Choose to remember, one human family

Experiencing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial on a Sunday morning is not a typical day of church. How does it fit in to travel with 48 youth and adults to a place that remembers in such vivid details, the horror of the inhumanity of individuals and groups acting upon other human beings?

We live in a world of choice and action. We each are faced with choices every day. Upon entering the memorial the choice became to experience it or to wander through without reflection… Our group though young seemed to understand the gravity of the place… the bone chilling seriousness of the brick and mortar, cold steel and glass. Because the architecture and design was crafted so thoughtfully, one had to experience moments if not hours of sorrow and grief over the exhibits.

As part of the experience, our young people were asked to reflect on the visit and respond to a few questions. Many provided thoughtful responses… and some jotted a few quick answers. The choice even today is to go back in our minds and remember the visit and reflect on the questions. Allow the memorial to engender in each of us the passion to never forget and to always embrace a viewpoint of defending the lives of all... especially those who are defenseless. Do not be afraid to stand up for the weak, the small and the poor. Do not be afraid to be ready to take a stand for the rights of others. Count yourself as one who belongs to all of humanity and to engage all in the process of celebrating life. In misery we are called to bless each other with our giftedness. In suffering even, we are called to inspire each other with our courage, love and honor for each other. In the end all that matters is how we treated even the least of these… in spite of that which we suffer. And do it all for the greater glory of God….AMDG: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam… We must connect with the past and allow it to make us more effective today…

A visit to the Holocaust Memorial one Sunday morning after mass will catch you in the gut, and then you have a choice. Be that voice of love and change and courageous strength. Write me a note if you have taken time to think again of the experience. I look forward to your choices.

Mount 2000 Retreat and Jason Evert

Mount 2000 retreat registration forms




Sign up now to go on this retreat... great speakers, lotsa closeness to Christ in prayer, reconciliation, eucharistic adoration and the Holy Mass. Jason Evert will be there also...
in addition to that a friend of St Mike's, Evan Ponton will be playing in the praise band along side his good friends Judd and Maggie who are coming home from Nashville, Tennessee.
Get the registration forms at the link above and turn them in to Ted by this Saturday the 13th... or at least tell him you want to go.




Jason Evert speaks to high school youth all over the country. You don't want to miss out on his talk. At Mount 2000 you will get the chance to sleep on the gym floor, eat great college food, mingle with many sisters and brothers from different orders. You will get to go to confession (there will be many priests available) and you will also spend the weekend with 1500 other high school youth... you get to meet new people who are into their faith! So don't miss out on this weekend it is only $55 (until Jan 15 then it is $65)... This will also count for those who have contacted Ted about not being able to go to the confirmation retreat... If you contact Ted your fee for this will be paid from your confirmation fee...

Continue to upgrade your spirit throughout the year

Losing Sight of God
Holy Spirit Interactive has a great way to be intentionally closer to God... check it out at the link above. You might bookmark the home page for its youth stuff.

Jamaican a House

On December 27th we met for the first time to plan a trip to Mandeville, Jamaica. On June 12, 2007, a group of ten will travel to Montego Bay by plane, then transported by big vehicle to Mandeville where we will stay at the Gallitzin Mission house.

Our hope is to gain a better appreciation for those in the world who live far more simply than we. We will be there for a week in solidarity with the poor... to transform who we are in order that we might become better able to transform the world, one of us at a time. Ours is a society of unprecedented material wealth... our challenge is to experience life away from our little pond and connect with others and to know that in spite of all the visible differences in culture, language, environment, we can experience some bit of our common humanity.

To those who have joined us on this mission, we say welcome to Jamaican a house Mission. To all others who have a heart for others and would like to join us in solidarity, you can keep in touch by email, checking this blog, praying for us, supporting our fundraisers, donating material as we post a list of items to be brought with us, and in general embracing a lifestyle that recognizes any way possible to be in solidarity with the poor. Here is our group at the first meeting… those who were not able to be there will be added as we get their pics…

Human Nature

It is human nature to eat and be sure to have enough food in our system...it is also human nature to be aware of our surroundings. As we pass the winter solstice and find ourselves on a lighter yet illogically colder path, we humans have found efficient methods of providing food for the long winter months. The squirrels are done scurrying for acorns, the bears are into their hibernating naps and yet we humans continue to operate... what a blessing it is to have the inherent ability to understand and then to choose to behave in manners that defy nature... This past summer's mini-camp themes and activities offer another way to think about our existence here on earth.. Be yourself, understand who you are and what your gifts are, then choose to live a life that elevates that which exists around you... Here is wishing all a continued peaceful and hope-filled Advent and soon to be a Merry Christmas!!!

Identity

Who are you? A question we would love to answer... Can you figure this out? First person to get back with me with the identity of this person gets a special opportunity... :)

Getting together

The opportunity to get together and changillout! What is that you ask? You can see by the pics what its's all about... but ultimately it is a chance to chill and hangout...
And so we had a Middle School Advent party on Saturday night, then a High School Advent party on Sunday night! Mostly it was a chance to get together and have a fun time with friends... so check it out and be here next time! :)

Trouble, oh we got trouble,
Right here in River City!
With a capital "T"
That rhymes with "P"
And that stands for Pool,
That stands for pool.
We've surely got trouble!
Right here in River City,
Right here!
Gotta figger out a way
To keep the young ones moral after school!
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble...
(Lyrics from the Music Man 1962... )





It was enough to make ya smile!


the Gift exchange worked out for everyone!!!




Karaoke brought the stars out...






Even the more mature ones had a cheesey ball of a time! The young ladies were great sports as we made sure to deck the hall with hats of cheese balls... falalalalh lalalalah!



In spite of the mess... the evening continued on with games and DDR, ping pong, pool, speedstacking cups, a little air hockey, a lot of popcorn,pizza and chocolate cookies... but more importantly... time to be with friends, make new ones and keep the spirit aflame in our hearts.
See you next time. Merry Christmas!!!