Sister Veronica Gross' Blog

“The splendor of Christ risen from the dead has shone on the people redeemed by His blood, Alleluia.” (Antiphon from Easter’s Morning Prayer)  May we continue to live the transformation that we have experienced in our lives during this past Lenten Season.  Let us continue to release the Divine Presence through our actions.  Jesus is alive in us, the people of Mother of Divine Providence Parish.  ALLELUIA!

During the past five weeks, our parish community has prayed, fasted and given alms with a special focus on the poorest members of our global community.  Our lives were touched by learning about the people of Burkina Faso, East Timor, Lesotho, Dominican Republic and Pakistan.  Through our Lenten prayers and donations to the Rice Bowl we have touched the lives of millions of people served by Catholic Relief Services, our representative to the poorest countries in the world.  Thank you for your generosity.

If you would like to learn more about the Social Teachings of the Church, may we suggest reading Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action by Thomas Massaro, SJ.

As we come close to the end of Lent, let us be generous in our alms giving.  Our Rice Bowl Collection this week focuses on Pakistan — Pakistan is one country where poor communities often do not have access to clean water.  Catholic Social Teaching:  Dignity of every human person and human rights.  All people must have the basic needs to live — clean water being one of them.  How  CRS helped:  CRS helps communities build water pumps so they can have clean water nearby for use at home and on their farms.  Reflection Question:  In service to others, how can we keep mindful that our love of Christ is the reason we serve those in need?

During the Lenten Season as we pray, fast and give alms. These are days in which grace is in abundance.  We just need to reflect on this Sunday’s Gospel of the Prodigal Son to see this reality.  The father says to the older son — “My son, you are with me always, and everything I have is yours.”  Imagine these words being spoken to you.   St. Paul tells us that “every blessing in the heavens is ours”.  So now, how do we use this abundance of grace?  Allow this grace to be the force behind your pray and actions.  This week, let us pray for and assist with alms the people of the Dominican Republic.

Country Spotlight:  Dominican Republic   In the Dominican Republic 42% of the population currently lives below the poverty line.  Catholic Social Teaching: Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers  –  The opportunity of work to earn a living is a right of all people.  All workers have the right to a fair wage, to organize themselves and to work in good conditions.  How CRS helped: CRS has developed Savings and International Leading Communities which is a methodology to target the poorest populations who lack access to formal financial services and who are often overlooked by major micro-finance institutions.  Reflection Question:  A common human reaction may be to be judgmental of other’s neediness.  How can we strive to go beyond our own biases or prejudices toward the poor and hungry?

As we come to the third week of Lent, our Lectio Divina sessions give us time to pray over the scripture and reflect on the barren fig tree.  The gardener allows for one more year so that the fig tree can be nurtured, pruned and cultivated so that it will produce good fruit.  Lent is that time for us.  The Lord offers many graces and opportunities for us to grow closer to Him.  This is our Lenten Prayer.

Our Rice Bowl Collection gives us the opportunity for Alms Giving.  The Catholic Relief Services gives assistance to many countries in need.  Read about this week’s country and please be generous to the collection.

Country Spotlight:  Lesotho (Africa) Lack of education does not allow people to move out of the cycle of poverty.  Catholic Social Teaching: Rights and Responsibilities   We must take responsibility to protect the rights of all people.  These rights include the right of life, food, shelter, education and employment along with political and cultural rights.  How CRS helped: CRS works with the Good Shepherd Sisters to ensure the right of orphans and vulnerable children to high-quality early education opportunities.   This education focuses on five key areas of development:  physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional.  As a result the children are better prepared to follow instructions from teachers, sit in a classroom and socialize with one another.  Reflection Question:  In the parable of the fig tree, why do you think Jesus places so much emphasis on bearing fruit?

During Lent our focus is on Prayer, Fasting and Alms Giving.  Our Lectio Divina Prayer Series continues on the Thursdays during Lent up to and including March 14th.  We meet in the parish office building after the 8 A.M. Mass and at 7 P.M.  Our hope is that these times can accommodate all who wish to attend.  If you are not able to be with us, scroll down to the Lectio Divina “Lesson” in this blog for the steps for this prayer with Sacred Scripture.  We use the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday.

Our Rice Bowl Collection is a way to participate in Alms Giving.  Each week we highlight a country that is helped by our donations to Catholic Relief Services and how that donation is used.  Let us reflect on the help needed in East Timor and be as generous as possible.

Country Spotlight:  East Timor (an island nation near Australia)  Tuberculosis is a major health crisis for the close knit people.  Catholic Social Teaching:  Community and Participation  –  Human beings are not only sacred, but also social.  How we participate in our families and communities, from our daily actions to our policy decisions, affects each and every person.  How CRS helped:  CRS is working with health centers, prisons, boarding schools and orphanages in East Timor to help reduce the incidence and burden of TB using several strategies:

• Advocate, Communicate and Mobilize-encourage the people to look for signs and symptoms of TB
• Community-Based Care — CRS provides training to local health partners to help monitor the treatment of TB patients.
• Capacity Strengthening — CRS helps to train local partner organizations in financial and human resources management so that community-based care is as efficient and effective as possible.

Reflection Question:  If you recognize Christ in the faces of the human family, what new steps might you take this Lent to draw closer to Him?  Can you commit to one of those steps?

During the season of Lent, we are asked to Pray, Fast and Give Alms.  Our parish is offering a Lectio Divina Prayer series on the Thursday’s in Lent in the morning  after the 8 A.M. Mass and again in the evening at 7 P.M. in the Parish Office Building.  This will offer parishioners an opportunity to experience another form of prayer.

Our Rice Bowl Collection (in the poor boxes) give us an opportunity to give alms to those most in need.  By participating in this effort, we can assist our neighbors across the world.  Each week we will be spotlighting a country helped by Catholic Relief Services.  We will also highlight a Catholic Social teaching on which we can reflect.  How do I live my life in keeping with what the church teaches about social justice?  The following is our first offering:

Country Spotlight: Burkina Faso (West Africa)  As a result of poor rainfall, soil degradation, high population density and inadequate agriculture practices, farmers are often unable to produce enough food to feed themselves and their families for the entire year.

Catholic Social Teaching:  Option for the Poor.  As a community of faith, we have the obligations to reach out to those who are most in need.  The Gospel calls us to take action on behalf of the most vulnerable members of society.

How CRS helped: CRS helped to establish a small irrigated plot of land in Lelegse that the local population could use to practice new planting techniques.  The plot is managed by three committees comprised of local farmers and community members:  1)  the water supply and management committee, 2) the motor pump repair and management committee and 3) The seed supply committee.

Reflection Question:  How does the world, society or community in which we live tempt us to live for ourselves, without regard to other?

On the Thursdays during Lent, we will be meeting in the parish office building after the 8 A.M. Mass and again at 7 P.M. to pray with the scriptures.  Lectio Divina is a form of praying with sacred scripture that moves the Word of God from our mind to our heart.  We will be using the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday.

If you are not able to join us, you can pray with the Scriptures at home.  This prayer is done in four easy steps.  Each step begins with the reading of a particular scripture passage.

Step 1 – LECTIO  – Read the scripture passage that you have chosen with a different mind set.  Remember that we are reading the WORD of God.  What is God saying to you today?  What word or words in the passage touch your heart.

Step 2 – MEDITATIO  – Read the passage again and reflect on the Word.  Where do you see yourself in this reading?  Are you an observer?  Are you one of the characters in the passage?  Are you able to place yourself in this picture?

Step 3 – ORATIO — Read the passage again and see how the Spirit is drawing you through the passage.  How might God be touching your deepest desire?  How might God be inviting you to attune your mind and heart to goodness, love and compassion?  Pray your desire in the form of a petition.

Step 4 –  CONTEMPLATIO  – This final step is that of Contemplation – being with.  This movement takes us to a sense of peace in God’s presence.  Enter into the silence and rest in the heart of God.  How is He touching your life?

“This is nothing else than a secret and peaceful and loving inflow of God, which, if not hampered, fires the soul in the spirit of love.”  This is God’s action in us.

This pray may be done with any scripture passage,piece of poetry or spiritual reading.God touches us in ways we cannot imagine. Let us be transformed by the Word of God during this time of Lent.

“Ask and you will receive…” the Scripture tells us.  As we find ourselves in this Year of Faith, I ask, do we really believe in the power of prayer?  Do we have the simple faith of a child and pray with the confidence that our prayer is heard?  Let us place our petitions before the Lord with a simple faith and trust that we are heard…

For the Sick:  Maryann Barrett,  Betty Ann Quinn, Lisa Hahn, Dolores Weiss, Joseph White, Jr.,   Mr. Olson,Vern Krueger, Roz Cirino, Rosie Walt, Trudy Hahn,  Mary Dlugos, Kelly Ann Javic, John and Mary Barrett, Michael Wheeler, Kelly Rice, Ferd Morro, Kelly Rice, Brian Cooper, James and Theresa McCabe, John Reagan, Bill Kelser, George Mienro, Nancy Lynn, Vito Moreno.

For those who have died:  Irv Kryner, Angeles R. Lopez, Josephine Vassallo, Msgr. Daniel Kehoe, Michael Maskarinec, Katherine Ann Varalli, Joseph Kraynak, Alyce Durant, Clarisse Merritt, Lisa Clark, Phyllis Collins, Deacon Thomas Eichman, Sister Alice Edward Strogen, Helen DeRosa, Sarah Gilmore, John Carroll, John DelOrefice, Rev. Stephen Dougherty, Lloyd Bogle, John Jaslett, Kayla Buddy, Phyllis Baiocci, Thomas Trainer, Lloyd Bogle, John Hasslett, Carol Baker, Marie Garrahan, Frank Werner, Keith Mastronardo, Kay McDonald Elder, Mary Humay, Erica Sammartino, Bill McCua.

Mother of Divine Providence Parish is having the yearly Manna Food Drive the first weekend in October.  The Food Cupboard at Catholic Social Services is grateful for this being done at an off time — the food supply is low and the food line is twice what it has been in past months.  Bags will be available at the doors of the church this weekend and should be filled with nonperishable items and returned on October 6th and 7th.  As we prepare for this collection, I believe my last Alaska story that follows this information is very appropriate.

There is a wonderful little bird in Alaska called a Puffin.  This bird is very unusual because it is a great diver and swimmer.  The puffin has a very strong bone structure, which makes it heavy.  It has to use great effort to fly, BUT, it can dive 250 feet below the surface and stay underwater for a while.  Its purpose in life, besides being cute, is to chase the fish to the surface of the water so that the other birds can get food.  The Puffin is definitely a “feed the hungry” bird.  There is a lesson for us from this creature.  He spends his entire day diving and chasing fish to the surface so that other birds may eat.  He is a great swimmer; he seems to glide in the water with such ease.  We saw this in the wild on our cruise on Resurrection Bay and at the Sea Life Center in Seward.  There is a special section for sea birds and we could actually see them dive and catch the fish in the big glass tank at the center.  I could have watched all day –amazing!  What does this Puffin teach us? What kind of time do we spend helping others?  Are we willing to give of ourselves at any cost?  Let’s take the example of this Puffin and help feed the hungry by our participation in the Manna Food Collection next weekend.  Thank you for your support.