Summer  2009

Dear Oratorians, visitors, and meditation readers:

     As you already know there have been numerous delays in the weekly meditations for quite some time now. I will attempt to explain some of the reasons for all these delays. During the past several years Yolanda and I have experienced four deaths within our family:

1. Yolanda's grandmother Reyes Roman
2. My mother Kay Cleffi, (who we cared for in our home). 
3. My cousin, James Markatos
4. As of last week we buried Yolanda's father, Abraham Ramos.

     We all know death is a natural occurrence perhaps the order of it is more or less difficult when it is so close together. For the past eight months we have been part of a team of care givers assisting in the care of Abraham Ramos who was stricken with vascular dementia which rapidly progressed and left him in diapers and a feeding tube.

     As part of a caretaking team that added an extra 20 to 25 hours a week to an already grueling schedule. Yolanda has been substituting at the public grammar school as well and trying to find permanent employment. I have been working as a case worker/social worker for Housing and Urban Development. I also teach evenings and work part time 20-30 hours as a Pastoral Associate at St. Antoninus Church in Newark , NJ . (along with various speaking engagements).

     I have recently been working with the Newark Archdiocese in an Evangelism Project that is scheduled to kick off shortly. I said all this to try to bring some clarity to our Oratory family and I would like to ask for your continued prayers for us and Father Benedict who is experiencing many physical challenges. (As we all know Father Benedict is recovering from a recent stroke-please continue to pray for him).

     I am going to move ahead with the continuation of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. I am not going to try to go back and fill up some of the gaps in the calendar. We will post the new meditation on May 28^th.  We will proceed and go forward, once again thank you for your patience and prayers, the Cleffi's.

In preparation for the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle Paul, Pope Benedict XVI has decreed a Pauline Year beginning with the Vigil of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 28, 2008, and continuing through June 29, 2009.

Throughout the Pauline year the Oratory will be meditating on the epistles of St. Paul.

  A New Oratory book of meditations

Oratorians, we are pleased to announce that our new Oratory book will be out in the bookstores by August 2008. 

For all Oratorians who are using the weekly meditations from 2003 and 2004, please be aware that these meditations will no longer be available on the website but are included in Meditations from the Oratory: Praying with the Creed and Experiencing the Mystery of Christ. 

Please check with your local bookstores to obtain a copy.