Living Our Lenten Promises Throughout the Year

Today I found myself wondering, “why are fasting, praying, and giving alms (helping the poor) so important to Lent? And why do we only do it once a year?”

I’m sure most of us have thought about this question at one point or another.

Lent is a special time to offer up our actions to Christ so that we may not only be able to rise with him on Easter, but also so that we develop the strength and discipline to carry out our Lenten promises throughout the year.

The truth is that fasting, prayer, and helping the poor isn’t to be confined only to Lent. As Easter draws near and Lent comes to an end, we need to remember to carry out our Lenten promises throughout the year.

Praying for others and helping the poor are things that we are obligated to do as imitators of Christ throughout the year not just during Lent.  

"The development of each person, the honoring of his or her rights and the common good of all the human family are the responsibility of each and all. Each person is an heir of previous generations and the beneficiary of contemporaries." (from “Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret”)

I think it’s incredibly unique that serving others is literally part of our religion.

We cannot truly call ourselves “Catholic” if we are not living our Lenten promises year round.

1 John 3:17-18 says, “If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” 

By: Savannah Olshove, Intern

Poverty and Action

I have been reading "Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do about It" by Larry Snyder, and it made me really curious about poverty in Virginia. I often think of poverty as a third world country, and I forget that it's happening in our own backyard. Over 40 million Americans live in poverty. According to the research by the Department of Social Services, in Virginia alone, there are over 750,000 people living in poverty including over 250,000 children. 1 in 10 Virginians lived below the federal poverty line in 2008, and Virginia's poverty rate has not decreased in the past 30 years. Recent research has shown that it will continue to increase, unless something is done about it.

In Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), he says, "Charity is at the heart of the Church's social doctrine. Every responsibility and every commitment spelt out by that doctrine is derived from charity which, according to the teaching of Jesus, is the synthesis of the entire Law (cf. Mt 22:36- 40). It gives real substance to the personal relationship with God and with neighbor; it is the principle not only of micro-relationships (with friends, with family members or within small groups) but also of macro-relationships (social, economic and political ones). For the Church, instructed by the Gospel, charity is everything because, as Saint John teaches (cf. 1 Jn 4:8, 16) and as I recalled in my first Encyclical letter, “God is love” everything has its origin in God's love, everything is shaped by it, everything is directed towards it. Love is God's greatest gift to humanity, it is his promise and our hope."

I know a lot of people are probably reading this thinking, "well all of the people that are living in poverty in my state are poor because they are just looking for a free handout, and are too lazy to get a job." In certain cases, this statement can be true, but there are currently 27 kids at the local homeless shelter in my hometown. Do you think those kids are looking for a free handout? I mean, what kid wants to be living at a homeless shelter over Thanksgiving? I'd want to be at home with my parents baking cookies, and watching holiday movies.

I don't know what it's like to live in poverty, but I see it every day in my own neighborhood. Nelson Mendela said, “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.”

As Christians and Catholics we are morally obliged to recognize poverty in our communities, and to see everyone as if they were Jesus in disguise. Pope Benedict said, "The more we strive to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbors, the more effectively we love them."

By: Savannah Olshove

Faith Alone

As Christians we know that we are saved by our faith alone, but because of this many people believe that all you have to do is go to church once a week to call yourself a Christian. However, as Christians we are called to do much more than that. Unfortunately this "slogan" of being saved "by faith alone" has made us lazy. I really don't like that phrase. It's like saying, "I don't have to put effort into my work because I am smart." Or, "my garden will flourish because I planted it, in good soil." Because of this mentality, there are many Catholics today, who only go to Mass once a week, and check it off their "Heaven Points" list.

Being a Catholic is so much more then, just going to Mass. A synonym for the word "Catholic" is universal. We are the universal church. Our church is for everyone. Meaning, every person we meet is part of our church, whether or not they go to Mass, or are even Christian. They are still our brothers and sisters under God.

Unfortunately, many of our brothers and sisters live in negative environments. Whether they live across the ocean, and face genocide, war, and extreme poverty daily, or across the street and are dealing with alcoholism, drug abuse, and violence. These people are still part of our universal church; they are part of our family.

As Catholics we are called much more then to go to Mass once a week, we are called to help others in need. Luke 4:16-19 says, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and that the time has come when the Lord will set free his people."

Even though Jesus is no longer physically on Earth with us, he still wants us to carry out his work, by helping the poor, set free the captives of poverty, slavery, and social discrimination; and to help other Catholics, get involved in being the hands and feet of Jesus.

What I'm trying to say is, just going to Mass once a week doesn't cut it. There are no loop holes in Catholicism. To be Catholic you need to not only be in a constant state of prayer and faith, but also be an advocate of justice and peace. As his Holiness Pope Francis said after visiting the slums in Rio De Janerio, "I would like to make an appeal to those in possession of greater resources, to public authorities and to all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater solidarity! No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world!  Everybody, according to his or her particular opportunities and responsibilities, should be able to make a personal contribution to putting an end to so many social injustices.  The culture of selfishness and individualism that often prevails in our society is not what builds up and leads to a more habitable world: it is the culture of solidarity that does so, seeing others not as rivals or statistics, but brothers and sisters."

By Savannah Olshove, Intern at the Office of Social Ministry

Living Our Faith- Outside of the Pew

Being Christians as we all know requires more than sitting in a Pew on Sundays. If we want to be close to God and live our lives in relationship and communion with him then a little more is required than passive attention. We have opportunities to grow closer to Him all the time, to celebrate the sacraments, attend liturgy, study scripture and take classes to learn about the most important and loving being in our lives. We also have to try to imitate Jesus and live His way every minute of our lives. That means at home, at school, at work, at the grocery store, in our neighborhoods and communities, and in our parishes. Understanding “Catholic Social Teaching” can help us to do that. We must reach out to those in need, even when it inconveniences us. We must honor the dignity of our families, co-workers, classmates and neighbors. We must love them with a self- sacrificing love, recognizing that they are made in God’s image and that whatever we do to them we do to Him. Easier said than done?? Tomorrow at work or at school think of the Creator of the Universe and unite your work to His work of creating and caring for all of the things and people on earth.  When you are eating a meal with your family remember those without food and thank God that you are able to feed the hungry at home, talk with your family about a plan to help those in need of food and shelter. Treat the checkout clerk at the grocery store the way you would treat Christ, He is in them. Every moment, in every situation we have a choice to live out our faith  and do things as Christ would since we are his followers, or to do things our own way and reserve thinking about or living our faith to Sunday mornings. It is a lifestyle not an extracurricular activity. We are Christians everywhere and at all times and living the Christian life can be difficult. That is why we have a Christian community to help us along the way as well as social teaching to help us apply biblical principals to our everyday lives.

The 2013 Fuel and Hunger Fund

The Fuel and Hunger Fund, administered by the Office of Justice and Peace, supports Catholic outreach and ministry programs serving people in need - children, single adults, families, and the elderly - in communities across the Diocese.  Funds provide meals and groceries and help people with heating, rent or shelter.  

Last year, Fuel and Hunger funds helped Catholic parishes, organizations, and their community partners serve more than 55,000 families and over 170,000 individuals in our Diocese who were in need of assistance. This year, the Office of Justice and Peace has provided 63 grants, totaling just over $170,000, thanks to the generous support of the Annual Diocesan Appeal by Catholic parishioners across the Diocese.

Ms. Brenda Orie is the Director of Social Ministries at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Newport News and runs St. Vincent’s Social Action Center, one of this year's Fuel and Hunger Grantees, with the support of countless volunteers from the parish and from the community. Ms. Orie came to work at the Center 13 years ago after 35 years in management at the shipyard in Newport News. “Although I had been a parishioner for 50 some years, I had no idea how many people in our community were in need.” Ms. Orie said.

The Social Action Center provides meals to over 100 people in need everyd day, Monday - Friday. “We serve many homeless people,” said Ms. Orie, “but not everyone we serve is homeless. We get people who have been released from prison and come to us with nothing but the clothes on their backs, we get people who have lost a job due to the economy and are unable to pay rent and buy food and clothes. Many people have fallen on hard times and just need a little help. Regardless of the situation a person is in, they still need our help. We are not here to judge; we are here to help.”

13 years ago when Ms. Orie took on the roll of organizing and running the Center, there was an active food pantry and daily feeding program. Over the years, the Social Action Center has developed additional services like their clothing closet and their job coaching program for people returning from periods of incarceration. The Center provides bus passes to individuals who do not have transportation to a doctor’s appointment or to the department of Social Services, and financial assistance for people in danger of being evicted or having a utility disconnected. Every year, St. Vincent’s also organizes a Downtown Christmas Party, typically held the Saturday before Christmas, for between 500 and 600 people who would otherwise receive no gift on Christmas morning. “When we see a need, we try to respond,” says Ms. Orie, “we stay very busy, but that’s what it’s all about – helping people in need.”

Although the Social Action Center is sponsored by St. Vincent’s in Newport News, it takes the efforts of countless volunteers to come together and make the programs work. Volunteers come from St. Vincent’s, from other area congregations, and from other civic groups who hear what the Social Action Center is doing and want to be a part of it. Even sailors from the nearby Navy ships stop in to help every Tuesday. “People come from all walks of life and they seem to enjoy helping – it’s been a blessing; without the volunteers, we could never be able to do what we do” said Ms. Orie. “No one Church can do all of this by themselves – it takes people coming together, people banding together to make helping others happen. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who makes the Fuel and Hunger Fund possible. Everything that we get is a help – when you’re feeding over 100 people a day, it takes a lot.”

It’s fitting that a parish with the name St. Vincent de Paul has such an active Social Ministry - St. Vincent is the patron of charitable activity, as well as of our Diocese. St. Vincent said "Let’s give ourselves to God, then, once and for all, let’s work, let’s work, let’s go to the assistance of the poor... who are waiting for us."

When we go out and talk to the people who run efforts like the one at St. Vincent’s, we can’t help but be amazed at the scope of the work being done, and the inventive ways that our parishioners, parishes and Catholic Charities’ agencies give themselves to God by going to the assistance of people who are poor.

Jay Brown

(a version of this article appears in the upcoming issue of the Catholic Virginian)

Respect for Life After Birth

“Babies are a gift from God!” We’ve all heard that. They are sweet, gentle, beautiful, intelligent, strong, and soft and cuddly. They smell good (most of the time) and their laughter is one of the best sounds in the world. I love babies! I’ve been blessed with 5 of them and each of their births has been an experience of God for me. But babies are also dependent on others, and because of this they are vulnerable, and our Church reminds us today -- on Respect Life Sunday --that babies need protecting in the womb, just to make it into this big world.

The Church also reminds us today that babies grow up. Some grow up in loving families and stable homes, with a supportive father and mother leading the way and a savings account waiting for them when they’re older. Other babies grow up in homes where they are abused, or in homes where there isn’t enough money to pay for food, rent, and utilities, or sometimes they might not even know who their father is. Sometimes their home is a car. Some babies grow up to be hardworking doctors and nurses and teachers and scientists and engineers.  But some babies grow up as women who find themselves in a violent marriage, or as young men who struggle with mental illness and go on shooting rampages. Or they grow up to be imprisoned or even executed, like an inmate at Greensville Correctional Center named Robert Gleason was on Wednesday night. “Respect Life” is about all kinds of grown-up babies, too.

What the Church teaches us is this: every life is sacred and every life deserves dignity -- no matter what. Our bishops have written: “our witness to respect for life shines most brightly when we demand respect for each and every human life including the lives of those who fail to show that respect for others. The antidote to violence is love, not more violence.” (USCCB, Living the Gospel of Life, no. 22, 1998.)

I recently saw the musical Les Miserables. Cried my eyes out! We might ask ourselves, in light of Respect Life, are we going to live like Inspector Javert, who relentlessly pursues Jean Valjean to condemn him? Are we going to represent the Gospel from a place of condemnation? Or are we going to be like the Bishop, who shows Valjean forgiveness and mercy when he is caught stealing his silver? The Bishop gives him a new lease on life, and Valjean and his life are transformed by the redeeming love of Christ.

         Today’s Second Collection will fund the Diocesan Respect Life Fund, which supports grants for activities sponsored by local parishes to protect and promote the sanctity and dignity of human life from conception to natural death. These activities have been geared towards direct services, education, and advocacy to alleviate or end threats to human life at stages the Church considers to be most vulnerable.

As we reflect about what Respect Life Sunday is all about, remember this: our Church reminds us that respect for life begins in the womb and it must be given to every human being at every stage of his or her development.

By: Jennifer Snyder of St. Edwards the Confessor Catholic Church, Richmond, VA

For When I am Weak, Then I am Strong

“For when I am weak, then I am strong. “ – 2 Cor 12:10

When we first moved to Kenya in 2003 I remember a Maryknoll priest once telling me that our failures and inadequacies are perhaps the greatest gift we have to offer. He spoke about how meaningful it can be to others, who are often grappling with poverty, illness, lack of education and sometimes a sense of inadequacy, to be able to help where we struggle and fail. I have experienced that in a new way recently. My work in the prison sometimes seems stalled. Too often prisoners are simply asking me to visit the court on their behalf, to check the status of their case or go to see their families, and while the latter can be pretty rewarding experiences, the former is often a bit dull. Both are often time consuming and yield little results. It seemingly requires little skill on my behalf and the one skill it often does require, language, is something that often leaves me feeling inadequate. With that in mind I recently asked Dismas, a former prisoner whom I’ve written about before, to follow up on some of the cases at the courthouse. In return I offer him a modest fee for helping me. When we recently met to discuss some cases he followed up on, it revealed a lot to me. As we concluded our conversation he mentioned that this news would make the prisoners so very happy. This was a good reminder for me because often the news is uninformative and reveals little new progress in their cases. But Dismas was right. He reminded me that the very fact that someone cares enough to follow-up on their behalf is enough to make a prisoner feel cared for. Their dignity has been acknowledged. Dismas reminded me that, years ago, when I did some of those simple things for him, it gave him hope. And the greatest part is that while he shared his findings and explained some of the legal matters that I did not understand, I noticed in him a sense of joy and fulfillment. His eyes shone bright – he had been given the opportunity to do what he so desires – to help prisoners who are in similar circumstances that he once was. My weakness and willingness to turn to him for help turns out to be an asset in my ministry- giving Dismas meaningful work and meeting the needs of the prisoners in an often more substantial way.

 

Written by: Curt Klueg, Maryknoll Lay Missioner, Mombassa, Kenya

The Courage of His Convictions

Back in the ‘70’s feelings about the war in Vietnam were dividing the country and the church.  Fr. Robert Quirin was a dedicated pacifist.  He regularly withheld that portion of his income tax liability that he calculated would be used to support war-related activities.

One day two Internal Revenue Service Agents came into my office (I was Diocesan Business Manager) demanding that I attach Fr. Quirin’s salary.  The government wanted to be paid.  If I refused, they said, I would go to jail.

Fortunately Bishop Sullivan was in the office that day.  He told me to bring them up and he welcomed them most graciously into his office.  He listened patiently.  Then he explained to them that this was a moral question about which Fr. Quirin felt strongly.  Even a bishop did not have the authority to order a member of his flock to go against their conscience.

The Senior Agent made a foolish mistake.  He repeated his threat: If Bishop Sullivan refused to attach Fr. Quirin’s salary he would go to jail.

Bishop Sullivan thought for a moment, then said, “If I am going to jail, don’t I get to make one phone call?”  Without waiting for an answer, he called to his secretary in the outer office, “Marilyn, get me Channel 12.”  The Agent’s cock-sure manner evaporated.  All he could manage was a panicky, “Uh, Bishop, maybe we should talk this over.”

Dave O'Donnell

St. Michael the Archangel, Glen Allen

Memories of Bishop Sullivan

There are many stories I can share with all about our beloved Bishop Sullivan and his interaction with the people in the Richmond Diocese.  I want to share my most recent memories of Bishop Sullivan.

Members of the Legion of Mary (Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Praesidium) visit Saint Francis Home in the Southside weekly to pray the rosary with the residents.  Bishop Sullivan would come at least once a month to celebrate Mass with the residents.  He would always acknowledge the Legion of Mary members present for the Mass.

During Mass he would ask me to assist as the Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist. This was always an honor for me to be able to serve with the Bishop.

The Legion of Mary has a yearly ceremony called the “Acies” in which the Legion members assemble as a body to renew our fealty to Mary, Queen of the Legion.   I extended an invitation to Bishop Sullivan to be our main celebrant for the Acies Mass in 2011 and 2012.  He graciously accepted to participate in both celebrations.  He will be missed by those who loved and respected him. 

Evelyn Welch

Holy Rosary, Richmond

His Fans are Everywhere

As a sophomore at Villanova University I was writing a paper on Catholic Peacemaking and inevitably spent some time looking into the history and the work of Pax Christi. This was the occasion of my first encounter with Bishop Walter F. Sullivan. Recently retired as both the Bishop of Richmond and the Bishop President of Pax Christi, USA, Bishop Sullivan agreed to speak with me over the phone. Being from Maine, and new to any real involvement in Catholic social justice ministry, I Googled him, looked into his history, read some of his statements, and found myself enamored with his prophetic leadership for the cause of peace, his commitment to justice and to serving the poor.

My conversation with him lasted no more than 15 minutes. He was brief and to the point and responded to my queries with clarity and warmth. When my questions were exhausted I remember searching for something to get him to stay on the phone and speak at greater length. “Bishop, those are all the questions I have. I just want to say that I really admire your commitment to peace and justice,” or something to that effect, was all I could muster.

“Oh yah?” he paused, “well go do something about it.”

Years later I find myself serving the Diocese of Richmond’s Office of Justice and Peace, an office that in no small way owes its existence to Bishop Sullivan, and perhaps remains the Diocesan office that is most closely associated with his episcopal ministry. Although Bishop Sullivan remained active throughout the Diocese during my first two and a half years, I never had an opportunity to spend much time with him until very recently.

Starting in the spring of 2012, Bishop Sullivan would come to help with Saturday evening liturgies at Sacred Heart, a small parish in the Manchester neighborhood of Richmond where I live. The Pastor, Fr. Shay, would ask me to come and serve mass for Bishop, and take him to dinner afterwards in exchange for letting me experiment with a garden in the parish yard.

The first time I met Bishop before mass, I introduced myself, “Bishop Sullivan, I’m Jay Brown and I’m the Director of the Office of Justice and Peace.”

“Who?” Bishop replied. “Are you the one taking me to dinner?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Good. Now help me with my things.”

After mass I took him to a restaurant in Church Hill that he "had never heard of." As we walked down a poorly lit street, a college-aged young man sat on a front porch, “Is that Bishop Sullivan?” he called out.

“Yes, hello,” Bishop replied to him, then turned to me and said, “My fans are everywhere.”

At dinner, our conversation ranged from politics, to Church, to my impending engagement. I was struck by Bishop Sullivan’s honesty, his openness, and his ability to get right to the point, to speak his mind simply, firmly, but with humility. He asked me what I thought, and he listened.

This was the first of many dinners – he would eagerly await updates about Haiti and our work in prison ministry, and he hugged me when I told him I finally popped the question, and that she said “Yes.” He would share in the joy of success and listen kindly to frustrations. Most of all, Bishop took an interest in me; in my life, in what brought me to ministry, what sustained me in it.

In the time I spent with Bishop Sullivan, he had a way of keeping me focused on what was important – bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world, and especially to the poor. He helped me focus on mission in the midst of struggle, and never let me lose sight of why I committed myself to ministry in the first place.

Although he didn’t remember the phone call many years before, I will always cherish his concluding remarks. Bishop Sullivan invited me into ministry at the service of the Church and of the poor. I will always cherish my time, however limited, with Bishop Sullivan, and I pray his memory will give our Church strength, tenacity, and courage as we to continue his witness for justice and peace.

Jay Brown

Advocate, Hero, Role Model, Bishop, & Friend

Once when my mother was on a rare visit from Wyoming we attended a church function.  I introduced her to my friend Walter and they had a short but congenial conversation.

After he left my mom asked about this kind and funny person.  I said “Oh that’s Walter Sullivan, our bishop!” 

Mom couldn’t believe nor was she very pleased that I was on a first name basis with the person holding the highest office in the Diocese!

Bishop Sullivan was able to command both deep respect and warm regard at the same time.

He could issue a strong challenge about a particular injustice in one moment and follow quickly thereafter with a dry humored witty remark. There aren’t many people who can balance the professional demands of a job with a personal and pastoral presence, but Walter could and did.

As a woman in the church I felt he was my advocate.  For his love of Haiti he was my hero.  For his commitment to peace and justice he was my role model. For his commitment and care of the entire Diocese he was indeed my bishop. And for his tender heart and kind spirit he was my friend. 

“May the Angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem.”

Anne Gibbons

Good Fridays with Bishop Sullivan

I don’t know the extent of Bishop Sullivan’s ministering to the incarcerated members of our society.   What I do know is that he had deep compassion and love for these people.   Along with other prison-related issues, he supported improvements needed in Virginia’s probation system and sought an end to the death penalty.

Bishop Sullivan also loved to celebrate Good Friday services with Catholic inmates incarcerated at the Greensville Correctional Center, a large state prison located near Jarratt, Virginia.  My wife Elaine and I discovered this approximately 6 years ago.  At that time, we were called to prison ministry and became volunteers at Greensville. It wasn’t very long before the inmates began telling us how much they looked forward to Good Fridays and their annual visit with Bishop Sullivan.  Each year, their eagerness for his visit increased steadily throughout the Lenten season.  When Good Friday arrived, Elaine and I would accompany Bishop Sullivan and Deacon Tom Elliott to the service.  We witnessed the excitement and joy the inmates brought with them to the service.  Just the thought that a bishop would take time to be there, lead a service for them, and pray with them was almost overwhelming for many of these men.

  

Additionally, several of the inmates had received the Sacraments of baptism, confirmation, or marriage from Bishop Sullivan earlier in their lives.  They often corresponded by letter with Bishop Sullivan and thoroughly enjoyed visiting with him following the service.  During these visits, Bishop Sullivan always confirmed that the Church did indeed care about them and that they were not forgotten men.

I’m sure there is now a special sadness and a deep sense of loss among the Greensville inmates and all the other incarcerated people whose lives were impacted by Bishop Sullivan.  He was a great man who truly cared about them; they know it deep within their hearts.

Harry and Elaine Houwen, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Petersburg, Virginia.

Preparing to Bring Christ to a World in Need

Here we are in Advent and rather than preparing ourselves to meet our Lord we are all too often preparing for anything and everything else. The gifts need to be bought and wrapped, the food needs to be purchased, the house needs to be decorated, there are parties to attend, etc., etc. Let’s not forget the normal everyday things that already fill up our time. So how do we find the time and space from the chaos of life to prepare ourselves to meet and receive Christ?

Mary and Joseph went searching for a room in which to bring the son of God into and couldn’t find one. Sound familiar? “I’d like to be closer to God but there just isn’t room in my life for that right now.” Luckily we have a patient God. When we stop the excuses, and the complaining, and the constant running, we find that He still stands at the door and knocks, waiting to bring us the joy and peace and hope we’ve been longing for. We just need to make room for Him.

Whether we want to admit it or not, we get to decide how we spend our time. Admit it, you are more than willing to make sacrifices in order to have time for things you really WANT to do. We will rearrange our entire lives to make room for things that are important to us. The issue is not that we don’t have time to spend preparing ourselves to receive our Lord through prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, sacraments, liturgy, etc.; the issue is that we don’t make time. We are so busy with life that we run out of steam and seem to forget that our communion with God is what gives us the steam to start with. We get burnt out and end up trying to serve ourselves and others with an empty cup because we haven’t taken the time or effort to fill it up.  

There is good news. Although taking time out from our daily rounds as Christ did again and again to spend time with Our Maker is important and necessary, we can grow closer to Him and fill our cups at the fountain of His grace in the midst of everyday. We can practice communion with God no matter what we are doing. We are constantly in the presence of God, we just get too busy and distracted to notice Him. If while we are getting ready for work, working, cooking, eating, driving, visiting, cleaning, bathing, meeting, exercising, doing the laundry, etc., we realize that God is present with us and acknowledge Him we open ourselves up to receive His grace, the grace that fills our cups to overflowing. Let it spill out into your life and the lives of those you serve!   

You Had to Be There By Joan Wages

About nine years ago, my family took our first step toward the Catholic Worker Movement, although we didn’t know it at the time.  To make a long story short, we woke up to the fact that we were living a lie. We realized that making our living through the defense industry was in direct opposition to the Gospel.  So my husband (Don), quit his job with Lockheed Martin, we sold our house and many of our belongings, and we moved to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. ..to live a simpler life. After we arrived in Virginia, I remember feeling a tremendous sense of relief and a carefree feeling.  What a joy it was to be starting down a fresh path!

Over the next six years, I found myself wanting to learn more about nonviolence and how it has been lived out in community.  This led me to the life of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement.  In the summer of 2009, I spent ten days with some wonderful folks at the Des Moines Catholic Worker. It was a summer “internship” program, aimed at providing a short immersion experience in the life of a Catholic Worker community.  When I returned to my family afterwards, I felt a bit odd and a bit alone. No matter what I told them about the experience, I knew I wasn’t doing it justice.  It was one of those times where “you had to be there.”   All I could say was, “living in a Catholic Worker community is a great way to play a part in the Gospel story” and “if we really want to live out our faith, we should consider joining the Catholic Worker movement.”

Since that time, I have been looking for ways that we could start down that path as a family.  We started dipping our toe in by attending Catholic Worker (CW) retreats a couple of times a year, participating in various forms of peace witness as a family and getting to know many CW folks from Virginia and North Carolina.  My sons always look forward to attending these and ask me regularly, “Mom, when is the next CW retreat?”  

Meanwhile Don and I have had sporadic discussions about the possibility of starting or joining a Catholic Worker community.   Late last winter Don said that he didn’t see himself doing it, because he wants to continue his work as a public school teacher.  But, he said he would consider the possibility of getting involved somehow during the summer months, when school is not in session.  Well, the Holy Spirit moves in mysterious ways, because it wasn’t but just a week or two later, during a visit to the Norfolk Catholic Worker, that Steve mentioned to me that he and Kim were looking for someone to “keep things going” at the house this summer, while they take a family trip. As Steve shared more about their travel plans, he casually inserted “and if there is a 1 in 640,000 chance that you and Don would like to help us out, then we would welcome it.”

Well there was a 1 in 640,000 chance--- and we took it. This summer, all together as a family, we were immersed in the life and work of the Norfolk Catholic Worker community.   It was a wonderful!  But don’t ask me to describe it here, because “you just had to be there.”  All I can say is, “living in a Catholic Worker community is a great way to play a part in the Gospel story” and “if you really want to live out your faith, you should consider joining the Catholic Worker movement. “

Social Enterprise Model Used to Provide Job Training and Employment for Individuals With Disabilities

What is a “social enterprise” model and could it be used to help provide

job training and employment for other special populations

 (refugees, ex-offenders, seniors, single mothers, veterans, etc.)? 

The Social Enterprise Model is simply the recognition of a social problem and using entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a business venture to make social change.

The Social Enterprise Model is all inclusive, holistic and flexible in its practice and implementation.  Doesn’t that sound like you and how you do ministry at your church? The model combines the components of job readiness training, emotional preparedness and personal strategic planning with the introduction to an actual marketable skill set. 

Our Story

St. Michael’s formed REAP (Richmond Entrepreneur’s Assistance Program), as a 501(c)3 entity, with the goal of providing job training and meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities.   We launched Heart to Heart Gift Baskets & Packaging in October 2011.  We are planning to launch New 2 U Sports in March 2012.

Our inaugural season of Heart to Heart was filled with God’s blessings.  Through our partnership with The Choice Group, the Skills Development Center and the hard work of dedicated parents and volunteers, we created a great training experience for 26 individuals with disabilities.  Our team produced and sold almost 2000 gift baskets, jars, mugs, etc. 

In January, we hired everyone who was seeking employment.  They are currently working part-time, waiting for us to grow Heart to Heart to a year-round business so we can increase their hours and provide training for another group of interns. 

Project Give for Our Military and Their Families. 

Our staff made Valentine’s Day baskets for 150 veterans at the VA Hospital.  They are currently working on keepsake jars of red, white and blue candy as a gift for Memorial Day.  As funding is secured, we will reach our goal of providing gifts for veterans at the VA Hospital and families at the Fisher House, 4 to 6 times a year. 

This helps our staff by providing consistent work, it showcases them making a contribution and being a source of encouragement to another group of people that need and appreciate our support.  Beautiful, isn’t it?

Why do we do what we do in ministry? 

We would probably all say something like…because God shows us a need, puts a person or people on our hearts, calls us to pray and listen and then He shows us His way.  And in His time, He sends His people to help us…and miracles happen. 

That has been my journey with REAP/Heart to Heart/New 2 U Sports.  Praise God and thank you for your past, present and future prayers and practical support.

Church Partnerships

I believe that we are already in “partnership” with each; always willing to work together on events, ministry activity and certainly when it comes to helping people in financial need.  

Perhaps because I am “grant focused” for REAP and other ministries, I think there is value in being more intentional with partnerships. “Partnership” can be as simple as putting announcements in your bulletin or a link on your website to hosting a gift basket sale or a used sports equipment drive to serving on the Board or somewhere in between. 

My questions…do you have a ministry that serves individuals with disabilities?  Do you work with another population to help with job training and employment?  Would you like to explore the possibility of working together?  

We would be delighted to have you join the journey with REAP/Heart to Heart/New 2 U Sports.

We’d be equally delighted to share any knowledge and expertise we have to help you develop whatever ministry God is calling you to at this time. 

Karen Hannon

Founder, REAP (www.reapva.org)

Coordinator of Human Concerns, St. Michael Catholic Church

527-1037 x 29

Immigration, the Shrinking Globe, and the Common Good

There was once a man, an undocumented immigrant, a foreigner, who crossed a border and who came to a new land,   and went amongst the people of that place. He had been sent by his father, to work to save his family. As a baby, he and his parents had sought refuge in a neighboring country. He seemed different. He could often be found living amongst the poor. He did not appear to be in compliance with the letter of the law of the dominant culture. Some people perceived him to be a threat to their job, to their position and their influence in society. So, he was eventually arrested, charged with being an imposter, a law breaker, a rebel who was working against the ruler of the government and an enemy to the rule of law. He was tried and given what amounted to a death sentence. After his ‘removal’ from this human way of life, he once again crossed a border and overcame the death he had suffered. He came back to the people of this land, again. He forgave them and showed them that there was a Spirit of the law, a greater love, which would save them from themselves.  

How do we receive the “foreigner” in “our land?”  As the son of God come to earth?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that, “Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something {illegal alien}, but someone” [357]. The Book of Leviticus tells us, “We will treat a foreigner as one of our native born.  We will love a foreigner as ourselves, for God’s people were once foreigners in Egypt” [19:33-34].  It sounds like the second part of the great commandment, “… love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus went further and gave an example by crediting the Samaritan who showed just such a love to the beaten and robbed man from the tribe of Judah left on the roadside to die. The Book of Numbers tells us that, “This is a lasting ordinance for generations to come. Citizens and foreigners shall be the same before the Lord” [15:15].

Human made laws, and their expansion, and their enforcement, must be to protect human rights, the common good. Human made laws are not always perfect. Overtime, some laws have been challenged, broken, protested and eventually changed. The famous Boston Tea Party was an act of breaking the law in opposition to higher taxes on teas from other sources rather than the tea from the company which was favored by the British government.

Offenses to laws are not equal. Murder and rape are not same as a traffic violation or an immigration violation. Today’s immigrant community in the United States (and throughout the world) is fleeing across borders for safety from harm or for relief from hunger and in the hope of finding work that might afford a better life. It has not been a criminal offense but, rather more of a civil offense, to be present without having been legally inspected and admitted to the United States. It is also a civil offense to be present in the United States after having “over stayed” a permitted temporary visit. As such, the penalty has been one of being barred from returning to the United States for a period of time or one of paying a fine.

Today, almost two-thirds of legal immigration is done through family members petitioning for other family members. It often involves years of separation and waiting.  The remaining immigration is through employer labor petitions,  a diversity lottery, refugees, asylees and a few other types of beneficiaries. There is currently estimated to be over  38 million foreign born persons residing in the United States. About forty percent have already become naturalized United States citizens.  Another thirty percent are Permanent Residents or in some other legal status.  It is the last thirty percent which are those who have entered the United States without being inspected and admitted or those who were admitted but have “overstayed” their permitted visa time. 

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, working in conjunction with the Bishops of Mexico, has stated the following guiding principles in their document, We Are Strangers No Longer:

Persons have a right to find opportunities [for work and to live] in their homeland. Persons have a right to migrate to support themselves and their families. Sovereign nations have a right to control their borders. Refugees and Asylum seekers should be afforded protection. And, the human dignity and human rights of undocumented  immigrants should be respected.

The southern border of the United States has seen ten years of buildup of walls, technological advances and increased manpower. The border patrol has just completed the lowest record of apprehensions in four decades due to extraordinary vigilance, the threat of tougher consequences and the economic recession. Apprehensions were at twenty percent of what they were just seven years ago when they had reached about 1.5 million. 

“Comprehensive Immigration Reform” has been proposed in Congress multiple times over the last seven years. It required securing the borders, penalizing employers who knowing hired unauthorized workers  and a providing a process {of about twelve years} to earn permanent residency for  undocumented persons. It was intended for those who have been residing, often times with family members, in the United States for a number of years . The process involved paying fines and fees, not having certain felony convictions, paying one’s taxes, learning English and U.S. history and civics, and waiting in line for those who were already in line ahead of them.   

Additionally, many polls showed that 70 to 80% of the public were in favor of such a Comprehensive Immigration Reform.   However, they were not necessarily passionately seeking to promote the reform law. On the other hand,  the 20 to 30% of the public who opposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform were vehement and energized to call their congressman and senator, write editorials and blogs, and call into radio programs and voice their opposition, loudly. The majority of politicians followed the views of the very vocal minority over the silent majority.

Still, Comprehensive Immigration Reform is what is needed for the millions who live and participate in the fabric of this society and for benefit of our own common good. In Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II stated, “Justice will never be fully attained unless the people who see in the poor person, who is asking for help in order to survive, not annoyance or a burden, but an opportunity for showing kindness and a chance for greater enrichment.”

Jim Albright
Regional Coordinator for the Eastern Vicariate

Some thoughts from the Pope on Unemployment and the Family...

UNEMPLOYMENT UNDERMINES HUMAN DIGNITY 

Made public this morning was a Message from the Holy Father to Archbishop Antonio Arregui Yarza of Guayaquil and president of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, for the second Ecuadorian National Family Congress, which began yesterday and is due to close on 12 November. The congress, which has as its theme "The Ecuadorian Family on Mission: work and rest at the service of the individual and of the common good" is taking place in the context of the Continental Mission promoted by the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean, and in preparation for the seventh World Meeting of Families, due to be held in Milan, Italy, in June 2012.  

"The family", writes Benedict XVI, "born of a covenant of love and of complete and sincere commitment between a man and woman in marriage, is not a private entity enclosed in itself. By its vocation it makes a wonderful and decisive contribution to the common good of society and the mission of the Church. Society is not a mere aggregation of individuals, but the outcome of relationships between people - husband and wife, parents and children, siblings - the foundation of which is to be found in family life and in the bonds of affection deriving therefrom. Each family, through its children, gives society its own experience of human richness. We can well say that the health and value of relationships within a society depend upon the health and value of relationships within families".  

"Work and rest are particularly associated with the life of families: they affect the choices families make, influence relations between spouses and among parents and children, and affect the ties of families with society and with the Church".  

"Through work man comes to see himself as a participant in God's plan of creation. This is why unemployment or precarious work undermine man's dignity, creating not just situations of injustice and poverty which frequently degenerate into desperation, criminality and violence, but also crises of identity. It is, then, vital that serious, effective and judicious measures be taken on all sides, accompanied by an indissoluble and forthright will to find ways to ensure that everyone has access to dignified, stable and well paid employment, through which they may seek sanctity and participate actively in the development of society, combining intense and responsible labour with adequate time for a rich, fruitful and harmonious family life".  

"A serene and constructive home environment, with its duties and its affections, is the first school of work and the best place in which a person may discover his potential, nurture his ambitions, and foster his most noble aspirations. Moreover, family life teaches us to overcome selfishness, to nourish solidarity, not to disdain sacrifice for another's happiness, to value what is good and true, and to apply ourselves with conviction and generosity in the name of our joint wellbeing and reciprocal good, showing responsibility towards ourselves, others and the environment".  

"Rest makes our time more human, opening it to the encounter with God, with others and with nature. For this reason families need to rediscover the genuine significance of rest, and especially of Sunday, the Day of God and man. In the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist, families experience the real presence of the Risen Lord in the here and now, they receive new life, welcome the gift of the Spirit, increase their love for the Church, listen to the Divine Word, share the Eucharistic bread and open to fraternal love".

From the Vatican Information Service, 11.10.2011 - Num. 194

“All nations will be assembled before him” (Mt. 25:31-32)

As the political debate about immigration rages around us, we must remember that to welcome the stranger is to welcome Christ. This must be our premise in formulating any opinion about immigration. When we look closely into the face of the migrant, immigrant, and refugee, we will see the face of Christ looking back at us. The USCCB states, as Catholics we are “to welcome the newcomers in [our] neighborhoods and schools, in [our] places of work and worship, with heartfelt hospitality, openness, and eagerness both to help and learn from our brothers and sisters of whatever religion, ethnicity, or background.” Welcoming the Stranger Among Us: Unity in Diversity, A Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops.

Recently, USCCB has stated their support for the “Dream Act”. We invite you to participate in “Pray for the DREAM” Sunday on September 25^th, which is being promoted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants (JFI) Campaign, in support of immigrant students and youth that are eligible for the DREAM Act. As many of you know, the DREAM Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for young people who came to the US with their parents. It is the hope of the JFI campaign that parishes across the country will plan events and/or connect their Masses, prayers and homilies to continue the call in support of the DREAM Act.

We aspire to put a human face on an otherwise political issues through personal stories and testimonies, to educate parishioners about this critical issue. It is important to ensure that our Catholic values are an essential component of the on-going national dialogue concerning innocent and hard working youth that are eligible for the DREAM Act. We are a country of immigrants seeking a way of life that is supported by our longstanding Catholic traditions and highlighted in our U.S. Constitution.

In that light, I ask for your help in making our “Pray for the DREAM” Sunday on September 25, 2011 a success, so that we can help raise awareness about the DREAM Act and the Justice for Immigrants Campaign. The involvement of the faithful is essential for the success of this endeavor and this initiative would be a valuable tool in the process of inviting your faith community to understand, embrace and live out the Gospel.

Please go to www.justiceforimmigrants.org to find more information about the DREAM Act and to send an electronic postcard asking the President to protect vulnerable populations, including DREAM Act eligible youth and the parents of citizen children, from deportation.

God's Justice and the Jubilee

I became Catholic in the Jubilee Year of 2000 after serving as a United Methodist Pastor and Missionary for almost 10 years.  The year of my official embrace of the Catholic faith is a highly symbolic one for me. 

The origins of the Jubilee Year go back to the Hebrew people who observed a Sabbatical Year (Shmita) in the seventh year of their agricultural cycle.  In that year, the land was to lie fallow, no planting or harvesting.  Anything that grew in that year was open for anyone to take.  Another aspect of the Shmita was the forgiveness of debts and loans.  At the end of the year, any personal debts were to be forgiven.

The Jubilee Year was the last year after seven cycles of Shmita (the 50^th year). Additional regulations were observed during this year:  Slaves were to be set free and all land was to be returned to its original owner or owner’s family.

The theme of liberation is the heart of this law: the land is set free, people are freed of their debts, and slaves are released.

When Jesus began his ministry, he struck a similar tone:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

Jesus brings the good news of the Jubilee to fulfillment in his very person.  He embodies what the Law asked his people to do—and as his followers we are called to embody this Jubilee life.

I became Catholic not simply because I embraced its doctrines.  I was inspired also by the witness of Catholics who personified the jubilation of Jesus: Oscar Romero, Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa, St. Francis and even personal friends of mine who showed me the vitality of Catholic mission in their own lives.

My hope and prayer is that as Catholics we make clear to the watching world that we are a Jubilee people who bring glad tidings to the poor and the oppressed.

Chuck Frost

Pastoral Associate

St. Andrew Catholic Church

Roanoke, VA

Reflection on a Recent Pilgrimage to Haiti

I’ve heard it said that “Life is like an onion, you peel it off layer by layer, and sometimes you weep.”  Having recently returned from my sixth visit to Haiti, that adage seems to apply to Ayiti as well.  Each time I travel there, I discover yet another layer of her history, her culture, and her people, and sometimes I weep.  And yet I also found myself laughing deeply and sighing in great gratitude more often than not.  Such is the mystery and the magic of the place.

  I wept at the devastation still very much evident almost a year and a half after the tragic earthquake rocked the island.  We visited one of the countless tent camps and I wondered how a people survive in such horrendous conditions, especially as the rainy season had begun in earnest.  At the camp we gathered in the small plywood building which functions as a de facto community center run by artist and musician volunteers. The leaders of this motley group of internally displaced refugees are overwhelmed not by the hungry masses begging for food but rather by the desperate yet dignified masses searching for work, any kind of job that will help them feel useful and needed again. 

The streets were not lined with Haitians pleading for a handout from the more well to do American visitors.  Instead on every corner countless entrepreneurial vendors were stacked on top of each other trying to sell a myriad of goods such as fried plantain, small bags of water, snacks, and toiletries.  With so many sellers and so few people to buy, I wondered how many of these aspiring small markets could survive.  But Haitians are among the strongest and most resilient people I’ve ever known and somehow many do survive, in spite of all the odds against them.

As an American of privilege I often feel guilt and even shame with the disparity and inequity that exists between my lifestyle and that of my Haitian brothers and sisters.  I know all too well that historically the sins of colonization have contributed to my comfort and to Haiti’s misery.  Even now I am aware that our own government often hinders the progress of Haiti through policies that protect our own interests rather than seeking significant improvement in the lives of everyday Haitians. 

A case in point involved an attempt to raise the minimum wage in Haiti from about a quarter an hour to 61 cents an hour.  According to The Nation magazine, U.S. companies such as Hanes and Levi Strauss benefit greatly from Haiti’s cheap labor force.  Ultimately our own U.S. Ambassador pressured Haiti’s president to adopt a much more modest increase of a mere 31 cents an hour.  Shame on us!
I dream of a day when Haiti will have the opportunity to thrive and not merely survive.  But it will take the will and the commitment of the rest of us to practice solidarity at every level – politically, economically, and spiritually in order for that to happen.  Like an onion, layer by layer. 

Anne Gibbons

Associate Chaplain, Lynchburg College

Chair, Diocese of Richmond Haiti Ministry Commission