Deacon Keith Fournier over at Catholic Online sure knows how to make a 2,000-year-old story feel as current as the evening news. Check out these challenging words he shared this weekend in honor of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
That same Redeemer now resides within – and lives through – all those who respond to the invitation of Love like (Mary) did…. Each of us, now baptized into Him, are also called to become full of grace. The Lord desires to take up residence within us and be borne into a world that hungers for His love. Mary shows us the way. She heard the promise, believed, was filled with grace, and conceived the Lord who is Love incarnate. We can do likewise if we learn to pray, to listen, to hear, and to respond with our own “Yes”, living our lives in surrendered love.
What a powerful calling we’ve been given! At Cross Catholic, we have the privilege to work with compassionate men and women who are “incarnating” our Redeemer to the poor on a daily basis. The need for grace is as real today as it was in the time of Mary.
Dolores Rodriguez is glad that Sr. Liane Rainville answered “Yes” to the call. Dolores is one of nearly 600 women crammed into a prison built for 175 in the Philippines. Most of these women have been waiting for years just to go to trial, and many are innocent. They rely on family and friends to provide basic items such as soap, shampoo, and toothpaste – but most of them are completely alone.
The situation was bad enough to begin with, but it got worse when Dolores had a stroke. She became weak on her right side and had trouble walking, and would have been left to deal with it on her own if Sr. Liane hadn’t intervened. Sr. Liane is the only family, the only friend, most of the women have. She brought a cane for Dolores, and provided whatever other needs were not being met.
With our help, Sr. Liane supplies soap, toothpaste, medicine, and other basic necessities to the women on a weekly basis. Click here to find out how you can be a part of this ministry of grace.