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Why Did The Pope Choose "Francis"?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling: Saint Francis

Pope Francis has taken upon himself a new lineage of Pontifical names.  Why the name Francis?  Within Christian circles, Francis is a name that invokes thoughts of humilty and great holiness.  This is due to the fact that St. Francis of Assisi is considered one of the greatest saints within the Church.  He is also respected outside of the Catholic Church as a patron of animals and a paradigm of virtue.  It is of no wonder that this name was not chosen sooner.

Who was St. Francis?

St. Francis is a saint all Certified Christian Counselors should know.  He was a Thirteenth Century Brother who founded the Francsican Order.  His life was dedicated to the service of the poor and emulating Christ.  His life however is far from meditative and solitary but full of stories and adventures.  This great saint traveled to the Far East and dealt with great sultans and stood before past popes as he founded his brotherhood.  In addition to this, many stories circulate with how he dealt with and spoke with animals.  One such story involved a wolf who terrorized a small town and how St. Francis persuaded the wolf to leave the people alone.
Perhaps the most amazing story of St. Francis is the stigmata.  It is said that St. Francis received the wounds of Christ while in a state of deep meditation.  Very few saints possess the stigmata.  These and other astounding miracles all led to his almost immediate canonization only two years after St. Francis’ death.
Pope Francis as a religious of the Jesuit Order has always been concerned about the poor.  This is perhaps why he has always been attracted to the life of St. Francis and why he decided to choose this saint as a patron for his pontificate.
If you are interested in learning more about Christian Counseling courses, then please review the program.
Certified Christian Counselors can receive continuing education in Christian Counseling by taking the core courses.

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling: Experiencing the Passion This Lent

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Certifications in Christian Counseling: The Passion of Christ

Christian Counseling hopes to prepare spiritual children for Lent.  In some ways, a Certified Christian Counselor becomes a spiritual mentor or spiritual director in these cases.  One of the ways to help spiritual children, and yourself, grow spiritually is a focus on one’s sins and the Passion of Christ this Lent. For those interested in certifications in Christian Counseling, this article will have spiritual benefit
Experiencing the Passion of Christ can be accomplished numerous ways.  First and foremost via meditation.  A meditation that becomes initially active in choosing a mystery of Christ’s passion.  Whether it is the scourging of the pillar, the crowning of thorns, or the three hour agony of the cross, Christians can pick a particular suffering and focus on it.  This will undoubtedly bring one to tears but this good.  Too many times, Christians hope to focus on the glories of Christ or avoid the morbid suffering of their Lord.  Maybe this is because of guilt of one’s sins, or maybe the pain of seeing Christ brutally tortured?   Yet, unlike Peter in his fraility of the moment to flee, let us instead behave like John and suffer with Christ.   We should courageously enter into meditation, expecting tears and pain.  We should offer this sadness in union with our Lady to her Son.  We can in this way, ease the burden of the weight of the cross simply by being there for our Lord.  As God, Christ will sense our reflection, even though historically the incident happened 2000 years ago.  As Simon shared the weight of the cross, we too should share our small sufferings with Christ.  With Christ and only with Christ can these minute pains bear great spiritual benefit.

In addition to deep and reflective meditation, we should also socially partake in these sorrowful mysteries with our brothers and sisters.  Passion plays, the stations of the cross and pious movies on the passion are all excellent ways to remember our Lord’s passion.  As a collective group, we can remember and thank Christ for his ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
Personally in addition to attending the stations every Friday, I find it very spiritually rewarding to watch The Passion of the Christ.  This film is by no means an easy exercise.  It is a meditation in itself that tests the spirit and body.  If one truly loves Christ, then one cannot escape tears.  Based on a mystic’s visions, this film starts from the Garden and ends at the Cross.  This graphic film of Christ’s passion helps one find remorse for sin and increases one’s love for Christ.
Beyond this, there are many important theological elements within the film that capture the greater picture.  The Passion of  the Christ is more than just an execution of our Lord but is an unfolding of a battle between good and evil.  It is a pinnacle point of the war against Satan where his power over the human race will be forever altered.  The theological drama that mere human eyes cannot see are clearly portrayed in this movie.  Frequent times, Satan appears throughout the execution of Christ mocking him–only until he truly realizes that Christ is God does the demon realize his folly.
In addition to this, the movie also helps us to appreciate the suffering of our Holy Mother.  As a mother, she sacrificed her son for our sins.  Her spiritual crucifixion is clearly seen and witnessed as Jesus meets his mother on the way to Calvary.

Finally and important to note, the redemptive theology is impressive.  If one takes note, Christ is tempted by the serpent in the garden to give up.  Unlike Adam, who in a different garden gave in to the serpent, Christ as the New Adam and redeemer, crushes the head of the serpent and accepts God’s will.  In that acceptance, we are redeemed instead of damned.
I think it is important to reflect on these things during Lent.  Whether it is through meditation, a play, a movie, or the stations, we need to focus on the death of Christ, what it means to us and how we can repay him.

If you are interested in certifications in Christian Counseling, then please review the program.  Certifications in Christian Counseling usually entail qualifications in ministry, pastoral care or academic degrees.  If you are qualified, you can earn certifications in Christian Counseling by taking the core courses.  Once the courses are complete, you can become certified.

Mark Moran, MA

Eastern Fast and Western Fast: The Difference?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Become a Certified Christian Counselor:  East and West Fast Differences

Christian Counselors can help many confused Christians of both East and West regarding fast rules and regulations.  Christian Counseling sessions can include a time for informative exchange of information.  One such conversation can include both Eastern and Western guidelines.

The History of Differences

Even prior to the schism of the Eleventh Century, the East and the West had begun to diverge socially from each other.  While the Eastern empire continued to prosper, the Western empire began to crumble as barbarian invasions crippled it during the Fourth and Fifth centuries.  Traditions that were once universally shared began to erode hence creating two different social and cultural traditions of Christianity.  While sharing the same faith and professing the same lord, the West began to adapt to the culture that had subdued it.   In fact, as Rome christianized the barbarians and became the only light of the dark ages, it also was changed in some ways.
The See of Peter became a secular throne as well as a spiritual one which whether for better or worst would shape the future of the papacy and its interactions with the new found kingdoms.  As these changes progressed, the church itself would become a central figure in the new culture of Western Christendom.   While there were many differences between East and West such a celebrant priesthood, the role of the pope, the filioque and other minor rules, the two churches continued to exist as one universal church.  These issues would later lead to a schism between the two heads of Rome and Constantinople.
Among the minor differences were fast rules.  The East then and as well as today, subscribed to a stricter Lenten code.  This included days of Abstinence from meat products on both Wednesday and Friday.  It also included Lent starting on Monday instead of Wednesday.  A final difference was regarding complete fast days.  The East subscribed to no dairy and meat on the first day of Lent and Good Friday.
The West would adapt to its new found converts and only enforce no meat on Friday, start Lent on Ash Wednesday and not enforce dairy on complete days of abstinence.
Since then, these rules have continued to exist in both churches.  Slight differences include Latin age requirements of 21 to 59, while Byzantine requirements are for all who can receive communion.
The Eastern Churches in union with Rome also maintained their traditions but coincide with the West in regards to the Gregorian calendar, while the Orthodox hold firm to the Julian calendar–which ultimately places Easter usually on a different day. A final difference is the East counts Sundays as part of the consequent forty days of Lent, hence the Eastern Lent ends the Friday before Good Friday, but Holy Week still involves fasting as a separate period of purification.  The West counts its Lent to the day prior to Good Friday and recently included Good Friday into the Easter Tridiuum till Easter Vigil.  All fasts are still imposed the final three days.
Whether Eastern or Western, Catholic or Orthodox, or Catholic or Protestant, all can agree sacrifices and offerings to God as a universal whole are important.  This Lent, no matter what rules or regulations bind us in charity, let us all offer together to God remorse for our sins and thanksgiving for the sacrifice of his Son.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, then please review the program. If you would like to become a certified Christian Counselor, then please review also the courses that lead to certification.

Mark Moran, MA

Lent: At the Base of Golgatha

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Which Sacrifice is Better: Self Imposed or Inflicted?

Lent begins next week for the Eastern Catholic Church on Monday and for the Western Church as a whole on Wednesday.  While there are many regulations and ideas regarding fasting, days of abstinence and sacrifice, we will focus on a deeper spiritual idea today.  If you are interested in regulatory issues, please review blogs from last year that are archived, but this year I would rather focus on a deeper mystical issues.   Issues that Christian Counseling should look at as true methods for spiritual growth instead of merely giving something up and “grumbling about it for forty days”.
The first concept lies in obedience.  So many times, in Lent, we choose our own “demise”.  We pick to give up chocolate, television, or radio as our means of sacrifice.  While this has merit and is not discouraged, it should not be our primary and sole purpose of Lenten sacrifice.  Instead, let us focus on the small and trivial things that come before us without our consent.  The annoying individual or the small ache can all be utilized as sacrifice to God.  In obedience we accept what God gives us and then offer it up to the Lord.  In fact, we offer all our pains and irritations up to Christ at the foot of Golgatha, as he prepares to carry our crosses.  When we unite our pains with Christ, he gains merit for us and others.
So yes, voluntary sacrifice is important, as well as mandatory fasting, but the biggest impact may be in the unexpected and unwanted sacrifice that comes our way.  In obedience and charity we can make these things the biggest sacrifices for this Lent.
Tied to this obedience will grow a closer union with God.  This is the purpose of Lent!  The great mystics, St. Teresa of Avilla and St. John of the Cross all emphasized in their mystical theologies, the importance of union with God.  Obedience was always central in their teaching.  Through Lent, we exercise the first step of that union via purgation.  Sacrifice enables the soul to purge itself of the false idols of this world and enter into a state where the soul becomes pure and more able to receive illumination, which then leads to unity.
This Lent, let us purge ourselves, but not only by our chosen end but by whatever God may send us.  This is truly the heavy cross–and much heavier than self imposed penance.  If we wish to emulate Christ, we must realize his sacrifice was not his choice but one he accepted via obedience.  Christ was not able to pick or choose a way he would redeem us but was ultimately given only one choice and he accepted that cross.  Let our Lenten sacrifices also include the unexpected cross that God may give us.
If you are interested in learning more about Christian Counseling, then please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Learning More About Christian Counseling: Solitude and Silence in Christian Life

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling: The Life of Solitude in Christian Thought

Christians Counselors and Mystics understand the value of solitude and peace.  St. Teresa of Avila found it essential in contemplative formation.  Solitude is in many ways, the spiritual fortress Christians retreat to in order to heal and reconvene with their master, Christ.  As St. Teresa learned though, Christian solitude while necessary for formation is only temporary, for the Gospel of Christ is a social Gospel to spread and care for one’s brothers and sisters.  Christ recreates us with his grace and utilizes us for his purpose.  Solitude and peace is only temporary for it is the forging period of one’s soul to later make disciples of all nations.

How Does Solitude Help

Solitude frees one from the occasions of sin and the noises of the world.  It removes the social character of our human nature and forces one to look deep within.  The spiritual mirror of our soul does not lie or offer excuses, it reflects what we truly are.  In contemplation of solitude, our soul wears no mask or pretends to be something it is not, for we are confronted with what we truly are.  We  are stripped of our colors and fronts and exposed for all our weakness.  In this solittude, we discover truth and in truth we discover humility.
In this stricken moment, the soul in solitude can only look one place for comfort and peace; Christ.  Christ acknowledges what we are but through his grace elevates us and transforms us.  As a sword being forged, in solitude, Christ forges us.  He speaks to us, elevates us and transforms us into his disciples.
Without solitude and peace, we cannot find ourselves.  We will always be distracted by the world and its lies.  We will not find who we truly are because we will be too busy trying to be someone else.  Solitude gives us that opportunity to find ourselves.
Christian Counselors should recommend retreats for their spiritual children.  At  retreat, a person has time to fall back from the world and focus on one’s spiritual and true self.  They can see what wrong turns they may have made and correct these faults.  Most importantly, people can reconnect with Christ and truly see what matters most.
If you are interested in learning more about Christian counseling, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

PreLenten Sundays and Preparation for the Great Fast

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling: Preparation for Lent from the Perspective of the East

Prior to the start of the Great Fast, the Eastern Church in particular prepares itself through four Pre-Lenten Sunday themes.  These themes are associated with fasting, forgiveness and judgment and are also Sundays that celebrate items that will be denied during the Fast.  Christian Counselors who have knowledge of Eastern ideals can also help you understand these celebrations.
The first Sunday is the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee.  In this story, Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians are shown the importance of humility in fasting.  God rejects pride and one’s ego and will only accept sacrifices in humility.
The second Sunday is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.  This biblical parable tells of how the irresponsible son returned to his father after years of neglect.  It emphasizes God’s forgiveness but also entices us to realize that God’s love is always there but it is us through our own fall nature that keeps that love out of our life.  Our exile is self imposed and all we need to do is return to God and he will accept us and shower us with his love.
The third Sunday is the Sunday of the Last Judgment.  This Sunday emphasizes how those who refuse to love their fellow neighbor will face damnation.  Christ in this classic story prophesies how he will ask everyone how they treated their fellow neighbor and when they did or did not, they did or did not to him.  This Sunday also celebrates Meatfare Sunday as the last day before the great Fast in which they can eat meat.
The final Sunday is the Sunday of Forgiveness.  This Sunday illustrates how we must fast in private and not advertise the world our suffering.  Instead Christ teaches that we should clean ourselves and hide our fasting for only the Father needs to know of our good deeds.  Christ also emphasizes in the Gospel during that week how if we forgive others how we will also receive forgiveness.  This Sunday also celebrates Cheesefare Sunday where the last day of dairy consumption is permitted before the start of the Great Fast.
These four Sundays prepare Eastern Christians for Clean Monday or the first day of Lent, which is a complete day of Abstinence from dairy and meat.  Of course, Latin or Western Catholic do not begin their Lenten journey, two days later on Ash Wednesday.  While the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians share the same feasts, they fall on different days as well since the Eastern Catholics share the Gregorian Calendar unlike the Orthodox who follow the Julian calendar.
If you are interested in learning more about Christian Counseling or Lenten themes, please review the site and also keep in mind, there is a library of resources on Lent from last year, just merely go to February and March of 2012 to find other related articles.
If you would like to learn where to take Christian Counseling Courses, then please also review our program.

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling: Christ in Marriage

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling:  Is Christ in Your Marriage?

Christ’s presence at the marriage in Cana saved the day, is Christ invited to your marriage to possibly saves yours? Also, if you are interested in Christian Counseling courses, then please review Recently a homily on the Wedding Feast of Cana caught my ear.  The priest emphasized the importance of Christ in one’s marriage.  Christian Counseling must also emphasize this invitation to Christ to young married couples.  With divorce rates sky rocketing and marriage becoming merely a legal title, the secular idea of marriage has failed society.  It has led to broken homes which have led to broken people.  Without the stability of the first cell of society, how can society thrive?
By inviting Christ into your marriage, you increase your chance to preserve your marriage.  With Christ comes many blessings but also the idea that marriage is a bond and forever.  When people understand that life is not easy and if something breaks, you do not replace it merely to replace it, then a new paradigm emerges.  A paradigm that looks for fortitude when times become tough.  While financial and personal issues can tear apart people, Christians who face these things have Christ at their side.  Why?  Because they have welcomed him into their marriage.
Before Christ, there was marriage.  Marriage existed as a contract between a man and woman for centuries.   Yet at the Wedding Feast of Cana, Christ for the first time made marriage sacred.  He enhanced it and elevated it to a sacred and sacramental state.  Christ’s presence at Cana did not only in general make marriage sacred but it also made a huge difference for the couple who invited him.  If they had not invited him they would have ran out of wine.  Yet because of Christ’s presence, his first public miracle was observed.  He turned water into wine and saved the bride and groom from a disgraceful celebration.  Yet symbolically, through his presence, water was turned into wine.  He hence enhanced it.  He also enhances any union spiritually by his mere presence, but we must first invite him–as did the couple at Cana.
Do married couples invite Christ into their marriage to make a difference?  It starts from the beginning.  Before marriage, the couple should dedicate their marriage to Christ and follow the proper religious ceremonies.  It should not be a secular event at the court house but a religious and sacred ceremony conducted by a priest or minister.
If Christ is truly invited and accepted into one’s marriage, then one’s marriage will manifest his fruits.  The couple will understand the sacred nature of their covenant to one another and allow the grace of Christ and his presence to bring forth the holiness of their union.  Christ like at Cana can make a difference, but he needs invited first?
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, then please review the program

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling:The Theophany and Its Implications

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling and Themes from the Theophany

After celebrating the Theophany or the Baptism of Christ last Sunday on January 6th, we can mediate on many aspects of Christ and St. John the Baptist.  Certified counselors during Christian Counseling should utilize various feast days that surround their sessions, especially if they can help illuminate a particular theme in counseling.  The Baptism of Christ has a variety of themes.
The first theme is the necessity of Baptism and the humility of Christ.  Jesus obviously did not need to be baptized but he lowered himself to teach us the importance of obedience to the law as well as the importance for him as the New Adam to become the first to be baptized.  His presence laid the foundation for the sacramental nature of Baptism and its necessity for future generations.
Christ’s humility manifested his greatness at his Baptism.  The moment John baptized Christ, the manifestation of the Trinity appeared above him.  The Father proclaimed his acceptance of his son and the Holy Spirit shone above in the form of a dove.  The Theophany is considered a major feast in the Eastern Church because of this great manifestation of Christ’s divinity as a sharer of substance in the Trinity.
Another element of humility and discipleship can be seen in the vocation of St. John the Baptist.  He felt justly unworthy to baptize the Lord, but Jesus while knowing this still insisted that John baptize him.  We as disciples of the Lord are all unworthy.  We are all fighting some type of vice.  We are all certainly even less worthy than St. John the Baptist, but still Christ insists we carry on and do what he asks of us.  He chooses among sinners and through the Holy Spirit perfects his children.  Hence, we should never allow our own weaknesses to discourage us from our vocational calling, instead as St. John the Baptist, we must obey Christ and trust in him so that we may carry out our calling.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review our program.  For those who wish to become a certified Christian Counselor, qualified professionals merely must take the required courses.  After completion of these courses, one can become a certified christian counselor.

Mark Moran, MA

New Year Resolutions That Reflect Spiritual Mastery

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling and New Year Resolutions

Secular society confuses true change with superficial change.  Christians realize that true changes stem from the core of one’s being.  Christian Counseling hence urges people to find true meaning in their New Year Resolutions that go beyond the mere breaking of bad habits to true spiritual regeneration.
Yes, to quit smoking, diet, or work out more are great things that Christians should encourage, but when these things are the only things we notice, then we are truly spiritually in danger.  When we look to improve ourselves, we need to look not just at the surface but at the deepest part of our souls.  We need to realize that while quitting smoking may be great, it is even more important that we stop certain vices that are destroying our soul.  Maybe we use the Lord’s name in vain, not attend Sunday service, Mass or Liturgy, or maybe we do not give God enough prayer.  Maybe its a vice of lust, sloth, pride, or envy that dominates our being?  A thorough examination of conscience should be made at New Year to identify the weaknesses in our spiritual armor to work towards cultivating the virtues that contradict those vices!
In addition to inwardly working on ourselves, we may find ourselves in a position to allow our inner spiritual beauty to bloom in the early Winter, as we perform more spiritual and corporal works of mercy.  Have we been sitting on the sideline too long while others suffer?
In this way, we should take each New Year as a chapter in our life to cultivate a particular Christian virtue.  Each year we should attempt to master a different virtue in an attempt to become more Christ like.  While many New Year resolutions fade into the cold month of February, let us remain in prayer with Christ, and continue with fortitude on any spiritual resolutions we may make.
These are the resolutions that matter most for they will follow us into eternity.

If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.  For those who want to learn how to become a Christian Counselor, one can review our program and discover the various courses that are required for certification.
The process on how to become a Christian Counselor first requires a competent background.  One should have a ministry or pastoral background.  The second element is taking the courses.

Mark Moran. MA

How You Can Grow Your Counseling Business Online!

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Gain A Following For Your Counseling Business With Social Media Marketing

There are many benefits to employing social media marketing strategies. Social media allows you to instantly communicate with a broad customer base, and interact with them to generate interest in your products, services, and overall business. This article provides valuable guidance on utilizing social media marketing strategies successfully. Use these tips to make your counseling business more successful.
Keep in mind that Facebook fan pages are for businesses and personal pages are for individuals. If you mix up the two then you are putting yourself at risk of being deleted. While it is a good idea to be a bit personal on your fan page it is important to separate the two.

A man with a clipboard taking notes
Starting up a counseling business can be hard. Follow these tips to get your name out there!

A certain video does not need to go viral for your counseling company to succeed. On the other side, going viral does not mean your company will have a standing success. The more important thing to focus on is creating a steady, returning customer base that recommends your services on experience. Going viral may seem nice at first, but such things can die out just as quickly and leave you in over your head.
While having various ads on social media sites, you should definitely have a few special deals for your business. This will give your potential buyers incentive to click on your ad. By having specials on your ads, and only on these ads, the customers feel slightly more obligated to go there and see what your business has to offer.
If you are using social media to promote your product and you have written a blog post, have it posted to your Facebook page as well. This way, everyone that is on your friends list has access to your blog post. The same holds true for other social network sites.
The headline above your prepared media should immediately grab the reader’s attention and give them a reason to stay. A proper “reader callout” is a core puzzle piece, and if done incorrectly can cost your counseling company customers and profits. Find a way that touches each reader individually, while also not becoming so complex that it causes them to lose interest in the media.
People primarily use social media sites for fun, and if you can find a way to make buying from you entertaining, they’ll be much more likely to purchase something. For example, offer a discount on your products to anyone who follows your page, but make the discount they get a mystery. Some followers might save only 5%, while others get a huge discount. People will encourage their friends to see what results they get, and you’ll build up followers in no time.
One great idea for the content on your social media pages is to put up some great videos. If you have a video that people find especially funny or informative there is a chance that your viewers may pass these around to other friends which can increase the viewership of your page dramatically.
Some larger companies have helped their employees bond and come together through successful social media marketing. It can link employees from all over the world to one site and help build a team of connected workers even though they may never meet in person. This will also expose you to all your employees’ contacts if they share content from the company social site.
Maintain a positive perspective regardless of what others post on your page when using social media marketing. Being positive is essential to making your customers feel good when they visit your page. If they feel good, they are more likely to share your page or revisit to see what deals or promotions you may have running.
Twitter is a great way to market your company on the world wide web. However, make sure that you don’t just throw out information without saying “please” and “thank you”. Manners are very important so customers don’t feel that you are being pushy or disrespectful. Be polite when talking about your company and giving out information.
As this article has shown, there are many benefits to employing social media marketing strategies, and there are many different ways to use social media. Social media marketing could be the extra push your counseling business needs to obtain the success you have been seeking. Apply the advice in this article, and see what social media marketing can do for you.