Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality with Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The most important BIRTHDAY in the history of humanity is the birthday of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The key to experiencing the overflowing, exuberant joy of Christmas depends on the time, energy, and effort that we expend in preparing for this day. In short, the key to the success of the party depends on the prior preparation for the party.The Church teaches about the three comings of the Lord Jesus Christ: In the Incarnation, historically about 2000 years ago (Jesus born in Bethlehem), at the end of time—this is left for God the Father; finally, and very … Read more

Mary  is model, teacher, guide, inspiration, life, sweetness and hope to all to raise their eyes to her with love.  In the beautiful prayer of St. Bernard,  the Memorare, we pray with confidence: “Never was it known that anyone who had recourse to Mary was left unaided…”May is the month of Mary and it concludes with one of the most beautiful Marian Feast days— the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin St. Elizabeth.  Many superb spiritual lessons can be learned from this Marian gem, which also is the 2nd Joyful Mystery. Let us descend into … Read more

Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.

It is couched in between two Minor Prophets, Obadiah and Micah. It is composed of only 4 chapters, with only 48 verses in total; a small book, a minor prophet but with an extremely explosive message—it is the book and the person of Jonah. God summoned Jonah to go to a place he did not want to go, to visit a people he did not particularly like, and to give a message he literally detested—all this to the pagan city of Nineveh!

Jonah’s response to God’s call?  A flat and unequivocal “No!” I will not go! To prove it, Jonah … Read more

In the context of the Spiritual Exercises, St Ignatius invites his retreatants to meditate upon the Last things; however these last things should be among the most important things in our spiritual life.In Spiritual Theology the technical word is “Eschatology” which means the study of the “Last Things.” Some authors write about the “four” last things; but we would like to add a fifth.What then are these “five” last things? Here they are for your reflection and meditation:  Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell and, yes, Purgatory. There we have the big four! Let us give a brief reflection in … Read more

God is love, but God desires to be loved in return. To love demands freedom; freedom, however, always demands a risk of abusing it!  In other words with respect to freedom Adam and Eve could have either used the freedom to glorify and praise God or to abuse their freedom and allow sin to enter into the world.

The only prohibition that God imposed on Adam and Eve was to avoid eating the fruit in the middle of the Garden, the fruit from the tree of knowledge; if done, they would die! The life of man and woman on earth … Read more

Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.

Prayer is the key to salvation.  St. Augustine says that he who prays well lives well; he who lives well dies well; and to he who dies well then all is well. St. Alphonsus reiterates the same principle:  “He who prays much will be saved; he who does not pray will be damned; he who prays little places in jeopardy his eternal salvation.”  The same saint asserted that there are neither strong people nor weak people in the world, but those who know how to pray and those who do not. In other words, prayer is our strength in all … Read more

With respect to Ignatian Holy Indifference, St Ignatius divides it into four separate categories.  “Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed by free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short. The same holds for all other things.” (Spiritual Exercises # 23)

Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.