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RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

September 2, 2026

10-8

“We cannot remain as unengaged spectators—we must become involved.”: Pope Leo’s Words Today

/ Papal Audience, Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message Blog

“We cannot remain as unengaged spectators—we must become involved.”

In this week’s Wednesday audience, Pope Leo XIV begins his catechesis on Gaudium et Spes, exploring the Church’s pastoral responsibility to engage with the contemporary world.

Does it feel like the world today is worse than ever?

Rather than being “prophets of doom,” we are called to see the state of human events through the lens of Divine Providence, interpreting them in the light of the Gospel.

This is not naïve optimism, but rather a renewed fidelity to the Mystery of Christ, one that calls us to leave behind all passivity and indifference in the face of current events. “We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved.”

This means taking on the burdens of our brothers and sisters, bearing witness to Christ’s work, and advocating for the poor and marginalized.

“In our own day, marked by profound change and much injustice, each of us, then, is called to play our part in welcoming and listening to the deepest questions and longings of the human heart, making present to all the merciful love of Christ our Savior.”

To read more of Pope Leo XIV’s General Audience reflection, click here.

“We cannot remain as unengaged spectators—we must become involved.”: Pope Leo’s Words Today Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

St Antoninus

/ Uncle Eddy

Dear Antoine, So, idolatry is making a comeback, is it?  The picture of you studying your Bible while your roommate burns incense to his crystals makes me smile – it proves once again that God has a sense of humor.  Your reaction to the situation, however, makes me frown.  Don’t be so juvenile.  God’s Providence has made you two roommates, so you better stop complaining and start making a plan of evangelization – starting with your example of charity, patience, and sincere understanding.  After all, he probably has never met someone who was really in love with Christ, and his deviant religiosity may be a sincere step in God’s direction; you should help him into the light by your respect and example. Very different was the situation back when today’s saint was battling idolatry in fourth century Palestine.  He was a Christian stonemason, but the rest of the people in his town still worshiped stone statues.  He went after them with vehement exhortations and heartfelt appeals, and it seemed that they were convinced.  So he was free to retire into the wilderness with a hermit friend of his for a couple years of spiritual training.  When he returned, the townspeople had relapsed, so he marched into their temple and smashed the statues of their so-called “gods.”  This time they violently drove him out of the city.  A neighboring bishop took him under his wing and put him in charge of building a church.  The pagans strongly objected to such a project, so strongly, in fact, that they rioted and slew the young project manager, who was only 20 years old. I hope that helps put your current affair in proper perspective.  Trust in God, my dear nephew, and convert your pagans one at a time. God bless, Uncle Eddy

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Ground_breaking

Breaking Ground on a New Home for the Legionaries of Christ in Atlanta

/ LC Territorial, Legionaries of Christ, Legionaries of Christ News, Regnum Christi News

When lightning destroyed the Legionary priests’ home in Cumming, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, the community lost nearly all their material possessions, but gained an overwhelming witness to God’s providence and the strength of the relationships that sustain their mission. Now, they’ve broken ground on a new home where they can continue their mission of serving Christ, the Church, and the Atlanta community for many years to come.

On February 16, 2025, in the very early hours of the morning, the main Legionary house in Cumming, Georgia, was struck by lightning during a severe storm, and despite the prompt and dedicated efforts of the Forsyth County Fire Department, the house was quickly engulfed in flames and burned down completely.

Thankfully, no one was injured in the fire, and all four of the Legionaries who were in the house or in the carriage house nearby at the time made it out safely. They were also able to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the chapel before it burned down.

What Do You Do When Your House Burns Down?

Legionary Superior for the Cumming community, Fr. Bruce Wren, LC, wrote about the fire and the subsequent overwhelming support that the priests received in a Substack article, “What Just Might Happen When Your House Burns Down.” In the piece, Fr. Bruce reflected on his experience of losing nearly all of his material possessions, including journals and family mementos, his personal library, and his Compostela, the pilgrim’s certificate certifying that he walked over 400 miles on the Camino de Santiago back in 2014. Despite these physical losses, Fr. Bruce recognized, especially as a priest who has taken a vow of poverty, the “ephemerality of material things.”

Break_Ground

“For us priests, the fact that we lost nearly everything we owned was strangely relatively unimportant to us,”

 wrote Fr. Bruce. In fact, the priests who were away at retreats or meetings, including Fr. Bruce himself, did not immediately rush back to the house, but stayed on to finish the work they had been sent to do. Even the priest who was inside the house when the fire began was intent on making it to the 8 a.m. Mass he was scheduled to celebrate just a few hours later, albeit in borrowed clothing.

What was important to the Legionary priests was the support they received from their neighbors and the Regnum Christi community; immediately after the fire that destroyed their home, and for the days, weeks, and months that followed, the LC community in Atlanta has experienced an outpouring of generosity of prayers, kindness, and financial support. From the neighbors who took them in on the morning of the fire and fed them coffee and breakfast, to the RC Atlanta community who opened their homes to those needing a place to stay, to those who provided immediate necessities lost in the fire, and those who made donations to help cover upfront expenses like cleanup, demolition, and deductibles.

What was the first grace we all received, or at least I know I received? The grace of realizing, in a very tangible way, that in the end material things are not what are important in my life. But what is important are people, or even more precisely, relationships. The outpouring of offers of prayers, concern, and real help—both material and personal—meant much more than whatever I had lost. I already knew it abstractly, but what I experienced was that as long as one had God and people as friends, the loss of material things, even my beloved library, didn’t matter that much. Genuine relationships make a man wealthy, not money or material things.

— Fr. Bruce Wren, LC, "What Just Might Happen When Your House Burns Down,” March 11, 2025

 break-ground2

Kurt Oppermann serves as the regional director of development for the Legionaries of Christ, and he, too, was struck by the quick response from members of the Regnum Christi family, parishioners, friends, and supporters, who offered temporary housing, meals, clothing, and financial help. “A difficult and lonely event became a clear sign that our priests are surrounded by people who care for them.” This includes the parishioners of Kurt’s own parish, Holy Spirit Church in Atlanta, which is connected to Holy Spirit Preparatory School where the Legionaries serve as chaplains and often help with Masses. The pastor, Fr. Luke Ballman, sent an email to the entire parish to explain what had happened, and the parish rallied around the LC community with generous support.  

God’s providence was clear throughout the days and weeks following the fire. Housing the Legionary community was difficult because of its size and unique needs as a religious community, but a local Regnum Christi member offered her entire home to the priests, moving in with one of her children temporarily. The house came with exactly what the priests needed: It even had a chapel which had never been used!

The greater challenge came when it was time to move from the immediate needs and emergency response to the long-term work of rebuilding. This required many decisions about planning, fundraising, insurance, design, and construction.

“During the process, we tried to keep our focus on the mission. The goal was not only to replace a building. It was to rebuild a home where the Legionary priests could live together, pray together, welcome others, and serve the apostolates entrusted to them in Atlanta.”

- Kurt Oppermann

 Breaking Ground on a New Home

On June 18, 2026, the RC Atlanta community celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Legionary home. Approximately 70 people gathered to mark this important milestone, including Legionary priests, Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, lay RC members, and many friends and supporters from the surrounding community. And because St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Cumming is served by the Legionaries of Christ, there were many parishioners, who have come to know and love the priests personally through the parish, at the celebration. Also in attendance were a group of Missionaries of Charity Sisters, who came in support of the Legionary community.

Ground_breaking1

The ceremony included a blessing of the building site, and guests were invited to bury Miraculous Medals around the property as a physical sign of asking for Mary’s intercession in the blessing of the future home.

This five-bedroom main residence will accommodate the full-time priests and provide a welcoming space for guests. There are currently eight Legionary priests who are part of the Cumming community, which includes a smaller building near the main house. Four  Regnum Christi Mission Corps missionaries will be living with a family nearby and will share in the mission of the community.

The new home will support both community life and mission. It will give living space to the priests who serve St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Church, Pinecrest Academy, ECYD, Regnum Christi Atlanta, retreats, and other apostolates in the region. It will also offer guest space to visiting priests and missionaries.

Although insurance covered a portion of the rebuilding cost, it did not cover the full expense of constructing a new home. The Legionary community continues its campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to complete this important project that will allow their mission to flourish.

break-ground3

To Make a Gift

Our Legionary priests devote their lives to serving others. They celebrate the sacraments, accompany families through life's joys and sorrows, form our youth, lead retreats, preach the Gospel, and faithfully pray for all of us each day. Rebuilding their home is one small way we can care for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for us. Every gift—large or small, one-time or recurring—brings us one step closer to welcoming our priests home.

— The Atlanta Development Team

To make a gift, please visit legionariesofchristgiving.org/lc-cumming-house-fire.

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26-09-02-DM

September 2, 2026 – Jesus Heals Us

/ Daily Meditations

Wednesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

 

Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Opening Prayer: Lord, I know that “you are the Son of God.” I believe that you desire to be with me in this intimate moment of prayer. You eagerly and lovingly want to share with me the good news of your kingdom. How I need your light to admit my need for your healing grace. You know where I avoid talking about, dealing with, or bringing to you the sorrows and wounds of my heart. Or worse still, how I try to fix any pain on my own with ways to numb or forget what scars my heart. Lord, free me from clinging to anything but you. Heal and restore my wounded soul to live in the freedom of your love.

Encountering Christ:

  1. Jesus’ Healing Ministry: It was not part of God’s original plan for mankind to suffer sickness and death; they are the consequences of original sin. Not one of us escapes these realities. Sure, we can ignore or try to avoid them for a while, but inevitably sickness and death catch up with every single one of us. For this reason, Jesus came to alleviate our sufferings and restore God’s eternal hopes for us to be with him in eternity. Throughout his public ministry, Jesus gained popularity by moving about, dedicating as much time to healing as he did preaching and teaching. It is good for us to know the faith and be learned in the Church’s teachings. But Jesus wants us to give as much attention to humbly recognizing our weakness, sickness, and sinfulness. We are in constant need of him. Where is he inviting me to be more sincere and honest as to my own need for his healing?

     

  2. Asking for Healing: Our need for Jesus to visit and heal us, in turn, enables us to serve and bring others to him. He needs our collaboration. What opportunities does Jesus give us to bring others to him through our prayers of intercession or specific acts of care and concern? We too can be agents of healing and restoration for broken hearts! Yet, what surprises us is that, as Jesus’ following grew, he turned away from the crowds who went looking for him. He was not seeking his own glory or honor. His life and ministry were firmly founded in his core relationship with the Father. Going to a deserted place and listening to the Father to know how to answer the needs of those around him were constant and essential activities of Our Lord throughout the Gospels. Jesus shows us that in order to help others and resist the temptation toward overactivity, burnout, or vainglory, we first need to accept the limitations and realities of our lives and root ourselves in him through the quiet recollection of prayer.

     

  3. Healing as a Sign: Not all who came to Jesus were cured. He wanted to do more than heal us. He wanted to give meaning to our sufferings and restore our hope. Everything Jesus did was to reveal a deeper and broader truth. His miraculous cures weren’t the end goal, but rather indicators—signs—to orient us toward our eternal destination. Jesus performed miracles and healings that served to convince us more deeply about who he is and why he came. His intent was to help us believe in his power and his mercy. What am I seeking in asking for his favor to heal or intercede for someone in need? What am I hoping for? How am I accepting suffering or illness in my life to draw closer to the Lord and my desire for eternity with him? Lord, increase my faith in you and your saving grace!

Conversing with Christ: Lord, today I bring to you the many people who are sick in mind, body, or spirit. I ask you to lay your healing hands upon them and renew their spirits. I believe you want to give us this gift to reveal your power and your desire for us to bear all things with love and dependence upon you. Health is such a priceless gift that I don’t want to take for granted, but rather to offer in the service of others. Help me to be more courageous in suffering and letting go of what is not essential to turn toward you. I want to live this earthly life in your service—please never let me become dependent upon my own efforts, but rather on you alone.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reach out to those in need by visiting them, sending them a note, or picking up the phone and calling them. But before I jump into any act of charity I will first visit with you in prayer, listening for your voice to guide me as your instrument of love. Help me to have the courage and trust to offer you whatever sorrow, concern, or pain I carry today, knowing that my offering makes present your redemptive graces for the world.

For Further Reflection: “When I Am Weak Then I Am Strong: A Retreat Guide on the Anointing of the Sick” by Father John Bartunek, LC.

Lucy Honner is a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi and the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at University Catholic, a community of students in the Nashville area who are serious about their faith. Since 1998, she has exercised her apostolate as a speaker, spiritual director, integrated health coach, and retreat director throughout North America.

September 2, 2026 – Jesus Heals Us Read More »

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!