Mission Post #15

We have been accepted.  We are going on our mission.  The official word has been sent to us.  We've spoken to Fr. Marcelino to start our planning on the parish end; we have spoken to Sr. Darlene and we think we will be staying with her; we have spoken to Fr. Armando - our pastor - and the details of our appeal to the parish for contributions have been settled.  

We will make our appeal at all the Masses on September 14th and 15th and then once a month after, until we leave, there will be an announcement that we will be outside after Mass. 

Fr. A. also mentioned that La Favorita (a Spanish language radio station) has an English and Spanish Catholic program and we may be able to arrange to make an appeal through there.  

Athens (a friend) is setting up a radio interview for us on her radio program later in September or early October.

Now is the time for me to touch base with Sue again (in Mineral Wells, TX) and start the ground work for a news article and connect with the Catholic Church there.  

We are going to be meeting to make a presentation to Knights of Columbus, YLI, and the Rosary Ladies' group, and others.  Just those three alone will make a deeper connection with parish members.

Our friends Alicia Ruelas and Sara Fontana will translate for us at the Spanish Masses.  So - we are set to go.  I'm excited.

Mission Post #14

My path was set and I thought that with age, that path was cast in stone.  How short-sighted of me.  Age flung the door to my path wide open. 

The walk on this path has been ambling and without special purpose.  Each corner and curve revealed new choices and possibilities. 

Each threshold leads to a new path, some short and some longer.  But no matter the length, each was ambled upon and carefully examined. 

Creativity

Theology

Political Philosophy

Each takes their turn, in turn. 

My daydreaming self-achieved some completion – showing my photography, completing a class on the basics of my faith, exploring political thought and the why of our society’s current conflict.

Satisfaction followed by satisfaction followed by dismay.  I had to ask myself, “What path is right for me?”  Epiphany flared up, dropping glittering awareness, like shining confetti, creating a path of an entirely new direction, a quest, if you will, to live a new way by following:

The corporal works of mercy - feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; ransom the captive; and bury the dead.

The spiritual works of mercy – instruct the ignorant; counsel the doubtful; admonish sinners; bear wrongs patiently; forgive offences willingly; comfort the afflicted; and pray for the living and the dead.

This new path will lead me to new places in the coming spring.  Now I plan the endeavor, prepare myself emotionally and pray for spiritual guidance and a willing heart to accept what is asked of me. 

Mission Post #13

We are simply waiting now.  The application is in.  The clearances are completed. The personal recommendations are received.  Now we are simply waiting for final approval to volunteer with the Glenmary Sister at their mission post in Caruthersville, MO.

Lately, I've started to make lists of what I need for basic packing and living on the road for a few months.  I ran across a blog a while back that, in part, talks about this as well as economizing on sleeping and eating on the road.  I also discovered a couple of creative journaling books by Vivian Swift.  One that has been especially helpful is Le Road Trip.  As you might suspect, this has a French twist to it but traveling is traveling and it doesn't take much tweaking to use her ideas as a fun and useful guide to getting myself organized.  Most of it is common sense but having it laid out here, and in such a fun way, helps me focus, not to mention the reduced brain power I need to use to get it right and not think, down the line, "How could I have not thought of that?".

Post-mission we are now fine tuning our adventures.  Civil War sites and Catholic shrines are high on our list.  Shiloh National Battlefield in Tennessee is just three hours from where we will be in Missouri.  Later, after leaving Indianapolis, we will be heading east visiting Gettysburg in Pennsylvania and Antietam in Maryland.  In between is The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.  There are so many historic sites so close together that the mind boggles.  I'm already thinking forward to 2015 and another mission and trip.

The other nice news is that three of my blogging/Facebook friends have volunteered to host us as we travel through their area.  Texas, Maryland, and Michigan friends - "Thank you so much".   Sue, Dave, and Jeanie - so looking forward to meeting you face to face.

Bye for now.  More soon.