A world where nobody retires

snowplowIf you want to understand the difference between government and service to the Church, just look at retirement.

I know, it seems like an odd thing to bring up.  But I’m in Rome for meetings this week and it struck me that lots of Church leaders are, well, pretty old.  (Yes, I know, I’m no spring chicken – but lots of these guys are REALLY old.)  But they don’t appear to be fading away or slowing down (too much).

By contrast, I live in the confused State of Illinois, which is plunging into insolvency while state employees retire at age 60 on a full (and generous) pension.  And while I’m sure that many state employees are wonderful people who have worked hard and served the people of the Land of Lincoln, the difference between expectations is sharp. Continue reading

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Haiti Mission Update Day 5

Day four was just as amazing as all the other days have been, if not better. Today, our group had a choice of either going to the Children’s Home or the Home for the Dying. Both locations are full of special people and beautiful memories, and it was no surprise that everyone had a impactful day. Continue reading

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A really huge little Church

deaconThe Catholic Church is wide, deep and universal.  There are hundreds of millions of Catholics in every continent and country of the world.

The Church also is local, with every member joined in the Body of Christ, as I was reminded yesterday.

But to put this in context…I spent the first weekend of May in Pulaski, Wisconsin (suburban Green Bay) attending the diaconate ordinations of Br David Parker LC and his dad, David Parker.  To summarize, the younger Parker now is a transitional deacon and will be ordained to the priesthood in December.  The elder Parker now is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Green Bay.  (Read all about it here.) Continue reading

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Haiti Mission Update Day Three

happySmells, markets, smiles and suffering… words just cannot capture all we lived and experienced today. We spent the day at the day at the Missionaries of Charity’s home for the dying that is a place for the poorest of the poor who are terminally or seriously ill and have no where else to go. The drive there was eyeopening as we wound our way through the streets of Port-au-Prince lined with stands and baskets and people selling everything from freshly caught fish to beans and rice. So many areas show a poverty that is almost incomprehensible.  Continue reading

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I wanna be like Mike

workWhen a guy from Chicago (like yours truly) says he wants to be like Mike, most people assume he means Michael Jordan.

And when I see videos of that flying, full turn, slam dunk, I sure would like to be like that Mike.  Unfortunately, being short, slow and relatively ancient, that isn’t going to happen.

But if I work hard and pray a lot, maybe I can be like my friend Mike Williams.

Mike has been a Regnum Christi member for nearly 40 years.  He serves on the North American Territorial Council and is a delegate to the international convention.  I’ve been bless to know and work with for him 20 years. Continue reading

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Haiti Mission Update Day Two

kidsAnd that’s a wrap on day two! Sundays are very special days in Haiti. All across the country Haitians take off work and dedicate the entire day to celebrating Jesus Christ. Therefore, there was no doubt that we started out our day with a Mass service with the children at the Children’s Home that we worked at yesterday, as well as students K-4 from the school owned by the home.

Arriving around 8:15 a.m. for nine o’clock mass, all of the children were beaming with excitement when they saw we were joining them for Mass. We sat in the rows with them and tried to make conversation with them before what most of us would say was one of the best services of our lives. The service started out with all of the children singing as loud as possible. Imagine the loudest Mass you’ve ever heard and multiply that by ten. The kids truly wanted to be there and weren’t just going through the motions. They were having fun, and even though we didn’t understand the language, it was so beautiful to feel God through all of these children and people.  Continue reading

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Haiti Mission Update Day One

childrenWe have officially arrived in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and have begun this journey! Thank you all for your constant support and prayers, it truly means the world to us. We want you all to know that all is well and that we truly hit the ground running today.

Saturday, May 28th, we started our day around 7:00 a.m. to prepare before heading out at 7:45 (and if you’re like 99% of our group and forgot to change the time zone, you woke up around 6 a.m.). The time zone here is usually on Eastern Time, but this year Haiti decided they would not participate in Daylight Savings, so they are on Central Time! Even though most of us didn’t get the memo, it was nice to see the cooler temperatures of the morning and be fully awake before our first day as missionaries.  Continue reading

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Paschal Lamb

lambEDITOR’S NOTE:  This is the ninth in a series of nine Eucharistic poems by Br. Dain, leading up to Corpus Christi.  We hope they will be an inspiration for your prayer and reflection.

 

 

The Paschal Lamb is offered here

In sacramental host profound,

A silent lamb, no softest sound,

No slaughter violent now appear.

Unblemished, pure, now wrapped in chains,

They lead him to another’s death.

Silent, not a whispered breath,

Not the deepest hush profanes.

Bruised and spat on, beat defiled,

Pierced full through with rusty rod,

Yet head bowed low, submission mild.

So sacrificed the Lamb of God.

Yet Lamb we in our stead did kill,

Remains for us on altar still.

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Irresistible

remainEDITOR’S NOTE:  This is the eighth in a series of nine Eucharistic poems by Br. Dain, leading up to Corpus Christi.  We hope they will be an inspiration for your prayer and reflection.

 

 

Can coals within a furnace hot

Refuse to brightly glow?

Or cold debris in river tossed

Not with that river flow? Continue reading

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Learning to “speak soccer…”

soccer

Jay Sullivan is first man kneeling on left

It is unusual in Georgia in mid-May for the weather to turn cool and breezy.  Heat and humidity start early.  Somewhere around mid-July, we southerners start moaning about the “dog days of summer” that often last all the way through September.  Every creature heads for shade and breeze, lemonade, iced tea or water trying to escape the oppressive heat.  Our son, Jay, played his last soccer game this past Sunday on the finest of possible fine afternoons.  I sat in the stands praying in my heart for my husband’s safe arrival to his business trip to San Antonio, Texas, and thanking Jesus and his mother for the abundant blessings we have received as a family so far during our Lady’s month.

May and December are busy months for us mothers.  Endings turn into beginnings and milestones pile up like clutter, if you do not take care to breathe and pray, if you do not live intentionally slower than packed schedules permit.  Continue reading

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