No Room At the Inn

“And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

Luke 2:7

Some might understand the challenges that come with being pregnant. But for Mary, it was more than your average pregnancy and birth. She was traveling – on a donkey – into a foreign land, and had no place to stay. One could certainly understand if her stress level was through the roof.

Often, we hear that Mary and Joseph had no place to stay because the census was being taken and the town was full of people. And while this is true, we must also remember that this was Joseph’s hometown – and his family should have provided a place for them to stay. But Mary’s pregnancy, with a child that did not belong to Joseph, was likely very offensive and scandalous to his family. Today, we know she was carrying the Savior of the world and the Holy Spirit conceived the child, but Mary was rejected by her own people because they only saw her circumstances.

At just 23-years-old, Julia was in her fourth pregnancy. She was facing major challenges, including poverty, homelessness, mental illness, lack of a strong social support system, the inability to read or write and a long history of abuse and abandonment by her family members. As a result, CPS had removed her three children from her care.

Julia contacted Catholic Charities’ St. Elizabeth|Coleman Pregnancy & Adoptive Services to make an adoption plan for her fourth child, but she also opened the door to a new support system to help her financially, emotionally, and to connect her with local resources.

Since the adoption of her child, Julia has formed a personal relationship with her social worker and moved out of the homeless shelter where she was staying into a small house within walking distance of her health clinic and the grocery store.  As Julia continues to grow and experience renewed hope for her future, Catholic Charities will be by her side, offering her the lifelong services and support she needs.

How often do we refuse to give a place to our own version of “outcasts,” not only in our homes, but in our lives? Joseph’s relatives probably thought they were being righteous by shunning Mary. Do we unconditionally welcome the hurting, poor, orphaned, widowed, homeless, and needy around us?

This Christmas season – and all year long – open your hearts, homes, and pockets to help those in need. Look beyond their current circumstances and see that they are a gift from God.

Reflecting the Hope and Love of Christ

First Corinthians 1:28-29 says, “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

The angels appeared and proclaimed Jesus’ birth to the shepherds. The shepherds – who were only a few rungs above beggars on the social ladder. And, the angels proclaimed that message not in a dream, as they did with Joseph, or in a single vision, as they did with Mary, but with an entire heavenly host proclaiming the message with singing and shouting. Why would this world-changing message be proclaimed to the lowly shepherds?

Because that’s how God works – in the lives of shepherds…and boys like Jason. 

Jason enrolled in a Catholic high school as a freshman, but struggled with the transition. His struggle was more than the normal plight of an adolescent boy. His mother and stepfather were recently convicted and imprisoned for sexually abusing Jason just years earlier. Jason was sent to live with his biological father, whom he had never had regular contact with growing up, and was forced to enroll in a new school and start a new life.

Jason felt as if he did not belong at the school – without friends, failing academically, and struggling to process through the abuse he had suffered, he battled powerful thoughts of suicide. Jason felt hopeless.

Wisely, he sought guidance through the school’s social worker. Two years later, Jason’s life is completely transformed. Along with the social worker, Jason’s teachers, academic counselor, administrators, and his father have all supported his growth. Jason has friends, is excelling academically, and has received a prestigious spot in an acting summer program.

Jason, now in his junior year of high school, has hope.

God cares deeply for those that society says are worthless, poor, and beyond hope. And, Catholic Charities follows that same model, reflecting the love of God to the poor, widowed, orphaned, homeless, and hopeless – to provide help and create hope. 
 

To whom can you reflect the hope and love of Christ’s birth this season?

A New Hope

Jesus was born into a world that was divided – torn apart by war, economic hardships, and the silence of God. The people placed their hope more in a political savior than God. They wanted a savior who would bring political and economic freedoms. The night Jesus was born, it was not a silent night – it was a world of turmoil, frustration, and no hope. Sound familiar?

We live in a world much like the one into which Jesus was born. His birth brought forth the gift of hope. Hope that we can have a future. Hope that our current circumstances are not reflective of our eternal promise.

Christmas is a celebration of this hope that was brought forth in a tiny child.

 

“For to us a child is born

to us a son is given,

and the government 

will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

     Wonderful Counselor, 

     Mighty God,

     Everlasting Father, 

     Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his 

     government and peace  

     there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

     and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

     with justice and righteousness

     from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

     will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Our hope is not in the promise itself, but in the God who gives us the promise. A God who reached out and gave himself in human flesh. Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace. He is our new hope.

What a great reason we have to rejoice this Christmas season – and all year long!

Giving Thanks - in all Circumstances

Recent economic hardships have caused many Americans to tighten their belt. Many have lost jobs, homes, family members, and so much more. We can be at our lowest point – a place with seemingly no hope. Aliyah felt this way just one year ago…

As a twenty-eight year old single mother of three, Aliyah had been living paycheck-to-paycheck until she was let go from her job. Soon after, she was unable to keep up with her rent, and she and her children became homeless.

But Aliyah did not give up and she came to Holy Family Shelter. Through the assistance and encouragement she received at Holy Family Shelter and her own hard work, Aliyah was able to get a full-time job, a new apartment, and enroll in school to complete her GED, all within just six weeks. Aliyah was filled with hope…and thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances,” not simply when we feel like it or when things are going well. God is good, sovereign, and wise all the time. We can give thanks that He is working out His plan even in the difficult circumstances of life. Although it may feel that God has left us – that He is far away – He never is. He is with us in our praises and thanksgiving, in good times and bad. 

We encourage you to give thanks during this season of thanksgiving, whether facing difficulty or comfort, God is always good.

Something For Which to be Thankful: A New Home

“He who can give thanks for little will always find he has enough.”  - Anonymous

This year, Andrei and his family will celebrate their first Thanksgiving living in the United States. Andrei was just 12 years old when the Soviet Union fell and his country of Moldova gained independence. However, with a lack of infrastructure, jobs were scarce, and available jobs paid such low wages that most families lived below the poverty line. Andrei, his wife, and his three children lived as best they could in this environment; however, Andrei’s heart was breaking as he envisioned his children’s future. He dreamed that one day he might be able to provide a safe home for his family.

On February 8, 2012, with the help of Catholic Charities, Andrei and his family arrived in Indianapolis with a few suitcases and a new lease on life.

The family was assisted with all the necessary resources to start their lives again; including food, financial support, medical appointments, English classes and employment training. Additionally, Andrei’s children were all enrolled in school. Andrei became teary-eyed while recounting it all—he said, “People are so giving here.”  

Andrei is currently working and is delighted to provide for his family. He expressed his deep gratitude for his new life here, pausing for a moment, smiling, and simply offering:  “It’s great.”

Second Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”

What indescribable gifts are you thankful for today?

Thanksgiving is About Turkey, Right?

Thanksgiving is a holiday we celebrate solely in America. Yet, as Americans we also take for granted the deep meaning and purpose behind the holiday. Sure, it is great to gather with family and friends and gorge ourselves on grandma’s home cooking, but what are we really doing together? Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is just about the turkey, right?

Yes, the pilgrims and Indians feasted together on what was known as the first Thanksgiving, but the idea of breaking bread together and giving thanks actually came from scripture. 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” Psalm 100:4

Psalm 107:1 “Give thanks to the Lord, For he is good; his love endures forever.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Thanksgiving is about thanking the Lord for His countless blessings over the past year. It is about rejoicing, singing praises, and worshipping together. It is about the lavish love He pours out onto us, not just once or twice a year, but every day. 

We set aside one day a year to thank God – but He gives us something every day for which to be thankful. Won’t you join us in making thanksgiving not just a special day to celebrate with those closest to you, but an entire lifetime of humble thanks to the One from whom all blessings flow? 

Turkey is great, but what else are you thankful for today?

A Caring Place...for Seniors

Nearly ten years ago, Sallie’s family began to notice what so many of us do in our older loved ones: her memory was faltering. 

It was the beginning stages of dementia. Although Sallie was still cooking, cleaning, and taking care of herself, it soon became apparent to Sallie’s family that she was no longer safe doing these things on her own. Her concerned son came to live with her full-time, but with Sallie’s inability to participate in many of the things she enjoyed before, she quickly became idle. The family made a concerted effort to take Sallie for walks and make sure she got to church, but they were unable to restore the joy of life Sallie once had.

It was about this time that a friend told Sallie’s family about A Caring Place and the many activities and opportunities for socialization. Recognizing this may be the place of love and activity their mother was craving, the family enrolled Sallie as a participant. 

Now 86-years old, Sallie enjoys companionship, singing, crafts, devotions, volleyball, and BINGO all offered at A Caring Place. Her time has been so beneficial that the family told the next-door neighbor, who is also diagnosed with dementia, about the program. Now both women, neighbors for over 30 years, attend together and are continuing their friendship and laughter at A Caring Place.   

Sallie’s daughter, Marilyn, reports that A Caring Place has been a tremendous resource for the whole family. “Mother is doing much better since she started at A Caring Place. She now has a sense of purpose,” Marilyn shares.  “We don’t have to worry about Mother’s safety while she is at A Caring Place. I can work and my brother can run his errands and not worry.” Sallie’s children also believe that the stimulation received at A Caring Place has slowed the progression of her dementia. Sallie looks forward to going to the program and it gives her something to do. In fact, Sallie’s son has to remind her to slow down, as she is known for running out the door when she hears the bus pull up!

If you or someone you love could benefit from the services provided by A Caring Place, please call 317.466.0015.

The Season of Sharing

As we approach the season of Advent in preparation for the celebration of Christmas, most of us will count numerous blessings for which to give thanks and shop for gifts to give our loved ones.

What each of us considers a blessing varies dramatically.

I remember my grandfather telling me that his Christmas morning was filled with joy when he would receive an orange and a new pair of socks under the Christmas tree. There would not be enough Kleenex in the world to mop up the tears at my house if this is what my children found waiting for them on Christmas morning!

Recently, I was dumbfounded to witness huge lines of people camped outside electronics stores to be the first to purchase the new Playstation 3. This brand new video game console costs $500 to $600, with each game adding an additional $60. These games are already featured on eBay for four to 10 times their original purchase price!

I began to reflect on the pure gluttony that has taken hold of many Americans. When many are willing to spend several hundred dollars on an entertainment device that adds nothing of value to society, I begin to worry about our priorities.

As the executive director of Catholic Charities, overseeing ministries serving the poorest of the poor, I can’t help but have these thoughts when so many we serve may truly only receive an orange and a new pair of socks.

I am not saying that video games are intrinsically evil or that entertainment is not a good thing. However, I would like to invite all of us to consider how we might share our blessings with those who have very few to count.

People experience poverty for a variety of reasons that are not self-inflicted: mental illness, physical handicaps, loss of a job, divorce, death of a spouse, poor educational opportunities, just to name a few. As Catholic Christians, we are called by God to share our blessings with our fellow brothers and sisters who have little. And this time of year affords us the perfect opportunity to give.

Catholic Charities seeks to ease the burden of poverty throughout the year; however, during this season of sharing, we reach out in additional ways.

Since the work of Catholic Charities is the work of the Church, and therefore all of our work, we invite you to consider how you might partner with us during the upcoming holiday season to ensure that many others will experience the joys of Christmas.

Catholic Charities operates two Christmas Stores, one in Indianapolis and the other in Terre Haute, where families are able to shop (free of charge) for brand new clothes, household items and toys.

We also house homeless families at Holy Family Shelter in Indianapolis and at the Bethany House in Terre Haute.

Many families will spend their Christmas at a homeless shelter, and it will be up to us to ensure that they receive gifts this Christmas. These are just a few services that need your help.

For more information, please visit our Website at www.CatholicCharitiesIndy.org or call 317-236-1500 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1500.

Caring for God's Creation

Everything on Earth was created by God, and as we read in the book of Genesis, God declares after each day that all that was created is good. On the sixth day after creating man, God declares him to be very good.

We read further in Genesis that human beings are to be given dominion over the Earth and all that is in it. This dominion is most appropriately described as a unique responsibility to care for the Earth—to practice good stewardship of all of creation. Just as a daughter would take exceptional care of a precious gift given by her mother, we are each called to take exceptional care of the gifts of nature that God has given us.

One does not have to be an “environmental extremist” or a “tree hugger” to appreciate the fantastic gifts of creation. I am sure that all of us have at one time or another marveled at a sunset, a gentle rain, a majestic mountain, the vastness of the stars or many other ways that God has demonstrated care for us.

To show our appreciation for these marvelous gifts, we are compelled to do all that we can to protect the resources that God has bestowed on us.

This seventh principle of Catholic social teaching overlaps in some very profound ways with several other social principles. For instance, our respect for human life, to be consistent, extends to our care of creation since all of creation was given by God to sustain and enhance human life.

It is most often the poor and powerless who most directly bear the burden of environmental carelessness. The neighborhoods and lands of the poor are the most likely to contain toxic waste dumps. They are more likely to be polluted and where children are vulnerable to the long-term, harmful effects of exposure to these dangerous environments.

As Catholics, this important principle of our social teaching should serve as a guide for us as we make decisions about our habits as consumers of the world’s resources and how our own lives affect the environment, and therefore, the lives of others in the human family in this generation and all future generations. Let us care for one another by caring for God’s creation.

We are one family

Scripture tells us the beautiful truth that each of us is made in the image and likeness of God the Creator. 

As much as we try as human beings to distinguish ourselves from one another by differences in color, nationality, religion, etc., we cannot ignore the fact that in reality, we all have one parent in the Creator and are therefore all related as brother and sister. When we truly grasp the full reality of this fact, it has tremendous implications for how we are called to relate to one another.

In the Gospel of Luke (10:29), we hear of an expert in the law who asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus’ reply was the story of the Good Samaritan, teaching us that our neighbor is anyone in need, and we are called to respond. The world may tell us that we are not our brother or sister’s keeper, but the Lord would tell us otherwise.

This may leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed! How can one person possibly be concerned about the entire human family?

We can each begin by taking stock of our own unique gifts, talents, and ability to give. Then, through discernment with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we decide where we are called to relieve suffering and improve a part of our family.

There are some who take a very broad view of our world and look at the public policies established by governments and institutions, and work as advocates for the poor and vulnerable to create or change policies that relieve suffering.

Others get involved in very personal ways with individuals and families who are in need through their own initiatives or initiatives established by Church communities, neighborhood organizations or larger institutions, such as hospitals, Catholic Charities, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul or Catholic Relief Services.

We are blessed to belong to the Catholic Church that has taken very seriously this lesson of solidarity and has established many ways for us to take part in ministries that meet the needs of our human family. We can each look to the organizations named above and many others, and discover how we can have the greatest impact.

When one member of the family suffers, we all suffer. Let’s help relieve the pain.

Work Hard to Make Work Holy

In 1891, at the beginning of the industrialization of society, Pope Leo XIII wrote an encyclical titled Rerum Novarum (“On capital and labor”).

This encyclical has been seen as so important that it has been revised every decade by each pope since 1931, and Pope John Paul II updated the encyclical on its 100-year anniversary in 1991.
This instruction has laid the foundation for the fifth principle of Catholic social teaching that is referred to as “the dignity of work and the rights of workers.”

Pope Leo XIII explained that work is seen as much more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. The encyclical rejects socialism and instead asks for justice.

We are called to do what we can to ensure the protection of the dignity of work, as well as to respect the basic rights of workers. Further, we are instructed that everyone has a right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, and to own private property.

The theory and practical implications are that when people are given work that fulfills them, and in which they have some input, it enhances their human dignity. To feel valued is one of the most basic of all human needs.

Workers should not be misused as things to pursue profit. The good of their souls must be considered as business decisions are made.

There are many examples of corporations that work hard to strike a balance between making a profit and caring for their workers, the environment, and society in general. These companies should be held out as models of what is possible, good, and right.

When Pope Leo XIII published his encyclical over 120 years ago, he could never have imagined the tremendous power wielded by huge multinational corporations and the ultra-wealthy. And he never could have imagined the mass consumerism that has gripped many nations—most notably the United States.

All of us need to be a voice crying out in the wilderness to ask the tough questions of our employers about how decisions made by companies will affect workers, and to do what we can to influence public policy that supports and sustains employees who are vulnerable to abuse.

Let’s work hard to make work holy.