The Richness of the Catholic Faith: a Poet's View

By John Patrick Gatton

The stories and poetry in this book are reflections about the richness of my own life experiences springing from Catholic beliefs. They arouse the spirit of healing by taking us into the familiar experiences of: Laughing with God. Learning how our faith shapes our life events. Recalling friends who have added happiness to our life experiences through their own beliefs. Enjoying a rare set of stories about how our male friends contribute to the richness of the life experiences of their families, their friends, and their communities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449758028

John Patrick Gatton

About John Patrick Gatton My first poem was titled “Imagine.” My own spirit responded to that poem’s description of our daughter Cindy’s arrival in heaven. That spiritual response has inspired my writings for more than twenty-five years. After having cancer and experiencing MariEl Healing through a wonderful woman of healing, Patrice Cheviot, I became a MariEl Healing practitioner. MariEl Healing emanates from Jesus flowing through Mary. The practitioner is a participant in the prayer process. Friends knew of my history and asked to personally experience this healing prayer. Twenty years later, I have prayed with hundreds of people who have cancer. Out of those prayer experiences, and based on a career of formulating and delivering executive development workshops, I created workshop experiences for people experiencing cancer. Recently, I have been delivering workshops for people who are searching for deeper peace and emotional freedom through their own relationship with God. Over the years, these workshops have been given to the American Cancer Society, conducted at churches, and at the Upper Room, a Catholic spiritual development center in Neptune, NJ. Before writing, a prayer asking for guidance helped me feel spiritually connected and attuned to persons whose stories are reflected in this book. These stories are about spiritual life based in Catholic/Christian beliefs and our increasingly graced relationship with God that springs from those beliefs.

Book preview

The Richness of the Catholic 

Faith: A Poet’s View

John Patrick Gatton

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Copyright © 2012 by John Patrick Gatton

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Cover pages by Alex Gatton, artist

visit Alex’s website: http://alexgattonillustrations.blogspot.com/

John Patrick Gatton’s books and CD are available in bookstores and on Amazon.com.

Visit Patrick’s website: http://www.gattonmentor.com

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5801-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5803-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-5802-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012911555

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/26/2012

Contents

Introduction

Part I

God (Source) Is with Us

Progressing from Wondering to Wonderment

Life Is Everlasting, Eternal!

Passing

Christmas Light

Mary: An Observation

A Letter to Today’s Catholic Reader

The Boy with the Loaves and Fishes

Why I Accepted the Way of the Cross

In My Arms His Body Lies

My Crowning Day

An Enduring Friend

The Joy of Being with You, Barbara Ruth

About Nancy

Two or More

A Prayer of Forgiveness

A Prayer of Inclusion

Our Catholic Faith Teaches that God Is with Us

A Miracle of Love Explained

About Rosemary

Part II

The Qualities of Human Laughter

Tangy to the Taste

The Idea of Whipping Cream

The Joy of Taste

Love of Life with Laughter

Lingering Thoughts that Make You Chuckle

The Body’s Reaction to Fun

The Value of the One Who Makes You Laugh

Why You Are Ticklish

The Father’s Laughter:

A Heavenly View

If All in Heaven Laugh, What Results?

A Range of Laughter

The Resonating of Laughter

Mary’s Song

The Angel Named Humor

What’s the Choice?

Why the Choice?

Who Laughs with You?

Part III

Longitude

Latitude

Replenishing the World

Arlington, a Symbol

National Holidays

Times Square, Also a Living Symbol

Amore in Each Land

When Time Speaks

A Listening Tree

Why Allergies?

The Left Side of the Street

An Echo

When God Speaks

Along the Park Boundary

Levitation and Reality

Part IV

A Friend Indeed

A Different Kind of Guy

The Professor

In Testimony of Good Men

Friends Call Him the Master

This Friend We Call Joe

Questo Amico Noi Chiamiamo Giuseppe

The Architect

A Man of History

USN Commander, Retired

The Craftsman

They Call Him Coach

The Quiet Men

Father’s Day

Our Catholic Celebration

of Jesus, the Christ

Why are we able to celebrate?

                   … Renewal through Jesus

Why ought we celebrate?

                   … Our lives, our thinking, and our destinies are now hope filled

Who do we celebrate?

 … The One who renewed our lives

 … Ourselves who are renewed

Whom do we invite to celebrate?

                   … The one next to us

                   … The one distant from us

                   … Those who have gathered to be with us

What is the time period for our celebration?

 … Forever

Where will we hold the celebration?

… Everywhere

What is the celebration about?

                   … Being with God

                   … Love

                   … Faith

                   … Hope

                   … Charity

                   … Renewed life

Who is invited to celebrate?

                   … You and I

                   … My family and yours

                   … Each who wants peace

Who enjoys our celebration?

                   … God, who we celebrate

                   … Those who taught us to celebrate

                   … Those desiring to celebrate

                   … The keeper of eternal wisdom

Dedicated to those with whom I celebrate life

Introduction

Many of us have not studied Catholic beliefs in depth, yet, like our parents and our ancestors, we have discussed these beliefs and observed the results of believing. Trusting in the beliefs, we have shaped family and community values that make life worth living. The poems and stories contained in this book are my poetic expressions of the richness that the Catholic faith has added to my life.

Storytelling and poetry are art forms used to communicate memorable ideas, beliefs, and traditions for thousands of years. Jesus was a masterful storyteller whose stories we read and interpret and apply to modern-day situations to help us understand how to live life well.

My purpose is simply to give a poet’s point of view on the richness added to our lives when we realize that Jesus is with us as a friend. He is the friend of ours who is both Son of God and Son of Man.

Part I

The recognition of God as our creator opens our minds to unlimited experiences with God. Those experiences can be of the mind, the body, the emotions, and/or the soul. Our belief is that God is the source of all life. As the source of our lives, God refreshes us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

The following story is about this refreshing love of God.

God (Source) Is with Us

He