Spring cleaning: To be alive is to change

		Diocese of Madison  Office of Justice  and Pastoral Outreach  Susanna Herro

We are change agents. Jesus Christ called us to transform the world. As we attempt to make the world more fully reflect God, we sometimes find that we have to move out of our comfort zones and change ourselves.

The Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach is about changing our society by teaching, preaching, and encouraging people to live the social teachings of the Catholic Church. These teachings are a rich treasury reflecting the respect due all humans, whether in the work place, in a far away land, threatened by poor stewardship of the earth, or threatened by abortion or euthanasia.

Just two years ago, this office was formed by combining parts of Justice and Peace, parts of Pastoral Ministry, and the Catholic Multicultural Center. Reorganizing is somewhat like a spring cleaning. As you open closets and drawers, you question what should stay, what should go, and are sometimes surprised by finding a forgotten treasure.

Beginning as the new director of a somewhat new, somewhat familiar office opened up opportunities to work with new combinations of people, to see programs through a different lens, and to add fresh energy to some of the "forgotten treasure" programs.

Addressing needs

"The poor will always be with us" is not a statement of defeat, but rather a challenge to see the face of Jesus in each person we meet.

One program that addresses poverty is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, with both local and national grants. A local grant made possible through Operation Rice Bowl provided tons of food to rural parishes. The food was delivered via Catholic Charities Mobile Food Pantry.

The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC), with Andy Russell as the new administrator, re-organized its food pantry to a client choice model. Steve Maurice, St. Martin House coordinator, continued the decades-long meal program as well as provided counseling and care to those in need.

Welcoming the stranger is a Biblical challenge. We will be judged on how we treat the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. The face of poverty in the city of Madison increasingly is that of immigrants.

Antonio Quintanilla is one of the first people to warmly welcome people to the CMC and explain the many services, such as English classes, Mass in Spanish on Wednesday at 12 noon, the computer lab, the religious education classes for those who do not yet speak English, and more.

Forgotten treasures

Looking at the 11 counties that form the diocese, one can immediately see that most of the diocese is rural. One of the "forgotten treasure" programs was the Rural Life ministry. Tom Nelson, newly-arrived as associate director, is studying the current Farm Bill and is looking for people to help him voice the needs of parishioners in rural areas.

Another treasure that is being invigorated is Elizabeth Ministry. Jeannie Hannemann, the founder of this parish-based, peer-to-peer ministry, recently presented a workshop on the power of reaching out, connecting with fellow parishioners, and providing a support network of compassion.

The two post-abortion ministries of Project Rachel and Rachel's Vineyard are seeing positive change. Staff members received training in Project Rachel to assist in referring callers. Rachel's Vineyard volunteers suggested ways to improve their program which have been implemented. Both of these ministries offer compassion, healing, and hope to women and men who have been hurt by abortion.

In the past months, the Madison Diocesan Pastoral Ministers Association sponsored a meeting on bereavement and also hosted a talk on a parish-based support network for those who are sick or dying. The Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach is exploring how to support the many wonderful parish initiatives that help people cope in difficult times.

Justice for all

The basis for peace is justice. The strength of the Catholic social teachings is that they look beyond the status quo and call people to a greater vision for justice. Led by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, two justice campaigns are being built in the diocese.

The first is the Justice for Immigrants Campaign where legislation is sought to provide a humane path to legal status. The second is the Campaign for Peace in the Holy Land, an ecumenical effort to foster understanding within the communities of Muslims, Jews, and Christians and to take combined action to call all to peace.

More to come

This article focused on some of the diocesan-wide initiatives. But just as spring cleaning takes more than a day, to summarize the national outreach will take another article. If you would like more information, please call, write, or e-mail us at the Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach, 608-821-3086 or justiceandpeace@straphael.org. You will reach Emily Way, our bi-lingual assistant, who is instrumental in keeping all of this running.

The winter God shouted: In my pain

		Grand Mom  Audrey  Mettel Fixmer

One of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis, once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures . . . but shouts in our pains."

Well, I'm happy to say that we have finally come through the winter God shouted at us. Many of you noticed (and told me) that I have not written a column for three months.

Now that I am seen about town and in church, they ask, "When will we have some more Grand Mom?" I knew that my health was improving, but after all that stumbling could I ever get back to the upbeat tone I had always expressed about growing old gracefully?

It was easy to write glibly about the fun of retirement during my 60s and early 70s. Bob and I were enjoying a good 10 years of part-time teaching at MATC, traveling to visit our children and grandchildren, and volunteering for the church.

Arthritis pain could be masked with anti-inflammatory medication or even cured with joint replacements. Life was not easy, but it was good.

Increasing challenges

We were attending more and more funerals of our friends. We shivered from the sidelines as more friends were diagnosed with Alzheimer's. We noted how so many elderly died following a fall and broken bones. That made us conscious of the risk we faced ourselves as our legs and backs became stiffer.

Our kids insisted that Bob use a walker and that I stop trying to help him dress, tie shoes, etc. I kept hurting my back or throwing out my arm. I was facing ankle surgery at Mayo Clinic in January and would be on crutches for six months following.

This was the crisis that set our big family in motion. (With 10 kids working for you, it's a formidable army!) They sneaked around visiting nursing homes and assisted living facilities, keeping me out of the loop until they found the perfect spot: Blackhawk Senior Residency right here in Fort Atkinson.

They took us over for a visit, and we admitted that it was bright, cheery, well staffed, and so open and inviting that Bob wanted to stay, and I thought I might join him after my surgery when I would be on crutches. We selected a room and signed up Bob to move in on January 19.

Winter of pain

No sooner had we settled Bob then I became extremely ill. I knew that the horrible pain I experienced in my arms, back, and hips was a direct result of going off the anti-inflammatory medication required for pre-op.

This was compounded by pneumonia and pseudo gout, both discovered while I was hospitalized off and on over a period of two or three months. I returned home with the benefit of Home Health Care Nursing to take care of my body and Visiting Angels to care for my home. (Both were amazing discoveries that take away some of the fear of aging.) The ankle surgery is indefinitely postponed.

Yes, this was the winter God shouted at us. He was letting us know that it was time to make some big decisions.

Bob was enjoying the best of health care at the Blackhawk, where I can visit him daily now that I am back to driving. He is so happy and contented there that he fears nothing more than having to leave his new-found security.

He goes to Mass with us on Sunday mornings and then comes home for a visit, keeping a close eye on the clock so we get him back to the Blackhawk in time for supper. (It doesn't say much for my cooking, I guess!)

We are now in the process of selling our home. When friends ask where I will go I tell them I'm leaving it up to God. Buy a little condo? Rent an apartment? A senior village? It all depends on how soon we sell our "dream home" and what shape I am in when that happens.

New perspective

When I was leaving the Blackhawk on Thursday morning, one of the residents, a sweet little old lady, was signing out. "Going out on the town?" I joked.

"No, I'm going to work," she said, smiling. "I've been volunteering at the hospital for 25 years now."

"Really?" I asked, "And how old are you?"

She answered me proudly, "98! I just turned 98 in March."

That's when God whispered to me, "You see? Old age is what you make it."

"Grandmom" likes hearing from other senior citizens who enjoy aging at P.O. Box 216, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538.