I received an email forward from my mom that included an invitation to pray the rosary on Good Friday between 12-3pm to unite with others around the world to pray for peace in the world and the return of moral values into our communities. This is certainly a well-intentioned thought that has probably made its way around the internet and was additionally mentioned at Mass on Sunday.
The rosary is a beautiful prayer and one that draws us closer to God for those that practice it. If you are not familiar with praying the rosary, go to the internet and search "praying the rosary" and you will come up with a host of helpful sites in doing so.
The invitation struck me and caused me to think more deeply about Lent.
During our experience of Lent, from the moment we receive the ashes that begin our period of more intentional prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we recall Jesus' 40 days in the desert. These observances lead us to renew ourselves, draw us closer to God and prepare us for the new life of the Easter season. While saying a rosary on Friday might be a very specific way to be unified with Christians all over the world, hopefully through our Lenten observances, we have already done so.
I don't know that I "did" Lent as well as I have in past years. My practices and intentionality were inconsistent as I got caught up in the obligations of work and family and moving our home from Seattle. Yet, in the end, what I am buoyed by, is the intentionality of the moment and moving forward.
I remember something I took from a past Lenten homily by Archbishop Brunett where he communicated the reminder that the fruitfulness of our Lent would not come in how we give up chocolate for 4o days but how we have made a lasting change in our lives that brings us closer to God.
Fr. Thomas Vandenberg, at the Chancery Employee Retreat on Monday shared among his reflections the thought that people will know we are disciples of Christ by the love we have for one another and the need for us to surrender to that relationship and all the challenges that it entails.
Pondering these together has challenged me to think beyond a moment of common prayer time and to think about the entire Easter Triduum and surrendering to allow the experience transform me to new life in the Easter Season and beyond; a reengaging of the relationships I have in the community and with God, so that I can be the Light that God has called me to be and have source of faith I need to be so.
Whether it is through prayer, fasting or almsgiving, I pray for you all a fruitful Holy Week and new life in the Easter Season to come, with a sense of unity of purpose and action with others around the world!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
CRS Haiti Response - Resources
Below are a few resources CRS wanted to share.
The video on “surviving the earthquake” is very powerful.A CRS staffer describes surviving the earthquake in this moving video.
Read about how other schools are making a difference.
Use this discussion guide to compare life in Haiti to life in the U.S.
Hold a prayer service for Haiti
Buckets of Hope lesson plan on Education website. education
The video on “surviving the earthquake” is very powerful.A CRS staffer describes surviving the earthquake in this moving video.
Read about how other schools are making a difference.
Use this discussion guide to compare life in Haiti to life in the U.S.
Hold a prayer service for Haiti
Buckets of Hope lesson plan on Education website. education
CRS Thank You from Haiti
Thank You All - from Haiti
We in Haiti, are all shouldering the loss in some way here, but we hope you can take pride in some of the burden you’ve helped to lift. As of today, February 8, alongside our Church and Caritas partners, we have been able to achieve the following:
• Distribution of food to 264,200 people, and non-food items to 25,000 people.
• Provision of medical care and treatment to a total of 4,126 people, and hygiene kits to 10,000 people.
• Support of medical materials and supplies, volunteer doctors and nurses, food, water and other support to expand emergency medical care at St. Francois de Sales Hospital.
• Establishment of three functioning operating rooms—conducting an average of 12 severe surgical cases per day—as well as a laboratory, X-ray room and blood bank at St. Francois de Sales Hospital.
• Resumption of health care at 12 highly populated areas in Port-au-Prince
and Leogane.
• Launching of public health campaign carried out through megaphone and radio.
• Installation of four water storage and purification units in various areas of the city, and water and sanitation assessments in another 14 locations.
• Creation of designs to build a latrine at St. Francois de Sales Hospital, and an initial strategy for drainage, showers and sanitation at camps and temporary settlements.
• Child protection trainings taking place. Five child friendly spaces have been set up at camps. Assessment of 101 orphanages and child care centers supported by CRS/Caritas Haiti is ongoing.
• First phase of emergency shelter kit distributions in Pétionville provided for 6,500 families (39,000 people).
It is going to be a long road to recovery, and our teams of professionals are mapping out the transitional and long-term programming that fits with the needs and context for people to rebuild their lives. We’ll be sure to share those updates and stories with you.
In the meantime, thank you for making this possible and please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.
A saying is popular in Haiti that you can hear on the streets and in camps:
“Nou bite men nou pap tonbe. We may stumble but we will not fall.”
Indeed, with your support, few things have rung so true.
CRS History in Haiti
Catholic Relief Services began working in Haiti in 1954 after Hurricane Hazel devastated the country and killed upward of 1,000 people. High population density, severe deforestation and decaying infrastructure make Haiti particularly vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.
In the beginning, CRS’ work centered on responding to the massive loss of lives and physical destruction caused by the hurricane. However, since 1954 CRS Haiti has grown to include both emergency relief activities and long-term development work. CRS Haiti now focuses not only on emergency response, but on spurring economic growth for Haiti’s poorest citizens through agriculture, natural resource management, and microfinance/small-business development. We also help Haitians by providing much-needed programs in education and health.
CRS Haiti continues to support “safety net,” or social welfare, centers such as children’s homes and centers for the aged and dying. Catholic Relief Services Haiti works to improve access to health and nutrition services, education, and water and sanitation. CRS programs assist with emergencyresponse, HIV and AIDS, social safety net institutions, and agricultural development. These efforts focus on ensuring social justice and preserving human rights.
For more information, please visit www.crs.org
We in Haiti, are all shouldering the loss in some way here, but we hope you can take pride in some of the burden you’ve helped to lift. As of today, February 8, alongside our Church and Caritas partners, we have been able to achieve the following:
• Distribution of food to 264,200 people, and non-food items to 25,000 people.
• Provision of medical care and treatment to a total of 4,126 people, and hygiene kits to 10,000 people.
• Support of medical materials and supplies, volunteer doctors and nurses, food, water and other support to expand emergency medical care at St. Francois de Sales Hospital.
• Establishment of three functioning operating rooms—conducting an average of 12 severe surgical cases per day—as well as a laboratory, X-ray room and blood bank at St. Francois de Sales Hospital.
• Resumption of health care at 12 highly populated areas in Port-au-Prince
and Leogane.
• Launching of public health campaign carried out through megaphone and radio.
• Installation of four water storage and purification units in various areas of the city, and water and sanitation assessments in another 14 locations.
• Creation of designs to build a latrine at St. Francois de Sales Hospital, and an initial strategy for drainage, showers and sanitation at camps and temporary settlements.
• Child protection trainings taking place. Five child friendly spaces have been set up at camps. Assessment of 101 orphanages and child care centers supported by CRS/Caritas Haiti is ongoing.
• First phase of emergency shelter kit distributions in Pétionville provided for 6,500 families (39,000 people).
It is going to be a long road to recovery, and our teams of professionals are mapping out the transitional and long-term programming that fits with the needs and context for people to rebuild their lives. We’ll be sure to share those updates and stories with you.
In the meantime, thank you for making this possible and please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers.
A saying is popular in Haiti that you can hear on the streets and in camps:
“Nou bite men nou pap tonbe. We may stumble but we will not fall.”
Indeed, with your support, few things have rung so true.
CRS History in Haiti
Catholic Relief Services began working in Haiti in 1954 after Hurricane Hazel devastated the country and killed upward of 1,000 people. High population density, severe deforestation and decaying infrastructure make Haiti particularly vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.
In the beginning, CRS’ work centered on responding to the massive loss of lives and physical destruction caused by the hurricane. However, since 1954 CRS Haiti has grown to include both emergency relief activities and long-term development work. CRS Haiti now focuses not only on emergency response, but on spurring economic growth for Haiti’s poorest citizens through agriculture, natural resource management, and microfinance/small-business development. We also help Haitians by providing much-needed programs in education and health.
CRS Haiti continues to support “safety net,” or social welfare, centers such as children’s homes and centers for the aged and dying. Catholic Relief Services Haiti works to improve access to health and nutrition services, education, and water and sanitation. CRS programs assist with emergencyresponse, HIV and AIDS, social safety net institutions, and agricultural development. These efforts focus on ensuring social justice and preserving human rights.
For more information, please visit www.crs.org
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Movie: Letters To God, Release April 9, 2010
Below is a letter from folks involved in the release and promotion of "Letters to God" an inspirational movie to be released in theatres on April 9.
Dear Friends,
It is not often that we see excitement build for a movie the way that we've seen the movie LETTERS TO GOD gain momentum. Unlike most Hollywood movies where the experience of a movie is what's anticipated, we’re finding that many are excited about LETTERS TO GOD because of the anticipation of the hope that the movie stirs inside our hearts.
The release of LETTERS TO GOD is less than one month away. April 9th brings this emotionally gripping and spiritually uplifting movie to your neighborhood cinema. The movie chronicles letters written to God by a young boy who struggles with cancer. Please spread the word about the hope found in the movie to your circle of influence. Whether it's telling struggling families whom you know about the movie or blogging about it or emailing your friends, LETTERS TO GOD is a movie that so many suffering families need to hear about.
To access the official movie website, Facebook page or You Tube clips, go to the official website at http://www.letterstogodthemovie.com/
To see the discussion guides and other resources available for use in your parish or study groups you can go to www.worthawarenessmarketing.com.
God calls us to commend the good and this movie advances the good in our world. Please take a moment and spread hope by spreading the word about LETTERS TO GOD.
Thank you and God bless,
Tom Allen, Exec. Producer, Champions of Faith
Ted Baehr, Publisher, Movieguide
Dear Friends,
It is not often that we see excitement build for a movie the way that we've seen the movie LETTERS TO GOD gain momentum. Unlike most Hollywood movies where the experience of a movie is what's anticipated, we’re finding that many are excited about LETTERS TO GOD because of the anticipation of the hope that the movie stirs inside our hearts.
The release of LETTERS TO GOD is less than one month away. April 9th brings this emotionally gripping and spiritually uplifting movie to your neighborhood cinema. The movie chronicles letters written to God by a young boy who struggles with cancer. Please spread the word about the hope found in the movie to your circle of influence. Whether it's telling struggling families whom you know about the movie or blogging about it or emailing your friends, LETTERS TO GOD is a movie that so many suffering families need to hear about.
To access the official movie website, Facebook page or You Tube clips, go to the official website at http://www.letterstogodthemovie.com/
To see the discussion guides and other resources available for use in your parish or study groups you can go to www.worthawarenessmarketing.com.
God calls us to commend the good and this movie advances the good in our world. Please take a moment and spread hope by spreading the word about LETTERS TO GOD.
Thank you and God bless,
Tom Allen, Exec. Producer, Champions of Faith
Ted Baehr, Publisher, Movieguide
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Fundraising for WYD or mission trips?
Do you need to fundraise for WYD 2011 in Madrid, for mission trips or for other purposes?
Jim Robinson at Totally Catholic Fundraising, who you may be familiar with from their booth at Youth Convention in November, can be reached through their website at www.TotallyCatholicFundraising.com or 1-866-338-0879.
Jim Robinson at Totally Catholic Fundraising, who you may be familiar with from their booth at Youth Convention in November, can be reached through their website at www.TotallyCatholicFundraising.com or 1-866-338-0879.
ACCY Gathering/Commissioning - June 5th, Isaac Orr Conference Center
We have confirmed that the June 5th gathering and commissioning of ACCY members will take place at Isaac Orr Conference Center. We will be firming up the timeframe soon...
Monday, March 1, 2010
Chrism Day - Hope for the Culture: The Blessing of Marriage
I am sure by now you have received your invitation to the Chrism Day and Chrism Mass on Thursday, March 25. If not, please know that
All Church Employees and Ministers in the Archdiocese of Seattle are invited.
Chrism Day will take place at St. Edward parish in Seattle at 4213 S. Orcas St.
The presenter is Most Rev. Joseph Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville, who will be speaking on "Hope for the Culture: The Blessing of Marriage".
Chrism Day Schedule:
12:30pm Registration and Gathering
1:00pm Welcome and Prayer
1:30pm Presentation and Break
4:25pm Closing Prayer
Chrism Mass will take place at St. James Cathedral at 7pm.
Please make sure you RSVP to the Office of Catholic Faith Formation at ocff@seattlearch.org
For more information on Chrism Day, contact OCFF at 206.382.4593
For more information on Chrism Mass, contact the Liturgy Office at 206.382.4878
All Church Employees and Ministers in the Archdiocese of Seattle are invited.
Chrism Day will take place at St. Edward parish in Seattle at 4213 S. Orcas St.
The presenter is Most Rev. Joseph Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville, who will be speaking on "Hope for the Culture: The Blessing of Marriage".
Chrism Day Schedule:
12:30pm Registration and Gathering
1:00pm Welcome and Prayer
1:30pm Presentation and Break
4:25pm Closing Prayer
Chrism Mass will take place at St. James Cathedral at 7pm.
Please make sure you RSVP to the Office of Catholic Faith Formation at ocff@seattlearch.org
For more information on Chrism Day, contact OCFF at 206.382.4593
For more information on Chrism Mass, contact the Liturgy Office at 206.382.4878
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