time, I find that I have wandered from the life I had as an active Diocesan Hermit, to become way to “Lay”..  That is changing yet again though.

I am heading back to the Hermit life, but this round as a lay hermit, that will spend my day in studies, prayer, and reading of the Bible.  My day will not be as structured as it was before, and will be more open to changes, but for the most part, I am going to be at home in prayer and reading religious text, or at Church/Church events.

This area is where I know I am called, and when I was a Diocesan Hermit, I was “home”.  The Bishops, for political and personal reasons, don’t seem to accept such life, even though it use to be a recommended lifestyle, so I will have to do it on my own.

In Christ,

Brother Don (Lay Hermit)

Related Posts

  • Continue Changes in Life!
    38
    Yep, more changes in my life! I am in the first stages of moving fully into the life of a Diocesan Hermit.  By that I mean, I am living the Rule of life, but must live it for six month to two years under Private Vows at which time, if…
    Tags: life, will, day, reading, prayer, time, changes, going, email, christ
  • Life Changes Again!
    29
    A couple of months ago I was informed that the Bishop of my Dioceses was not wanting to accept my vows this coming June for the 4th year as a Hermit (one more after that and I would have been able to give permanent vows).  So, after much prayer, contemplation…
    Tags: life, will, lay, blog, christ, don, accept, changes, couple, hermit
  • Prayer Life
    28
    Well, for the past month and a half, I have been a bit slack on my spiritual life.  I haven't really been reading much in the way of theology or within my faith (although I have done some "recreational" reading), and I have missed more of my prayer hours that…
    Tags: will, life, prayer, reading, christ, don, going, hermit, change, lay
  • Technical Difficulties
    26
    The Daily Readings sites is having some technical difficulties that I am working on.  (Old software versions, and needing a bit of TLC.) I plan on having it all fixed and fully updated by COD (Close of Day) Thursday the 20th of December this week!! Thanks for your understanding! In…
    Tags: christ, week, day, don, bible, reading, site
  • During my RCIA Studies...
    24
    During my RCIA studies, I was also involved in a Catholic Scripture Studies program at St. Elizabeth's that was very enlightening and educative on one Book in the Bible at a time.  This program, we did the Book of Matthew, was outstanding and helped me to better study the Bible.…
    Tags: bible, studies, time, life, christ, couple, prayer, day

Logos.com

Posted on by

A few months ago I acquired a “basic” Catholic Package on the Logos 4.x platform that I thought was outstanding.  The Logos software allows you do do some pretty extensive searching on your digital library, which is highly index, allows you to compare Bible versus between translations, read whole books at a fraction of the cost of buying them in hard copy, bookmark locations, write notes, and all kinds of great things.  (Including reviewing projects people are working on and that share them with the world, including sermons, etc.)  I was VERY impressed with what I had acquired and been using on my studies and research into the Catholic Faith, the Bible, and faith in general.

Recently Logos came out with Version 5, and more importantly, to me, Verbum which is a “tweaked” version of Logos 5 that allows for a better correlation of text to the Catholic Faith system.  This tool has been outstanding!

If you are a person of Christian faith, interested in learning more about your faith and it’s foundations, this tool, Logos 5 or Verbum, is a MUST have.  If you are a minister this tool is a must have!  Your sermons or homilies will grow even stronger as you use this tool to grow in your faith!

If you are interested in starting I recommend that you call David Day at 360-685-2301 and tell him that Friar Don Bell sent you.  Mind you he deals mainly with the Catholic products, but he will point you in the right direction and hook you up with the right person for your needs if you are not Catholic.

Happy studies and learning!

In Christ!

Related Posts

  • During my RCIA Studies...
    32
    During my RCIA studies, I was also involved in a Catholic Scripture Studies program at St. Elizabeth's that was very enlightening and educative on one Book in the Bible at a time.  This program, we did the Book of Matthew, was outstanding and helped me to better study the Bible.…
    Tags: bible, studies, better, catholic, faith, christ, recommend, study, outstanding, day
  • Catholic Apologetics
    27
    Over the next several posts I will be posting on Catholic Apologetics topics. What is Apologetics?  It is the giving of a reasoned explanation of ones faith, the the Churches interpretation of the Bible and tradition.  So, to that affect, I will be talking on specific topics and why the…
    Tags: catholic, will, starting, christ, faith, bible
  • Continue Changes in Life!
    25
    Yep, more changes in my life! I am in the first stages of moving fully into the life of a Diocesan Hermit.  By that I mean, I am living the Rule of life, but must live it for six month to two years under Private Vows at which time, if…
    Tags: will, day, catholic, better, christ, don, months, great, studying, bible
  • My Spiritual Beginnings - Part One
    24
    I was born into a Methodist family, and raised in the Methodist Church.   For many years I went to Sunday School most weekends, and many summers were partially spent in week long Bible Study Day Camps.  (We went home each day, but came back the next day.)  It was, and…
    Tags: day, faith, christian, friar, bible, study, library
  • The Titles Priest and Father
    23
    Over the last few years I have heard complaints of people calling Catholic Ministers Priest and Father.  To be honest, before I came to understand the reasoning for calling a Catholic Minister Father, I had a problem with that title myself.  After extensive research into this, I am more than…
    Tags: catholic, christian, christ, minister, translation, bible

Knights of Columbus and Religious Life.

Posted on by

Shortly after Easter Vigil Mass, the Superior General of the Brothers and Sisters of Reconciliation informed me that I was officially accepted into the Order as a Novitiate, and the Monday after Easter I gave my initial private vows.  I was already in habit, which had already been blessed, etc., and my studies continued.

A few weeks later I was accepted into the Knights of Columbus and in one night did my First and Second Degree ceremonies.  Because I was a Novitiate in a Religious Order, i was told that a 3rd Degree ceremony was happening the next day an hour north if I wanted to go.  My Superior General told me to go.  In that I was only a Novitiate I sat the ceremony as a Lay person and went through the whole process.

I had reached my thoughts of being able to go into the Knights of Columbus Halls I had seen in the past.  (I am STILL to go into the one in Maryland, that I WILL go into one of these days!)

I was one step closer to putting on the habit I had dreamed of years earlier, and even before it had been created!

Studies got more intense and days grew shorter as I read and wrote more!

 

Related Posts

  • Religious Life in the Catholic Church
    42
    When I got home, I looked up the Order, which had been "raised" about 9 or so years earlier.  It was small, and consisted of Lay Brothers and Sisters and was newly starting to have Religious Brothers.  All lived withing the vows of Poverty, Obedience, and Chastity to Station in…
    Tags: order, life, novitiate, vows, religious, brothers, lay, years, general, accepted
  • Religious Life Ends
    27
    During the year 2008, our supervising Bishop retired due to health, and shortly after that, our Superior General left the Order for some reason.  In the process, the newly selected Superior General moved the Order to Ft. Lauderdale Florida.  A few months later, he petitioned the Archbishop of Miami, our…
    Tags: order, religious, accepted, life, will, general, superior, told, reconciliation, brothers
  • Well, not over, but changing...
    22
    Well, let me rephrase that last post.  Religious life isn't over for me.  I have continued to do the Liturgy of the Hours (LOTH) (7 set prayer times a day, following a set rubrics) at least the four major Hours, and often all seven.  I still read the Bible daily,…
    Tags: life, religious, process, wrote, brothers, order, day, continued, read, created
  • Continue Changes in Life!
    22
    Yep, more changes in my life! I am in the first stages of moving fully into the life of a Diocesan Hermit.  By that I mean, I am living the Rule of life, but must live it for six month to two years under Private Vows at which time, if…
    Tags: life, will, day, vows, mass, process, days, private, years, brothers
  • Easter 2008
    19
    At  the Saturday Easter Vigil before Easter of 2008 I was accepted into the Catholic Church.  This was a happy day for me, with my Superior General there as my Sponsor into the Church, my mother, father, sister and niece all present to watch me enter into the Church. This…
    Tags: easter, life, accepted, vigil, day, superior, general