Bishop Donald J. Hying announced to the Madison-Jacmel Covenant Committee in November that the Diocese of Madison is offering a matching gift this Advent, in support of midwife salaries at a healthcare clinic affiliated with the Diocese of Jacmel, Haiti.
Tag: gift
Living in the moment: recognize God’s gift of today
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God gave me a gift today.
It was subtle, yet unmistaken, and came in the sound of my daughter’s laughter as we played chess on our back patio in the shade of the silver maple tree.
Christmas and the gift of encounter
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| Journey with Faith Deacon Lawrence Oparaji |
One fateful Christmas season some years ago, something very significant happened in a family.
A mother came back from Christmas shopping and was welcomed by her eight-year-old son Daniel and her much younger daughter Jane. The children were so excited and eager to see what their mum bought. She, however, asked them to allow her to freshen up and rest a little before unveiling the Christmas goodies.
The unveiling eventually came, and the children were handy and active. There were gifts for their daddy, for their mummy, for their aunties and uncles, for their grandpas and grandmas, for their family friends and for their cat and dog.
Eventually the shopping bag was empty! Looking at the empty shopping bag, Daniel became sad and moody. Discovering Daniel’s sudden mood change, his mother became worried, and asked him what was wrong with him.What makes Catholic education such a ‘gift’
To the editor:
Before Catholic Schools Week, we, the eighth graders, and the seventh graders were asked to reflect on what makes Catholic education such a “gift”. We at St. John the Baptist Catholic School believe:
• Our school is like a family where everyone cares about each other.
St. Peter Parish in Ashton participates in Box of Joy program
ASHTON — St. Peter Parish is again participating in the Box of Joy program.
This is an annual Christmas gift ministry organized by local Catholic schools, parishes, and groups across the United States and facilitated by Cross Catholic Outreach.
Spreading Christmas joy
Box of Joy provides teachers, parish leaders, and other Catholic groups a unique opportunity for students, parishioners, and group members to participate in a simple and tangible service experience that has both a material and spiritual impact on the poorest of the poor in developing countries.St. Ann Parish in Stoughton to hold Holiday Gift Fair
STOUGHTON — St. Ann Parish at 324 North Harrison St. in Stoughton will hold a Holiday Gift Fair on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Proceeds will help defray expenses for youth mission trips and other events.
Giving the gift of sacrifice this Christmas
“I can’t do it!” my four-year-old son cries out in frustration as he suddenly scrunches up his artwork to his chest.
His masterpiece, a brightly colored partially crayoned alphabet, is now a ball of crumpled paper, mashed beyond redemption.
“It’s okay,” I say, trying to calm his tears. “I can help you.”
Slowly I coax the ruined masterpiece from my son’s angry fingers, smooth the jagged creases, place my hand over his to guide the creation of the letters he’d wanted to be just so.
“You are still learning,” I tell him. “It doesn’t have to be perfect.”
Reflections on the life, work, and canonization of St. Teresa
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| Lindsay Becher |
“God thirsts that we may thirst for him.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2560
I thirst.
These words spoken from Jesus on the cross were also imprinted on the heart of St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa) on September 10, 1946, and every day forward.
These words, and what Jesus revealed to her about them on a train ride that “Inspiration Day,” changed her life. Through the Church’s newest saint, they have also changed mine.
How marvelous is the miracle of life
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I experienced a miracle! A few days ago, I held in my arms my first grandbaby — newly born Faith Annmarie.
Thank God she’s healthy and perfectly formed. And as I was looking at her, I reflected how wonderfully she is made: arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, eyes, mouth, nose, ears, as well as what I couldn’t see but was just as real — hundreds of different tissues, dozens of organs including the remarkable brain, and trillions of cells.
And then I reflected on her divinely infused eternal soul.
Sharing our blessings at Thanksgiving
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Thanksgiving is a day when we gather with family and friends to share a meal, reconnect as family, and thank God for our cornucopias of blessings.
The roots of Thanksgiving Day began with the pilgrims. Despite a long, hard winter during which half of them died from scurvy and exposure to the elements, the pilgrims were so thankful some of them survived that they invited their Indian friends to share a three day feast of thanksgiving.
H.U. Westermayer wrote that the pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts during that first hard year, yet they set aside a day to thank God through prayer and through sharing their blessings with Indian friends.