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ThankfulHome.tv

Lisa Hendey — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:00:55 +0000

For years, I’ve been thankful for my online friendship with talented author and all around great guy Tim Bete. Tim wrote me recently to share the good news about a project he is working on. ThankfulHome.tv is the kind of project that makes the best possible use of the Internet to inspire, to help build community, and to make a difference in the world. Please read the following information, shared by Tim, and check out ThankfulHome.tv. Great work Tim!

ThankfulHome.tv Helps People Express Gratitude for Homes, Share Stories of Difficult Housing Experiences

As part of National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-12, 2010), St. Mary Development Corporation has launched ThankfulHome.tv, a Web site with the motto: “Be thankful for your home. Help others find a decent place to live.”

ThankfulHome.tv allows people to share their stories about housing issues by submitting short videos. Visitors to the site can share why they are thankful for their homes or talk about a difficult housing situation they’ve faced (e.g., homelessness, unsafe conditions.) By connecting people who have decent housing with those who don’t, ThankfulHome.tv hopes new innovative solutions to housing issues will emerge.

When a video is posted on the site, ThankfulHome.tv sends the person who submitted it a free “Thankful for my home” wristband. Most videos submitted will be posted. Details about the free wristbands can be found at www.ThankfulHome.tv.

St. Mary Development Corporation (www.StMaryDevelopment.org) is southwest Ohio’s largest non-profit provider of high-quality, affordable housing. Over the past 21 years, they’ve created more than 2,400 housing units and prevented more than 950 foreclosures. St. Mary Development has been a chartered member of NeighborWorks since 1999.

NeighborWorks America (www.nw.org) creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. Since 1991, they have assisted nearly 1.2 million low- to moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of their success is achieved through their support of the NeighborWorks network of more than 235 community development organizations working in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

During National NeighborWorks Week (June 5-12, 2010), local NeighborWorks organizations mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers, businesspeople, neighbors, friends, and civic leaders in a week of neighborhood change and awareness.

For more information about ThankfulHome.tv, contact Tim Bete (Communication Director, St. Mary Development Corporation; Editor, ThankfulHome.tv) at Tim@ThankfulHome.tv

Changing the World One Small Step at a Time by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:00:05 +0000

“Sharing the Tradition, Shaping the Future” is a 2001 publication put out by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Designed to be used by small faith-sharing groups over the course of seven weeks, the introduction states that the group “can explore how these basic [Catholic social] teachings affect our individual lives. With the Holy Spirit as a guide, the group can come to new understandings about how to further the work of the reign of God. . . The work of social justice is not the work of a few ‘experts.’ It should affect the lives of all.” The Bible Study I belong to is currently making its way through this text.

The text is good. It is all based in scripture. It offers much food for thought on social responsibility and on how we treat those we perceive as different or less fortunate than ourselves. The challenge comes in with the “suggested actions” at the conclusion of each chapter. The actions are all extremely time consuming. For example, week one suggests “Join your parish social action committee. If your parish doesn’t have one, start one.” Week three offers the following: “If your community has a project to build or repair low-cost housing for the poor, volunteer some of your time. If it does not, find out how you can initiate such a project or a similar project.” All of us in this Bible Study are homeschooling moms. Many of us also work outside the home in some capacity. There are only so many hours in one day. Even a single person would be hard-pressed to complete more than one of these projects, never mind one each week!

Looking at the world’s problems, we can easily become discouraged. After all, they seem so big, and each of us has limited resources. Faced with suggestions like those in this book, one’s discouragement only increases. I do believe that community service is extremely important. Each one of us is called to reach out beyond our own families and friends into the world at large. Different stages of life call for different forms of community service, however. Yes, there are moms who manage (somehow) to make huge contributions to the world while successfully raising their children. Perhaps God called them to this special form of service. Most of us, however, are called to minister in smaller, if not less important, ways.

Mother Teresa offers great encouragement to those of us who find our lives centered mostly on our families. She stated that one of the most important things is for us “to do small things with great love.” Each one of us is capable of that. We can make a difference in small ways, beginning with our families, our friends, our neighbors, and the communities we live in. We can treat people with respect and kindness, give charitably what we can, share what we own, and extend hospitality to others. We can volunteer where and how we are able. We can trust in the ripple effect, that each act of kindness will lead to others. We can (and should) do what we can and trust that God will do the rest.

A Lenten Purge by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:00:06 +0000

This Lent, my family is embarking on a different type of sacrifice. I had heard of the 40 bags in 40 days challenge last year, but quickly dismissed it. In fact, I read about it again this year on Fat Tuesday and dismissed it again. Anyway who knows me or has visited my house knows that housekeeping is not my strong point. Neither is neatness. I had the desk in elementary school that was overflowing with papers. My locker in high school was a health hazard. I once had to explain to a boss that even though my desk looked like a tornado hit it, I knew where everything was and did, in fact, have every task under control. Anyone else see a theme here? My house is much the same. It’s not that I don’t like neat places. In fact, when I go to clean, neat houses, I feel a small pang of jealousy. Truly, though, I don’t know how to live that way. I need visual reminders of what I need to do. If it is out of my sight, it is truly out of my mind. My husband and two children are much the same. We all have the messy gene. Therefore, we coexist rather peacefully. However, the simple truth is that we have too much stuff and some of it needs to go.

The point of 40 bags in 40 days is to get rid of 40 bags of stuff out of your house during Lent. Of course, donated items count as well. As I was looking around my house on Ash Wednesday, I had the sudden feeling that this was something I desperately needed to do. I grabbed a couple of trash bags and explained the concept to my children. I expected a great deal of resistance, especially from my older son who likes to keep everything that crosses his path. Amazingly, they got into the project. That first day, we cleared two bags of items out of their playroom. I was so excited! The project was off to a great start. The next day, I started tackling the kitchen, and my husband started on our bedroom closet (despite the fact that he hates disposing of items as well).

The beauty of doing one bag a day is that it is doable. One of the things that paralyzes me when facing the clutter is that there is so much of it. I can’t do it all at one time, not even one room. Yet, I can do one bag. When I have filled up one bag, I feel like I have accomplished my goal for the day. I cross it off on my things to do list and up the total of bags completed.

Truly, I don’t know if we will be able to fill 40 bags or not. As of this writing, we are at seven. Still, I am excited and happy with the progress so far. Admittedly, most of the items cleaned out so far have been in cabinets and closets. Looking around my house, no one would see much of a difference. Still, I know that it is getting done. I’m giving away as much as I can so that I am helping others as well as cleaning my home.

Lent calls us to strip away all that is keeping us from God. Too much stuff can definitely be part of the problem. Lent is a good time to physically remove some of the things that we don’t need anymore. I’m embracing this Lenten project with enthusiasm and wonder where removing 40 bags of excess will leave me. Like so many other things in my life, it is a work in progress.

Copyright 2010 Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

Lunch with a Neighbor by Colleen McNatt

Colleen McNatt — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:51 +0000

When is the last time you sat down to lunch with a neighbor? For many of us, our neighbors are people we wave to as we pick up our morning newspaper. We may be lucky enough to know their first and last name. Chances are you have had the opportunity to pick up their mail while on vacation, watered their lawn or cared for their pet.

So, when is the last time you really had the chance to sit down to a meal with your neighbor? Earlier this fall, I had two opportunities to see social justice in action with my fellow neighbors in San Diego. I didn’t know their names. They won’t be taking vacation anytime soon, so I don’t anticipate caring for their plants or pets. You see, my neighbors at Father Joe’s Villages in downtown San Diego are homeless. Over 900 families and single men and women live in this “one-stop” campus where the children can go to school, and adults can learn new job skills and attend to the barriers that impacted their independence and self-sufficiency.

On my recent visits to Father Joe’s Villages, I served lunch together with my oldest children, their classmates, teacher and other parents. It was part of their eighth-grade Religion requirement, offering community service. The lunch shift is the busiest meal as it is open to the public, the Village residents and its employees. Depending on the category you fall in, each lunch “customer” has a different colored ID tag. It was an orderly process from my vantage point. The line formed outside and people waited at the perimeter of the dining room entrance, some patiently, others not so. (Just like any other eatery during the busy lunch hour). As the crowd entered the cafeteria queue, each individual would prepare for their meal and wash their hands with hand sanitizer. After this step, they would offer their ID tag to the cashier, who would swipe the card into the database. Thereafter, a lunch tray would be offered to them. I heard heartier “thank you’s” than expected. I witnessed more broken spirits than anticipated.

On my first visit to Father Joe’s Villages, we served close to 1,300 meals between 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. That’s about 14 meals delivered every minute. I was in charge of the mixed vegetables. I have never scooped so many side dishes like I did that day. I observed many lunchtime customers return in line more than once. They can have seconds (or thirds) as long as they follow the rules. Pregnant women and small children were allowed a luxury, a small carton of milk, upon request. As the kitchen crew busily worked in a precision-like fashion, getting the main dish and sides placed in a paint-by-numbers order on the red cafeteria tray, I witnessed the Fourth Beatitude in action.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

We are all hungry and thirsty, for different reasons. After my second visit to Father Joe’s Villages, our school group stayed after our shift (989 meals served that day) and enjoyed lunch together with our neighbors. I plan to have lunch again with them next month. I can’t wait to see what’s on the menu.

For more information about Father Joe’s Villages, visit: http://www.fatherjoesvillages.org/

Help Fight Global Trafficking

Lisa Hendey — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:00:14 +0000

The following video contains some graphic and upsetting descriptions of the pain of global prostitution and human trafficking – but will perhaps help open your eyes to some very painful truths in our world and how you and I can be of help. In the film, Global Health Promise Executive Director asks the question, “How can we help these mothers and their children get out of this Hell?” For more information, visit Global Health Promise.

Catholic Moments #98 – Sister Marilyn Lacey, RSM and Matthew Baute

Catholic Moments Podcast — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:46:29 +0000

As we celebrate the joy of the Easter season, Lisa shares interviews this week with two inspiring individuals who are using their gifts and talents to minister to others.

Sister Marilyn Lacey, RSM is the founder of the nonprofit organization Mercy Beyond Borders and the author of This Flowing Toward Me: A Story of God Arriving in Strangers, a wonderful book based on her years of working with refugee populations around the globe.

Matthew Baute is a Catholic recording artist who travels across the US as a full-time lay “music missionary” sharing God’s message of mercy and love through prayer concerts and diocesan events. He strives to lead a simple, contemplative life in the midst of the busyness of the secular world, giving witness to the reality that God is continually whispering an invitation of love to every heart.

Deacon Tom Fox shares a wonderful Easter season celebration entitled “Pay it Forward”.

Please consider SQPN during this year’s Giving Campaign and help us share the faith with new media. Also, don’t forget to register for SQPN’s upcoming Catholic New Media Celebration. Deacon Tom and I will be there and would love to meet you! Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Links for this Episode:

Marilyn Lacey, RSM:
- Mercy Beyond Borders
- This Flowing Toward Me: A Story of God Arriving in Strangers
Matthew Baute – River of Grace
Immaculée Ilibagiza at St. Patrick’s Parish in Merced, California
Catholic Parish Media Liaison Kerry Madden – Dynamic Catholic Speaker: Anna Scalley, Cornerstone Media and Kitty Cleveland
Catholic Spotlight Podcast Voting and Review Page
SQPN Giving Campaign
SQPN Star Teams
CatholicMom.com Book Club
The Catholic Company
Lisa’s Facebook Profile, Plurk, Twitter
Catholic Mom Logo Store

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Acting Justly

Susan Terbay — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:00:38 +0000

I recently attended the 3rd Annual Global Solidarity Conference entitled: The Power of Your Change. How your everyday purchases change the world. It was sponsored by Catholic Social Action Office, Catholic Relief Services and our office of the Center for Social Concern from the University of Dayton.

The conference had listed so many good sessions and to pick two was difficult but I was very pleased with the ones I had chosen. One in particular was about pay day lending and credit cards. This session was of particular interest because as voters in Ohio, we recently passed a bill to limit the interest rate of these pay day lenders to a maximum – 28% as opposed to their 300+% interest rates. It was a first step in regulating such practices and the man who was presenting the session was from the Catholic Social Action office of the Cleveland diocese and was instrumental in helping put this bill on the ballot for voting. The bill was passed but unfortunately, the vulnerable are still at risk with predatory financial practices.

This is of interest to me because I have grown so tired of the judgment by others regarding those who go to such places – as though they are the low-lifes of our society. They are not and I know because I’m one who found herself in a position of using their services. As the session progressed I heard comments and wonderings of others as to why anyone would go to such places. Well I finally raised my hand and shared my story and in so doing I wanted to put a face to those who feel they have no other resource but to go to such places for financial assistance.

In many ways we have become a society that judges people on their credit score. At least once during the evening a young man comes on TV and asks me if I know my credit score! Then continues on about how important this score is for my future life which includes buying homes, cars, or even just a credit card. Apparently my credit score defines my humanity. Most of my life my credit score has been less than admirable. As a matter of fact, when I go into a bank, I feel like the president of the bank is a Mr. Potter from It’s a Wonderful Life, sitting in his office and sneering to himself as he watches me walk in with my paperwork in hand.

When a person finds themselves in a place in their life in which they are a single mom, have had a home foreclosed on them and had to face bankruptcy their self esteem is quite low – as a matter of fact it’s the pits, not only the pits, but the bottom of the pits. I know, because I’ve been that woman – that mom. As one struggles to regain their own self respect oftentimes life hits them again and they find themselves needing some cash to keep the electricity on, to pay the rent, or to have a car fixed. The concept of going to the bank for help is out of the question. There is no financial institution who would consider such a person because they are considered high risk at that moment. So imagine having a place where a person in such a situation can go and such an establishments tells you, we can loan you $500 – no questions asked – all you have to have is proof of income and a checking account.

I remember walking into such a place and walking out of it with my needed financial assistance with a sense of ‘okay, I can deal with life a bit better now.’ Two weeks later the money is taken out of my checking account along with a huge interest payment and thus the cycle begins because then another loan is needed to help with the next set of bills. Fortunately for me I was not caught up in the cycle of constant returning week after week but so many are and the amounts skyrocket and it becomes then a source of endless cycles in which money becomes the focus and relief and independence is lost. Such choices can only feed the already low self esteem of needing assistance and having no where else to go. When I stopped in at such places I talked with the people in line. Each with their own story, each with their own needs and I could easily relate to them. Most of the people I encountered were there not to be able to spend frivolously but to pay bills or keep themselves afloat one more day, one more week and then deal with the next need later and hope for the best.

As our economy continues to be hit with unemployment, more people on social security, the uncertainty of keeping the family home and mounting pressure and bills and the ever present credit card debt, my fear is more and more people will fall victim to a practice that does not in the long run help them but hurts them. If such establishments wanted to help those who are in need they could easily turn their establishments into places where people who need a loan to get through a situation can have the opportunity to pay back through payments over 6 months to a year with reasonable interest rates. There is nothing wrong with such places so long as they provide a service that treats people as people and not victims of their predatory practices. Right now our country is hurting and we all need to be on board for each other – not pick and choose victims to prey upon but to reach out to people to help keep them afloat.

I believe as children of God we need now more than ever to be conscious with our spending, to purchase with a wisdom inspired by the gospels. It is time we look outside our “selfs” and look at our neighbor, our community, our elderly, our children, ultimately our world – those most vulnerable and ask what we can do to make a difference. As mothers and fathers we are our children’s first and foremost teachers. What lessons do we want our children to learn and carry with them? To me it is best stated in Micah 6-8: What does the Lord ask of us but to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

On that final judgment day I don’t think God will ask us about our credit score but I believe God will ask how we acted justly with each other, what mercy did we give and was God pleased to walk with us.

Music Mission Seeks Artists

Susan Bailey — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:00:09 +0000

The Franciscan & Friends Music Mission is looking for talented musicians with a heart for service to join them on month-long tour of Barbados, Bequia, Grenada and other Caribbean islands during the month of November. There is more information about the organization at their website, http://www.franciscanandfriends.com/

Here is the tour schedule for the Franciscan & Friends 2009 Music Mission :

Wed. Nov. 4 Depart for Barbados/Westjet
Thurs. Nov. 5 Orientation/Barbados
Fri. Nov. 6, 9am School/2pm Verdun/6pm Street Ministry
Sat. Nov. 7,6pm Benefit Concert, St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Sun. Nov. 8, Depart for St. Vincent, Bequia
Mon. Nov. 9, 9am Schools Bequia
Tues. No.10, 9am Schools, 6pm Street Concert, Bequia
Wed. Nov.11 Depart for Kingstown St. Vincent, 2pm Mental Home,
Thur. Nov. 12 St. Benedict’s Orphanage, Georgetown
Fri. Nov. 13, 10am Lewis Punnett Home,7pm Street Concert
Sat. Nov.14 Depart for Carriacou via St. George’s, Grenada/Flight
Sun. Nov. 15 Carriacou
Mon. Nov. 16 Carriacou
Tues. Nov. 17 Carriacou
Wed. Nov. 18 Depart for St. George’s via Ferry
Thur. Nov. 19 St. George’s
Fri. Nov. 20, 7pm Blessed Sacrament Concert, St. George’s
Sat. Nov. 21 6pm St. Martin’s Crochu
Sun. Nov. 22 6pm, St. Andrew’s, Grenville
Mon. Nov. 23 Depart for Barbados
Tues. Nov. 24 Depart for Home

Please contact Denis Grady at Denis.Grady@shaw.ca for more information and if you are interested in receiving an official invitation to join this tour.

Building a Culture of Life One Heart at a Time

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:00:47 +0000

The mission statement of the Sisters of Life states that they are “a contemplative/active religious community dedicated to protecting and advancing a sense of the sacredness of all human life — beginning with the infant in the womb and extending to all those vulnerable to the threat of euthanasia.” Founded by John Cardinal O’Connor in 1991, the sisters begin with prayer and then go out into the world with outreach to create a culture of life one person and one encounter at a time.

Since their founding, the Sisters of Life have been dedicated to providing practical assistance and spiritual and emotional support to pregnant women in crisis. Many of these women have had abortions in the past and want to give their unborn child life but are unsure of how to cope and move forward. The sisters state that “we strive to bring His peace, the gift of hope and a ‘beginning joy’ to each of these women God sends our way, even amidst what the women themselves readily admit are ‘non-ideal circumstances.’ We have witnessed the truth that ‘life is always a good’ as we have watched it slowly but surely blossom forth in so many of these courageous women with a heart faithful to the call to love.”

At the Holy Respite, located in the heart of Manhattan, New York, pregnant women “most vulnerable to the pressure of abortion,” whether Catholic or not, are invited to come and stay. A woman is welcome not only through the birth of her child, but up to six months after so that she may get back on her feet and begin to create a life for herself and her child.

The Sisters also help those who are suffering from the pain of abortion. The “Entering Canaan” program takes its name from the Exodus experience of the Jewish people crossing the desert to reach the Promised Land. This program takes women “on a Sacramental journey into the true Promised Land of the Heart of Jesus.” Each retreat is directed by women who experienced both the pain of abortion and the healing found in Christ. Retreats are also offered for men who are experiencing pain as a result of an abortion.

Education is yet another mission of the Sisters of Life. Thanks to the generosity of the Knights of Columbus, Villa Maria Guadalupe in Stamford, Connecticut became a reality. “The retreat house hosts Evenings of Recollection, educational seminars on life issues and retreats for everyone (themes include Theology of the Body, Young Adult Retreats, Post-Abortion Healing, and retreats on the Dignity and Vocation of Women). “ It is “a spiritual home for the pro-life community.” The Sisters also staff the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of New York, supporting marriages and families.

A more recent addition to the Sisters’ outreach has been the creation of an organized group of laity known as Co-workers. These volunteers work out of local or parish communities to provide help to women in need. Some open their homes to pregnant women; others work to help women find resources in their local communities. Men involved as co-workers help move furniture or build cribs or mentor fathers. Health professionals, college contacts, business professionals, counselors, and lawyers are all offering their talents to this effort.

For more information on any of the programs offered by the Sisters of Life, please visit their website at www.sistersoflife.org.

Catholic Moments #84 – MacWorld Memories and Tim Warneka

Catholic Moments Podcast — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:56:21 +0000

On this week’s podcast, Lisa shares about her day trip to San Francisco for the first day of the MacWorld Expo and the commencement of radiation treatments. Our special guest this week is Tim Warneka, author of Black Belt Leader, Peaceful Leader: An Introduction to Catholic Servant Leadership who teaches us how we can adopt the “sevant leader” way of life within our Catholic families. Learn how to combine some of the principles of the martial art of Aikido with our Catholic faith to make our world a better place.

Deacon Tom Fox shares a “healing” reflection on the life of Blessed Andre Bessette.

Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Links for this episode:

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Catholic Moments #79 – Bryan Murdaugh and Catholic Charities

Lisa Hendey — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:52:59 +0000

This week, we share two interviews: Jody Hudson of Catholic Charities of Fresno helps us learn what we, as families, can do to reach out to the poor and needy in our communities. We also meet Bryan Murdaugh, a talented Catholic Dad, youth minister and musician.

Deacon Tom Fox shares a reflection on being of service to others.

Be sure to enter this month’s contest – your chance to win two adorable Christmas Bracelets. To enter, email lisa@catholicmom.com with “Christmas Bracelets Giveaway” in the subject line and be sure to include your complete mailing address. Enter by November 30, 2008. Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Links for this episode:

Catholic Charities USA
Bryan Murdaugh
modernPSALTER.com
The Catholic Company
Lisa’s Facebook Profile, Plurk, Twitter
Catholic Mom Logo Store

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