my people, vol. 17, issue 7
July 1, 2004
My People
 Gabi, student at Hermano Pedro, and Michael Walsh, Director of H.E.A.L. |
Solid Family Life is Model for United Church Life
Healing Poverty through Education
In Defense of Life: Updates
Prison to Praise: God Works in Mysterious Ways
Just a Few Thoughts
A New Creation
"The Greatest Generation"
Pray the News
Solid Family Life Is Model For United Church Life
In meeting with bishops from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas during their ad limina visit to Rome, Pope John Paul II urged them to promote solid family life as a model for building up life in the Church. In the meeting on May 22, the Pope said, in part:
". . . Family life is sanctified in the joining of man and woman in the sacramental institution of holy matrimony. Consequently, it is fundamental that Christian marriage be comprehended in the fullest sense and be presented both as a natural institution and a sacramental reality. Many today have a clear understanding of the secular nature of marriage, which includes the rights and responsibilities modern societies hold as determining factors for a marital contract. There are nevertheless some who appear to lack a proper understanding of the intrinsically religious dimension of this covenant.
"Modern society rarely pays heed to the permanent nature of marriage. In fact, the attitude towards marriage found in contemporary culture demands that the Church seek to offer better premarital instruction aimed at forming couples in this vocation and insist that her Catholic schools and religious education programs guarantee that young people, many of whom are from broken families themselves, are educated from a very early age in the Church's teaching on the sacrament of matrimony. In this regard, I thank the Bishops of the United States for their concern to provide a correct catechesis on marriage to the lay faithful of their dioceses. I encourage you to continue to place a strong emphasis on marriage as a Christian vocation to which couples are called and to give them the means to live it fully through marital preparation programs which are 'serious in purpose, excellent in content, sufficient in length, and obligatory in nature' (Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, n. 202).
Love present in family life is a model of Church relationships
"The Church teaches that the love of man and woman made holy in the sacrament of marriage is a mirror of God's everlasting love for His creation (cf. Preface of Marriage III). Similarly, the communion of love present in family life serves as a model of the relationships which must exist in Christ's family, the Church. 'Among the fundamental tasks of the Christian family is its ecclesial task: the family is placed at the service of the building up of the Kingdom of God in history by participating in the life and mission of the Church' (Familiaris Consortio, n. 49). In order to ensure that the family is capable of fulfilling this mission, the Church has a sacred responsibility to do all she can to assist married couples in making the family a 'domestic church' and in fulfilling properly the 'priestly role' to which every Christian family is called (cf. ibid., n 55). A most effective way to accomplish this task is by assisting parents to become the first preachers of the Gospel and the main catechists in the family. This particular apostolate requires more than a mere academic instruction on family life; it requires the Church to share the hurts and struggles of parents and families, as well as their joys. Christian communities should thus make every effort to assist spouses in turning their families into schools of holiness by offering concrete support for family life ministry at the local level. Included in this responsibility is the satisfying task of leading back many Catholics who have drifted away from the Church but long to return now that they have a family.
Youth ministry: an essential dimension of diocesan programs
"The family as a community of love is reflected in the life of the Church. Indeed, the Church may be considered as a family God's Family gathered as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. Like a family, the Church is a place where its members feel free to bring their sufferings, knowing that Christ's presence in the prayer of His people is the greatest source of healing. For this reason, the Church maintains an active involvement at all levels of family ministry and especially in those areas which reach out to youth and young adults. Young people, faced with a secular culture which promotes instant gratification and selfishness over the virtues of self-control and generosity, need the Church's support and guidance. I encourage you, along with your priests and lay collaborators, to have youth ministry as an essential part of your diocesan programs (cf. Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, n. 203; Pastores Gregis, n. 53). So many young people are seeking strong, committed, and responsible role models who are not afraid to profess an unconditional love for Christ and His Church. In this regard, priests have always made and should continue to make a special and invaluable contribution to the lives of young Catholics.
"As in any family, the Church's internal harmony can at times be challenged by a lack of charity and the presence of conflict among her members. This can lead to the formation of factions within the Church which often become so concerned with their special interests that they lose sight of the unity and solidarity which are the foundations of ecclesial life and the sources of communion in the family of God. To address this worrisome phenomenon Bishops are charged to act with fatherly solicitude as men of communion to ensure that their particular Churches act as families, so 'that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another' (1 Cor 12:25). This requires that the Bishop strive to remedy any division which can exist among his flock by attempting to rebuild a level of trust, reconciliation, and mutual understanding in the ecclesial family.
Promote sanctification through devotions of popular piety
"My Brother Bishops, as I conclude these considerations on family life, I pray that you will continue your efforts to promote personal and communal sanctification through devotions of popular piety. For centuries the Holy Rosary, Stations of the Cross, prayer before and after meals, and other devotional practices have helped to form a school of prayer in families and parishes, acting as rich and beautiful supplements to the sacramental life of Catholics. A renewal of these devotions will not only help the faithful in your country grow in personal holiness but will also act as a source of strength and sanctification for the Catholic Church in the United States.
"As your nation marks in a special way the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, I leave you with the words of my illustrious predecessor, Blessed Pope Pius IX: 'We have, therefore, a very certain hope and complete confidence that the most Blessed Virgin will ensure by her most powerful patronage that all difficulties be removed and all errors dissipated, so that our Holy Mother the Catholic Church may flourish daily more and more throughout all the nations and countries, and may reign "from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth" ' (Ineffabilis Deus). I invoke the intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States, who untainted by sin unceasingly prays for the sanctification of Christians, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and joy in Jesus Christ."
Healing Poverty Through Education
Gabi, student at Hermano Pedro, and Michael Walsh, Director of H.E.A.L. |
In a country of 14 million people where 80% of those people are below poverty, sits a small school that serves 440 students. This is not your ordinary school. The students who attend this school come from families that would fall into the category "poorest of the poor." The name of this school is Hermano Pedro; it is named after Brother Peter, the first Guatemalan saint. Hermano Pedro is a parish school that serves the families of San Antonio Church and town. The cost of giving a child a quality education is not cheap even in countries like Guatemala. To be able to offer the students at Hermano Pedro the education they need, it would cost around $60 a month per student. This is where the group H.E.A.L. Guatemala comes in. H.E.A.L. Guatemala stands for Help Educate and Love Guatemala. It is an American organization of lay Catholics, which is dedicated to offering poor Guatemalan children an American caliber education.
H.E.A.L. Guatemala is focused on showing the love and values of Christ through the education it offers. This will help each student grow into a responsible, faithful Catholic who uses their God-given gifts to better society in Guatemala. H.E.A.L. offers a quality bilingual education to Hermano Pedro and its future schools. Getting a quality education that offers a student the English language in Guatemala is very important, but also very expensive. It opens doors that would remain closed otherwise, doors like a chance to go to a reputable university, good jobs that pay enough to end the cycle of poverty within their families, but most of all it enables them to be faithful Catholics, something that each one of us is called to be.
Here are a few things that have been said in Guatemala about H.E.A.L.:
"H.E.A.L. has helped a tremendous amount and both Michael and Wil are very socially sensitive, responsible, punctual, respectful, moral, and spiritual, and they are well loved in Hermano Pedro. I pray, that in the future, that many more people can give generously and thanks to all those who have given in the past." Marta Josefina Morales de Santos (General Director of Hermano Pedro)
"Michael and Wil are very well known in San Antonio Aguas Calientes. They have been helping our parochial school, Hermano Pedro, improve the infrastructure. For example, they completely rebuilt the restrooms in the school." Fr. Anibal Alvarez, FMM (Pastor of San Antonio Catholic Church and Hermano Pedro School)
H.E.A.L. was founded and is run by Michael Walsh and Wil Jolicoeur, B.A., M.A., MDiv. Both Michael and Wil are dedicated Catholics who share a vision to Help Educate And Love Guatemala. Both Michael and Wil believe in the power of the Holy Spirit and trust in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Michael currently lives in south-western Ohio and serves as Director of H.E.A.L.; his job is to work as a liaison between Guatemala and America. Wil currently lives in Guatemala where he has lived for the past seven years. Wil is H.E.A.L.'s International Director; his job is to make sure the H.E.A.L. is run properly on a day-to-day basis in Guatemala.
Supporting H.E.A.L. is something we ask you to look into doing. The children that H.E.A.L. serves depend on your monthly or one-time donation. With your generous donation H.E.A.L. will be able to grow so that it can better help the poor of Guatemala. You can donate one of two ways through the website www.healguatemala.org. Just go to our donate page, then click give to H.E.A.L. There you will be offered many different options and ways you can give. The other way to give is to send a check made out to "H.E.A.L. Guatemala" and then send the check to the mailing address below. Whichever way you decide to give, may Jesus be with you and don't forget to visit us on the web at www.healguatemala.org to learn more. The mailing address is: H.E.A.L. Guatemala, 5224 Kings Mills Road #221, Mason, Ohio 45040-2319.
IN DEFENSE OF LIFE
Updates
 Fred H. Summe, vice president of Northern Kentucky Right to Life |
The following are updates on topics addressed in previously published articles.
Wrongful Birth and Wrongful Life
"Wrongful Birth" and "Wrongful Life" are two new causes of action which have been accepted by some state Supreme Courts and rejected by others.
The argument that physicians should be liable for damages when they fail to recommend abortion to a pregnant mother and who later gives birth to a child with "defects," undermines a basic Christian principle that every human life is worthy to be lived. This perversion of law will be used to intimidate physicians to recommend abortion to kill children who may have handicaps. If doctors fail to so advise, they subject themselves to astronomical liability.
Kentuckians can at least be encouraged by their Supreme Court's decision, Grubbs v. Barbourville Family Health Center, in which the Court, by a vote 5 to 2 refused to recognize: "wrongful birth" or "wrongful life" as causes of action.
Justice Donald Wintersheimer of Covington, in his concurring opinion, stated: "Simply stated, the life of a child cannot constitute an injury and thus there can be no recognition of either a wrongful life or a wrongful birth claim. . the paramount reason for rejecting a wrongful life claim involves the very dignity of the human person and the very sanctity of human life itself. It is basic to our culture that human life is precious. . .A claim for wrongful life must be rejected because it would definitely discriminate against disabled persons and could lead to a eugenic culture where the 'unfit' are made disposable. . . To permit a claim for wrongful birth would undermine the proposition that all human persons, no matter their race, religion, or ability, are precious and worthy of respect."
Overpopulation
As to the myth of overpopulation, The Catholic World Report, May 2004, reports that the average woman in South Korea bears 1.17 children, which is significantly below the 2.3- child replacement level.
"South Korea's government is planning cash incentives for parents, in an effort to avoid a demographic collapse" caused by the world's low birth rate. "The government plans to offer cash awards and give families with three or more children priority in housing."
The article notes that in many Asian countries the preference is for male children and that there is a high number of girls aborted after pre-natal screening.
"We need more babies!" stated Singapore's former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. The Catholic World Report notes that this small country of four million on the tip of Malaysia peninsula is concerned that the low birth rate (1.37) not only jeopardizes the country's economy, but places the country at risk with national security.
The government now offers a "baby bonus," which is a financial incentive to encourage couples to have two or more children.
This is a total change from the policy of the 1970's where the government launched a "Two is Enough" campaign to curb family size.
Michael S. Rose, the author of this article, identifies the source of the Singapore's population implosion.
"The underlying symptoms of the birth dearth are the same for each nation. The problem is contraception, abortion, and sterilization wrought by a mentality of suicidal selfishness.
Voting Pro-Life
In 2003, the Holy Father issued the document On Some Questions Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Public Life.
Pope John Paul II teaches: ". . .those who are directly involved in lawmaking bodies have a 'grave and clear obligation to oppose' any law that attacks human life. For them, as for every Catholic, it is impossible to promote such laws or to vote for them."
Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver, writing in the Denver Catholic Register, states: "The right to life comes first. It precedes and undergirds every other social issue or group of issues."
"Abortion is the issue this year and every year in every campaign," states Bishop James C. Timlin of Scranton, PA. "The taking of innocent human life is so heinous, so horribly evil, and so absolutely opposite to the law of Almighty God that abortion must take precedence over every other issue. I repeat. It is the single most important issue confronting not only Catholics, but also the entire electorate."
PRISON TO PRAISE
God Works In Mysterious Ways
by Charles R. McDonald
(Editor's note: Mr. McDonald, aka Leo, writes from Texas. We welcome contributions from prisoners. We would like to hear from a variety of prisoners.)
In beginning my story I wish to first of all "thank" this truly "wonderful Christian publication called My People, because if it had not been for it publishing a story called, "The Mafia Gangster -VS- Jesus Christ," (Vol. 15, No. 2, February 2002), then I would still be lost to a world of sin.
So let me please first of all give you just a bit of background information on me and you will see what I lost but gained back, that being my Christianity. My name is Leo and I was born to a very devout Roman Catholic mother and father who always ensured I attend Catholic Mass each week and of course other Church activities. I went to Catholic school and after graduation, I decided not to attend college and went on to get a job at Wal-Mart. I got my first apartment and car and was planning a marriage to my childhood girlfriend. So at this time I was doing really great with God's help. But Satan saw all this good I was doing and introduced crack cocaine into my life. Before long I had lost my future bride, my apartment, my car and was busted stealing from my job at Wal-Mart to pay for my crack habit. I was of course arrested and taken to court and received a five-year sentence in the Texas Department of Correction. Now please know that I am a Mexican-American and had heard so many stories how Mexican-American inmates in the Texas prison were treated very bad, so I was of course scared to death when I arrived in T.D.C. But I soon learned that Mexican-American inmates are treated just the same as other inmates.
So once I started to do my time, I began going out to the recreation yard. One day while I was walking around, these four bigger guys walked up to me and asked me, "Hey, kid, who are you riding with?" Now, folks, this means if you are in a prison gang or are you gay and paying protection money to the gangs for protection. So I said I am not riding with anyone and not paying for protection. So this one big guy says well either you start paying us protection money or we will make sure you're turned into a punk/homosexual. So at this time I started to walk off. The bigger guy says, "Hey, kid," and when I turned around, he hit me in the face and I went down on the ground, where the other three began to kick me in the face and ribs. Well, about this time an officer saw what was going on and came running out on the yard yelling stop that fighting. So the four guys ran off blending into the crowd, not before throwing a metal shank at me, my catching it in my hand about the time the officer walked up. He said, "Drop that shank, kid," so I did. Well, I was given a disciplinary case for possession of a shank and fighting. I was taken to the hospital and seen for busted-up ribs, two black eyes, and a bunch of cuts and scrapes. I was sore all over when I was taken to a disciplinary cell in solitary confinement. Once in that cell I started walking the floor, wondering what had just happened? At that time I asked myself, "Why has God abandoned me, why was He not there to help me. Has He totally deserted me?" Well I soon walked over and lay down on the bed and as I was lying there, I noticed something sticking out from under the toilet so I went over and picked it up. It said My People so my knowing it was a Christian newspaper threw it back under the toilet. I certainly wasn't in the mood for Christian talk.
The next day I again noticed the newspaper and I was needing a way to pass some time so I went over and picked it back up. I then thought to myself, how did this newspaper get under this toilet? You're allowed to bring anything into solitary confinement. So I lay down and began reading. I then turned a page and there was a heading called "The Mafia Gangster -VS- Jesus Christ," so that of course naturally got my attention. Well, as I was reading it, I thought to myself if God can forgive this horrible person then my crime of crack cocaine surely isn't that bad. But then I thought about how God had deserted me, and I pushed thinking about God from my mind, but each time I looked at the newspaper, I went back and kept reading that article. Something was there but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Well, I went to court and wat put into court custody as a part of my punishment. This is where inmates are put who they think are a threat to security, or for protection of some sort.
I was put into a cell with another guy about my own age. Once there, as I was putting all my things in my locker, my cell partner said, "Hey Leo, can I see that newspaper in your back pocket? So I reached back and felt and there was that My People newspaper. I thought to myself, now I know I didn't put that newspaper in my pocket before I left solitary. Oh well, I thought, no big deal. Boy, was I wrong because as my cell partner was looking through it, he all of a sudden said, "Wow, Leo, that dude they're talking about in this article is right across the hall in that cell!" I said, "WHAT? No way." I then looked out the door and sure enough there was a guy standing there in the door. So I ask my cell partner how can I ever meet this guy. He said just go to recreation on the yard in the morning. So I did, folks, and sure enough there he was on the yard praying with some other young inmates, plus some older ones also.
So I walked up to him and said, are you the gangster here in this article? He said yea, where did you ever get that? I told him and he said, "God surely works in mysterious ways, huh?" He then said, "Are you a Christian?" and I said, "No way, God abandoned me and I'm not about to got back to Church, no way." So he smiles and says, but wait a minute, when you started doing the crack, didn't you abandon Him first? So how can you blame God? I said, "He should have not let me start doing it." He said, "God gives you a free choice, little brother, so don't blame Him, blame yourself." So then being full of doubt I ask the gangster, oh, by the way, his name is David Steven Lankford (Guccione) anyway I said, "Can you prove you're this guy?" He said, sure. Once you're back in your cell I'll send you a lot of newspaper articles about me and, folks, he did. All I can say is, "How can God ever forgive a man like this, he was the most horrible person I have ever read about. For instance I read how he shot and killed a boy of 10 years old where he grew up in Manhattan, New York, just to get into a street gang. He was also 10 years old when he did it. I went on to read how he had to, or I should say how the federal government tried to get him to, testify at Senate subcommittee hearings on Organized Crime but he of course pled the Fifth Amendment.
Well, folks, as I lay down on my bed that night, I thought to myself if this horrible person can change and trust in God, then I surely can and at that time, I told myself the next day I would go on the yard and ask him to pray with me and I did. The next day I asked him to pray with me, and he said one of the most heartfelt prayers I have ever heard, and I invited God back into my life. Now, folks, do you see how I abandoned God and how he used a Mafia gangster to make me see the light and blame myself and not Him? If it had not been for that article in My People and his testimony in it and my meeting him, I would still be lost in a world of sin.
A while later I asked him what made him turn to God, and he said, "Well, Leo, it was due to some very wonderful Christian people who belong to what is called the Kairos Prison Ministry. There is Steve Kincheloe and Susan, his wife, who have never let me down when I needed Christian understanding and friendship, and who played a major part in my trusting God and His forgiveness. Then there is Jim Warren and his wife, Priscilla, who have also played a major role in my Christian life. And last but certainly not least, is Steve Newton and his wife, Lindie. They too have never, never, never let me down in my Christian life. So, folks, after the old gangster told me all about this and the Kairos Prison Ministry, I certainly plan on joining it once I get out. So please know that once this article is published in this great newspaper, I will be home on parole, living a Christian life. So, thank you, My People newspaper, thank you, Mr. Guccione, thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Kincheloe, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Warren, and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Newton: All of you have played a great part in my going back into the Church and trusting God once again. I too must thank God for making sure that newspaper was under that toilet and in my back pocket. And, by the way, my cell partner is also a Christian man because he too sees how wonderful God can be.
Just A Few Thoughts
 Ray Grothaus |
(Editor's note: This article first appeared in Monthly Shopper and is reprinted with permission.).
We spend so many hours each day in the hustle and bustle of life. Sometimes we even let it interfere with living.
I've been working on a project at work this week. It's a rather lengthy and confusing project and it has me stumped. I'm not the only one who's baffled by it either. A couple of other pretty smart cookies have tackled it in the past without much success. And I'd be lying if I said it hasn't taken up a good portion of my time away from the office trying to come up with a solution. I was very uptight and filled with stress, losing sleep.
Just the other evening, I was sitting on the swing back by the lake pondering the situation. My four year old was at my feet playing in a pile of dirt. I wasn't making any progress on my problem so I turned my attention to the little one. She was happily picking up handfuls of earth and tossing them into the lake. "Watcha doin'?" I asked Laura. "Just slinging dirt," was her reply. "Is that fun?" I queried. "Oh yes, do you want to help?" she said. So to the ground I went to see what was so exciting.
She was using her small hands and a little blue shovel to gather the soil. Every handful was another chance to have fun. Each toss was accompanied by a shout of glee. It didn't take long for me to get into the action. Sometimes we threw large chunks into the water which made a big splash and that made both of us roar with laughter. The times when only a small amount actually made it to the pond, we would say, "That was a wimpy one," and again giggle loudly.
The longer I sat there, the less I thought about my problem. After ten minutes or so, it occurred to me that my body had loosened up and the stress was gone. But how could slinging dirt into a lake make my body relax? You've all heard the expression that a watched pot never boils. Well, this was something like that. The more I thought about my problem, the harder it was for me to come up with a solution. Thinking too much about it wasn't getting an answer, it was only making my head hurt.
It took a thirty-seven-pound cutie to get me on the right track. Of course, I knew it all along, but let the world get in the way. That's what happens when we forget what's important in life. Robert Fulgham told us that everything we need to know we learned in kindergarten. Maybe we didn't actually learn to throw things when we were five, but the idea that we should always take time out of the day to have some fun and relaxation started way back then.
The little time I spent with my daughter, lobbing dirt into the water, helped to clear my mind and make my body relax. Later that evening, the solution finally came to me with little effort at all. That was a good thing of course but maybe the best part was spending that time with my precious angel. There will always be challenges at work but that little one will soon want to spend time with friends and dad will take a back seat. Laura might not remember our time together as anything special, but I savor every moment.
A New Creation
By Susan Seta
Lisa has a spark of life that is beautiful to behold. Blessed at an early age with a mountain-moving faith, that faith is still ever more vibrant, ever more alive. She shines with the love of God and turns to her Heavenly Father in childlike trust in all things. Her witnesses are powerful and the gifts God has given to her are shared with generosity. God's hand has been upon her even from birth and she credits Him with all the good that has been in her life.
Lisa was born into a wonderful, loving family. She almost didn't make it that far. When five months pregnant with Lisa, her mom suffered a hemorrhage that caused the doctors great alarm. No pulse could be found and Last Rites were administered. Lisa's mom pulled through, but doctors warned of grave effects on her unborn child. It was predicted that the child could be born deaf, blind, and/or severely retarded. Lisa came into this world a whole, healthy child. She was called the "Little Miracle." God's grace was upon her.
Some of her earliest memories of prayer were noticing how her grandmother had a rosary going all day long. "She was very spiritual," Lisa remembers. She grew up with the rosary as a staple of her house. She was blessed to be part of a lively Italian household where her father was loved by everyone and was, as she describes, "a super, positive Italian force." Lisa's mom had to bear the cross of a chronic illness which made everyday tasks for her either very difficult or impossible to do. Lisa was blessed with three other sisters, two of whom were significantly older. It was they who helped take care of Lisa. As a result a special bond formed between them all.
Grade school was a happy time for Lisa as she attended her parish school. It was in the seventh grade that she remembers being particularly fearful that she would lose her mother. It was a time of great physical distress for her mom as again her illness brought her close to death. Lisa got down on her knees and asked God to let her mom live. She promised that nightly she would pray to Him while on her knees. These many years later, she has honored that promise. "God was always there for me,' says Lisa. "He was always tangible and I've always been in dialogue with Him."
After high school, Lisa traveled to Rome with her church choir. Returning home she began to train as a surgical dental assistant. Her life consisted of work and being involved with her family. At age twenty-four she found out devastating news. Her beloved father had cancer. Not only that, he had had cancer since she was fourteen but her family, out of love, spared telling her until she had passed through those tender teen years. Only the two older girls had known. He was in stage four. Things were very bleak and his prognosis was not good. He was given a very short time to live. Lisa's two older sisters upon finding out about their dad's cancer, very sacrificially gave up eating candy. They had been doing this for the ten years that Lisa was unaware of the disease. Both were, as Lisa describes, "candy junkies" yet for the love of their father they gave up the very thing they so enjoyed. Upon learning this, Lisa and her younger sister joined them in their fast. Lisa's younger sister prayed to St. Jude that her father's life be spared for seven more years. He did indeed live into that seventh year. On his deathbed all the girls brought in chocolate and a bottle of wine. Together they sat with their dying father and ate the first candy they had had in sixteen years (ten for the younger girls). They tearfully said their good-byes and left. Almost reaching the elevator Lisa abruptly turned and ran back into the room. She realized she had not told her dad it was okay for him to go. She remembered yelling, "Go! Go! Go home, Dad!" She saw a tear trickle down his cheek. He died shortly thereafter.
God also provided for Lisa through the spouse that she chose. When just a very young girl, Lisa noticed a young man who attended Sunday Mass. There was something about him that touched her heart. Even though young she began praying for her vocation and prayed that God would send her someone special. She spent her ensuing years not really looking for anyone. She knew God would send someone to her. After attending Mass one Sunday, the same young man she had noticed years earlier asked someone about her. Hearing of her profession, he started calling dentists until he found the one for whom she worked. The rest, as they say, is history. They married at the same church where they had first seen each other. Her trust in God is so complete. Lisa encourages others to pray for their future spouses at an early age. "God has someone picked out for you," Lisa states.
Lisa saw yet another work of God on the occasion of her brother-in-law's diagnosis of cancer. The girls in the family once again started up the prayer machine. They also started another candy fast. God heard their cry. The cancerous mass which the doctors described as living matter died before surgery was performed. The doctors were stunned. On the anniversary of his wellness, Lisa's brother-in-law celebrated by buying all their favorite candy thus ending their yearlong fast.
The devotion of Lisa's heart is so moving. Her relationship with God is sweet and enduring. She has a daughter's heart with absolute trust, confidence, humility, and innocence. She knows God is there for her and her loved ones. He has given her signs of encouragement and concrete measures of His love. Her animation and enthusiasm are delightful. Her generosity and goodness are gifts from God. Her love is a blessing from above. She has been preserved in such a beautiful way and walks in the light of the Triune God. She has a purity of heart found in few. God has blessed her in the most endearing ways. She is sweet and very special. May God continue to bless her and all her family and may she continue to be a light to all of those around her.
"The Greatest Generation"
 National World War II Memorial |
It was amazing to see how many Americans would stop in the streets when passing a veteran to salute them and simply say, "Thank You!"
Our veterans have fought hard for America. Sixty years ago, the 16 million fighting in WWII were giving our nation one of its greatest military triumphs. The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in uniform, of whom more than 400,000 gave their lives.
We thank the veterans and honor them for their sacrifices, and we thank those who have made the Memorial possible through their generosity.
Pray The News
Because we are sons and daughters of God, saved by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we do not merely read the news but make the news. We direct the course of world events by faith expressed in action and intercession. Please pray for the stories covered in this paper. Clip out this intercessory list and make it part of your daily prayer.
- We pray that America would repent, turn to God, and be converted.
- We pray that America would be "one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all."
- We pray for an end to abortion, war, and violence.
- We pray for strong families and united churches.
- We pray for H.E.A.L. Guatemala to be able to bring the love of Jesus and a good education to poor children in Guatemala.
- We pray that Americans will make informed and prayerful choices in this year's elections.
- We pray for the men and women of our military.
- We pray for the success of the Bible Institute.