Welcome to our Lost Sheep Blog. I’m so glad you found us here. I am Fr. Greg, a former lost sheep, who is now the shepherd (pastor) of the flock at Our Lady of the Visitation Parish in Darnestown, MD. This is a site for those who have been away from the Church or our parish, or who just feel lost in the world. It’s good to connect even if it’s just virtually here, and to know you are not alone.

Miracles
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Miracles

All of the sacraments contain the Power and Grace of Christ and are real.

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Infallibility
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Infallibility

The Pope, as a Successor of St. Peter, is infallible, and Scripture reveals it.

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Respect for the Eucharist
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Respect for the Eucharist

If someone is not Catholic and wants to receive Communion, I am happy to pursue this with him or her.

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Got questions?
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Got questions?

I would like to address your questions in my posts. Others probably have the same questions as you so it will help more than just you if you ask. We have all Catholic questions but might struggle with where to start.

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Throne of mercy
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Throne of mercy

The Lord wants His lost sheep back and makes very generous and concrete offers of forgiveness.

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Catholicism 101
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Catholicism 101

The study of our Catholic faith even at a basic level is so fascinating!

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Joy ride
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Joy ride

Sixteen years ago, I drove down to the Basilica ( of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception) in DC on a Saturday morning.

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Encounter with God
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Encounter with God

There are many stories to tell about people from our parish having profound experiences with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration this past year.

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Humble pie
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Humble pie

Of all the items on the comeback list, going to Confession is probably the hardest.

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Memorial
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Memorial

Every day in the Church is a memorial day. Every day we have Mass which is a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

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God can speak through technology
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

God can speak through technology

What I’ve learned about podcasts is that they can be very instructive to Catholics who are in different places in their faith and understanding.

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A matter of trust
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

A matter of trust

It’s a matter of trust: if we trust the person with whom we speak, then the door is open to trusting in their beliefs and practices.

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Comeback time
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Comeback time

Here are ten suggestions for making the first step back to Christ and the Church.

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Let the children come to me
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Let the children come to me

It is such an enjoyable and satisfying experience to share faith and life in Christ with young people.

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Soul Kitchen
Fr. Gregory Shaffer Fr. Gregory Shaffer

Soul Kitchen

First, at the parish, we have been doing much cleaning and bringing in fresh ingredients here the past nine months.

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