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When grief hurts: coping with loss

1/16/2019

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There are days Annemieke Henri has to make herself leave her home in Bowness. Widowed just months ago, she knows that it’s important for her to be around other people. She knows it’s good for her to get her own groceries, attend Mass and meet up with long-time friends to golf, bowl or snowshoe, activities she enjoys. Henri also knows that her forays into the world sometimes do little to stem what can feel like a rising tide of sadness. Grief is like that. Even when you have others to grieve with, you grieve alone.

Henri’s husband, the beloved Deacon Albert Henri, died August 28, 2018. Diagnosed with stage four lung cancer just 48 days earlier, “he’d never been sick before, never been in hospital,” recalls Henri. A mother and grandmother, she grieves Albert’s loss in her family. “I also grieve his loss as a deacon’s wife. We were deeply connected to the parishes of St. Bernard’s and Holy Name.”

Does Henri take comfort in her faith? Absolutely. “At this point, I hope and believe that Albert is in heaven; that he is home. Without my faith, I would have been really lost.” But make no mistake; while faith gives Henri a kind of life raft, there are days—and moments in almost every day— when it doesn’t feel like the raft will hold. 
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When grief fuels despair

Peggy Tan knows what it feels like when grief fuels despair. Several years ago, Tan lost her mother and father-in-law in close proximity. “It was devastating to our family.” Struggling through the intense emotional pain, she joined a grief support group at her parish, St. Michael’s. 

Now known as Grief Share, the program runs for eight weeks beginning in January and September. Those who need more immediate support are linked to a companion program. “We are not counselors, but we listen. It’s good for the person who is grieving to know they are not alone,” says Tan, one of the three parishioners who coordinate grief support at St. Michael’s. 

While most GriefShare participants are Catholic, many begin the program angry with God. Following a Christian program developed in the U.S., GriefShare uses prayer to help participants rekindle their trust in God, says Tan.
Seeking support

Annemieke Henri hasn’t ruled out joining a support group in the future. For now, she seeks comfort in family and long-time friendships, including one with the widow of another deacon. She is also learning that it’s okay to sometimes want to be alone in her grief. On Christmas Day, for example, Henri took a few hours away from family to be alone. “I started fretting about that first Christmas alone way before Christmas. I took some time that day to feel that deep loss, to want it to wash over me and to feel my connection with God.”

As grief is a profoundly personal experience, it’s not uncommon for people to reach out for grief support years after a loss, says Tan. “People have to be ready and the Holy Spirit will guide them.”

Written by: Joy Gregory
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For information on a grief support program in your parish, contact your parish office.

​The Catholic Diocese of Calgary also offers support through its Office of Health Care & Pastoral Care programs.
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Peace and quiet: Sounds like home, at last

1/16/2019

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Rob moved into his new apartment on Feb. 13, 2018. After six years of sleeping in a room that held up to eight men a night, he was eager to wake up in his own space. Since Valentine’s Day 2018 marked the day Rob would be able to get up when he wanted, he went to bed excited by the promise of the next day. After six years of not having a home to call his own, he looked forward to being able to make himself a cup of coffee he could drink while watching the morning news. He planned to sit at the table given to him by a new neighbour and watch a TV donated by another resident of his new apartment building. Life, finally, looked good.

But sleep was difficult.

“For the first week and a half, it was tough,” remembers Rob. He’d slept on the floor before, so the fact that he didn’t yet have a bed was the least of his worries. The real issue was the wall-to-wall silence. “At the DI (Drop In), there was always noise. Here, it was so quiet.” 

Walking for change

Hundreds of people will participate in the Downtown location of four Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) walks being held in Calgary on Saturday, Feb. 23. Money raised at the CNOY Downtown event funds two of the Calgary Catholic Diocese’s biggest social justice projects, says Samantha Jones, Event Coordinator, on staff with the Diocese. “This is a fun and family-friendly fundraiser and we really encourage Catholics to come out with their families and friends. You can walk two, five or 10 kilometres and the money supports Feed the Hungry and KAIROS Calgary.”

KAIROS is an ecumenical group of churches focused on Social Justice issues in Calgary. Its share of the money raised at CNOY Downtown goes to HomeSpace, a charitable real estate developer that owns 521 units of rental housing in 27 properties across Calgary. KAIROS used CNOY funds to help pay off the mortgage on an affordable housing project in Acadia. Money from the 2019 walk will help pay the mortgage on Bankview Apartments, the building where Rob rents one of 27 units rented to single people, couples and small families.
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Affordable, safe, supported -- and quiet

HomeSpace properties are operated in cooperation with other community agencies, including The Alex, CUPS and Alberta Health Services, explains Rina McDermott, who works with HomeSpace. “It’s important to help people find a place to live. But people who have been homeless often need additional support. They may need help preparing meals or learning how to clean their units. At Bankview, CUPS provides that wrap-around service to our residents. We want them to be successful.”

This year, McDermott will walk the downtown route with her work colleagues and a group of Vincentians from St. Peter’s parish in the northwest Calgary. “St. Bonaventure, St. Patrick’s and the youth group from St. James in Okotoks are regular contributors, too,” says Jones, who’d like to see more Catholic churches and church-based groups support the walk.

“We typically get about 400 walkers—but there is room for 900. One of the best things about this event is that kids are welcome and the route we take often gives people an opportunity to meet and visit with some of our homeless neighbours.”

​As an added bonus, the Saturday-night event includes a rest stop with hot chocolate and it ends with a chili supper sponsored by Boardwalk Rental Communities, one of the city’s largest housing rental property managers. Boardwalk also funds a Feed the Hungry dinner once a year.
 
Peace, at last

A year after moving into his apartment, Rob spends his days helping out around the building and working on cross-stitch pictures he sometimes sells. He looks forward to being able to use his balcony when the weather warms up—and he treasures its view of the city where he’s lived most of his life.

Unable to work but determined to stay busy, he sometimes goes back to the DI to help prepare and serve lunch and to visit friends. Having struggled with addiction, he never invites those friends back to his apartment; that would be too risky. Rob knows what it’s like to be evicted and he doesn’t want to live that pain again, especially not when he has it so good at Bankview. While he doesn’t know all of his neighbours, Rob volunteers to help cook when they gather for communal suppers. “I really like cooking. I did a lot of that at the DI and I like doing it here, too.”

These days, he also treasures the night-time silence at Bankview Apartments. The peace and quiet used to hinder his ability to fall asleep. A year later, that’s what “home” sounds like to Rob.

​Written by: Joy Gregory
To register for Coldest Night
of the Year (CNOY) Downtown,
as a single participant
​or with a team, please visit:

www.cnoy.org/calgarydowntown 
​and follow the links. 

​
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A reason to face the new year without fear

1/16/2019

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I was born in Jordan and lived in several countries in the Middle East. In 2012, I moved from Egypt. So you can say that I am used to changes in my life. However, when I lost my job, it was a test on my soul, my emotional balance and financial health. It was hard for me to reconcile that after having worked for one of the leading energy companies and after having taken regional and global roles, I was now jobless.
 
Then I remembered God’s truth that He always provides what is good according to His will. I also realized that I had many good influences over the years, but the greatest was my parents. I never fully recognized this when I was young, but I finally caught on as I grew older. They’ve taught me how to accept God's will and to be fair and faithful to my values and ethics, to work hard, to accept people’s differences and to be patient with setbacks and failures. Those lessons have taken me a long way in life.
 
I now work as an independent Finance Consultant for an energy company in Calgary. Daily I see how God works in mysterious ways and always gives me more than what I deserve according to Jeremiah 29:11; “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
 
I take great comfort in these words, and I encourage others to depend on God’s faithfulness through our life struggles.

Written by: Mirna Farahat 

Mirna is the speaker of Gift of Hope: A Retreat for the Unemployed Persons
January 25-26, 2019 | See Poster Here 
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Mirna Farahat
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What you need to know before your first pilgrimage

1/16/2019

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Starting off a new year with at least one resolution is a common practice.  We promise our self to change something, to put something behind, or to embark on a newly formed habit.  This new year 2019 consider a pilgrimage as part of a new year’s resolution.  Pilgrimage can be as varied as the people considering them; not only as a metaphorical image of life itself, for we are all on a journey heavenward. What we hope to gain or to satisfy is part of an inner journey that we make, often to a physical place of religious significance.  It can be an act of curiosity, a devotion to atone for sins or to implore a grace for ourselves or others. 
 
If you are one of those who are contemplating a pilgrimage this year or perhaps leading a group yourself there are some tips that you should consider when planning or organizing a pilgrimage.  
  • Start your preparations 4-6 months in advance so that you have the necessary information ready for all aspects of your journey.  A well-planned pilgrimage will alleviate many unnecessary stresses.  Choose the country and location you would like to visit.  Our Catholic faith is steeped in history and potential pilgrimage sites in many parts of the world.  Preparations might include securing airfares, accommodation, transportation, checking that your passport is valid 6 months past your travel date and familiarizing yourself with food, culture, and climate.  
  • Make sure if you or members of your group will require a visa for the country you wish to visit.  Getting a visa is relatively simple and doesn’t usually add a great cost to your pilgrimage, but it is a necessity before embarking on travel.  Visa applications can be obtained using online resources or phoning the consulate of the country you intend to visit.  
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  • When looking at places for accommodation consider researching places like convents, or monasteries.  Prices for these types of accommodations are often a fraction of the cost of a hotel, and usually include breakfast, and sometimes other optional meals, a chapel, and they keep with the simplicity of a pilgrimage.  These options often allow you to stay close to the places you would like to visit, and can accommodate many guests. 
  • If you are planning on travelling to Rome you could check out this website for convent stays. Books such as Bed & Blessings by June & Anne Walsh, or Lodging in Italy’s Monasteries have proven to be great resources.  Another great website for monastery stays is https://www.monasterystays.com
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  • You can organize a pilgrimage on your own or use a trusted travel agent. 
  • Local buses and transportation systems are usually very good at getting you places, but you can also consider hiring a local bus company if you are planning for a group.  Walking as part of a pilgrimage can also be very good if you are able. 
  • Always check if you plan to take someone with limited mobility because not all pilgrimage sites are easily accessible. 
  • If you are travelling as a group, plan to take an identifying feature for your group.  Something like a hat or scarf that would be worn daily, and identify the pilgrims you are travelling with, especially in a large crowd.    
  • If you are going as a group, plan to take a guide with you, for some or all of your travels.  Guides can speak about the local area, know the language and customs, and can give you information that comes from their personal experience and knowledge of the area.  It can add to the entire pilgrimage experience.  
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  • Your travels should not be so hectic with movement and activity that you are unable to reflect, to ponder, to pray, and to experience where you are visiting.  Don’t pack too many countries into one pilgrimage.
  • Use scripture and other forms of prayer to enhance the experience.
  • Plan for daily Mass.  If you have a priest along with you, that makes it quite easy; otherwise you need to plan in advance for daily Mass.
  • You can make arrangements with churches to have your Mass each day.
  • Familiarizing yourself with the difference between a pilgrimage and a holiday helps to set the stage.
  • Before going on pilgrimage, it is good to have a few social gatherings/meetings to meet fellow pilgrims and have a chance to ask questions.
  • Study up on the area you want to visit, check out maps, and what events can be expected.
  • Prepare a packing list
  • Experience says that the more you can allow the situation of your pilgrimage to unfold, and to accept the joys and sorrows of each day, that this surrender will be life-giving.  Take time to listen to what God is speaking to you.  Give room for silence on your pilgrimage. 
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Pilgrimage without a doubt can be very difficult, very enlightening, and life-changing.  Go expecting absolutely everything that God wants to give and do for you.  Entrust your pilgrimage to our Blessed Mother, asking for the graces you need, and then let her be your guide.  

On this, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, take notice of Jesus living inside. Perhaps your pilgrimage will be a starting point and then finding the Light of Christ, generously sharing Him with others.
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For further information on planning a pilgrimage, feel free to contact Mary Ann Donaleshen at 403-466-2432.
Sunday January 6, 2019 

​Written by: Mary Ann Donaleshen
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Looking forward with hope in the new year

1/16/2019

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We all face moments of discouragement, doubt and anxiety when life presents challenges that seem overwhelming. Unfortunately, at such times, the virtue of hope can be misunderstood and greatly underestimated. Some believe it is merely a positive attitude or being optimistic.  The secular world suggests that hope is found in the things of this world thinking that they will bring happiness. 

​Pope Francis reminded the Church that true hope is not built on human words or assurances but on God’s Word and His promise of salvation and eternal life.  In his General Audience of February 1, 2017, he defined Christian hope as “… having the certainty that I am walking toward something that is, not something that I hope may be. Christian hope is the expectation of something that has already been fulfilled and which will certainly be fulfilled for each one of us.”  


Hope is the unshakable trust that the promises of God will be fulfilled. This unshakeable hope is what the Church must rediscover now, hope in what God has done for us in His Son Jesus Christ, through His life, death, resurrection and ascension. Like the faith received and lived in the Church, hope is not a human attitude, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, a gift of grace. 

In the Letter to the Ephesians St. Paul prays, “… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, …” (Ephesians 1: 17-18) 

May this prayer echo in the Church in these most challenging of times to inspire us to place our hope in the noblest and beautiful truths of our Faith. Through the Holy Spirit, may we trust His purification and renewal by embracing Christ more faithfully and living in hope.

Most Reverend William T. McGrattan, D.D.
Bishop of Calgary

January 16, 2019  
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Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
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Ascension Parish has grown and changed...

1/14/2019

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Amazed. Inspired. Humbled. These are the words used to describe the feeling that is pulsing through Ascension Parish in the northwest community of Beddington. After years of renovations, making what was once two community spaces into one unified worship space, the transformation is almost complete. It was with joy –and for some, exhaustion that the parishioners of Ascension welcomed Bishop McGrattan to celebrate the Dedication Mass with them December 22.
“There was a miracle that took place here,” said Fr. Avinash Colaco, referring to the days preceding the dedication.
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Fr. Avinash Colaco, Pastor of Ascension Parish
In order to celebrate the Dedication Mass as well as Masses for Christmas and New Years, the parish sought a temporary occupancy permit from the city. A permit could only be granted after the building passed a safety inspection. On Wednesday the 20th, just two days before the dedication, the building did not pass. Several things needed to be done in order for the building to be considered safe for the public to access the Church. The city is responsible to ensure the safety of anyone who enters a building under construction explained Fr. Avi.

“The pews needed to be anchored down, exit signs needed installing, the roof needed to be clear of all debris, the construction materials like dumpsters had to be fenced and the parking lot cleared of ice,” said Fr. Avi.

On being asked by an inspector if he had a back-up plan, Fr. Avi motioned to the heavens saying, “He is my back-up plan.” Then he, along with the renovation committee and many gracious volunteers set to work.

Finally, on December 21st with just a half-hour before the rehearsal for the dedication would begin, the inspection was complete and the permit was granted.

“There were people crying when I announced it,” said Fr. Avi, “We had all worked so hard. The inspector was surprised that we were able to get so much done in such a short time.”

When the dedication Mass took place, emotions ran high for the people who knew what had occurred in the days before, “I was numb and I was praising the Lord for the miracle that he’d performed,” said Fr. Avi.

Though the walls of the church are still unpainted and there is still work to do, the Dedication Mass was a moving event, especially for those who hadn’t yet seen the new worship space.

Christopher Rappel, renovation committee member who is active in many roles at the parish cited Bishop McGrattan’s homily saying that actually, perhaps it was fitting that the Dedication took place amidst the renovations because the church is a work in progress, and so are all of us.

Sandra Will-Krile who serves as part of the renovation committee among other jobs within the church noticed the awe with which the parishioners entered on the day of the dedication. With newly anchored pews, a high sloping ceiling and lines that point to the altar, the new space certainly made an impact.

She said the renovation committee were constantly updated on the progress, so in preparation for the temporary opening, they saw what needed to be done more than what had already been done. “But when the people walked into the space and I saw their faces,” Sandra said, “it was then that I saw it through their eyes.”

The church was full for the Dedication Mass, which “went so smoothly,” according to committee members, despite the seeming chaos that had ensued in the days prior. It was a beautiful moment for all of the parish to see their work and care come to fruition.

To a few parishioners, the anointing of the altar stood out as one of the most beautiful moments during the dedication Mass. The time and care with which Bishop McGrattan took to anoint the altar and walls was noteworthy, as this is the first time that many in the parish had witnessed a rite of this kind.
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Dr. Simone Brosig, Liturgy Consultant and Director for the Diocese explains the significance of this rite:

“The celebration of the Eucharist is the most important and in fact, the only rite necessary for the dedication of a church.

“However, in accordance with tradition, a special Prayer of Dedication signifies the intention to dedicate the church to the Lord for all time and implores the Lord’s blessing.

“This prayer is followed by a number of visible signs that express the work of the Lord accomplished in the celebration of the divine mysteries: the anointing, incensing, covering, and lighting of the altar.

“The most striking is the anointing of the altar and walls of the church with Chrism (fragrant oil). Christ is called “The Anointed One” so by the anointing with Chrism the altar is made a symbol of Christ. The anointing of the walls signifies that the church building is an image of the holy city of Jerusalem and is given over entirely and perpetually to Christian worship.”

As she recounted her feelings at the dedication, Lucy Reyes, a parishioner from the very beginning of Ascension’s history said, “I was in tears.”


When Lucy and her husband began attending Ascension in the ‘80s, “there were only six visible minorities – six families in the church.”  

Ascension Parish has grown and changed in many ways since its inception in 1981. The church officially broke ground in partnership with Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in 1986, forming the Sandstone Valley Ecumenical Centre. In 2010, the Lutheran church sold their share in the building to Ascension and moved. In 2013, St. John the Evangelist Parish, which had been created from Ascension because of continued population growth in the north, was amalgamated once again with Ascension. Since then, the red brick building has become home to even more people.

To Lucy, the growth of multiculturalism in the parish is paramount. One only need attend Mass at Ascension on any given Sunday to see evidence that the vibrant parish welcomes hundreds of families from many backgrounds. Reyes describes the parish as “welcoming, regardless of who you are” and expressed amazement at how far the parish has come with growth in size and in community spirit.

Committee chair John Arbeau who had previously served at St. John the Evangelist Parish prior it its merge with Ascension, agreed, “It is a welcoming parish,” he said, adding also that the renovated space will “give us one beautiful place to worship and build community. “
The feeling of welcoming within the walls of Ascension doesn’t happen by chance; with nearly seven thousand parishioners, Ascension boasts over 900 volunteers active in the parish who might be called the lifeblood of the community. On top of those volunteers there is an active chapter of Knights of Columbus and of the Catholic Women’s League.

Fr. Avi, along with the renovation committee members are ever grateful to these families for their support both financially and physically as the process of taking the building from two semi-separate spaces to one unified sanctuary.
The community currently celebrates Mass in the hall and downstairs rooms. The Mass is projected on screens for the people not present in the main hall. During this time, the outside perception is that this is a rather painful burden for parishioners, but volunteer coordinator Sharron Robinson, along with renovation committee members are telling a different story.

“I think the sense of community is probably even greater with the renovations,” Sharron said,

“The volunteers step up that much more.”

When asked if the current Mass arrangement feels like fragmentation of the community, both Christopher Rapell and Sandra Will-Krile disagreed saying “No, in fact, I think people have adapted to the space that we have quite well.”

They both spoke of the parishioners as a resilient community pulling together to make the space at the church work rather than attending Mass at a school, which was their alternative.

To that end Fr. Avi who had been through parish renovations before said that it is challenging to maintain the sense of community in a different building, “so I asked the construction company and consultants if we could do this in stages.” Evidently, that approach has worked for the congregation, who have worked together to make not only two parishes one, but two sanctuaries into one unified space.

The big hearts of the community has never been more evident, said Sandra, than after New Year’s Day Mass when the new sanctuary had to be cleared of everything but the newly installed pews so that the work could restart.
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“We expected maybe fifteen or sixteen people to help move things back into the hall, but we got fifty or sixty!”

As their pastor and renovation committee members would tell it, the people of Ascension are unafraid of hard work and lending a hand to anyone who needs help. With that spirit pulsing through its veins, they have every reason to look forward with hope to the future. 

​Written by: Jessica Cyr
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Unleashed - A book review

1/14/2019

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​People seek out therapy for a variety of reasons including: a crisis, increasing dissatisfaction, increasing emotional distress or a repetitive experience of being unable to overcome a destructive pattern in their lives.  Sonja Corbitt, in her book Unleashed, eloquently describes how God utilizes these sequences or “patterns” in our lives to create a journey in which we can experience His healing.  These patterns typically have a dark emotion driving it like anger, shame or fear.  “Salvation in the scriptures is synonymous with shalom, or peace.  It’s a great big, full, unleashed word, meaning integration wholeness, fulfillment, and sanctification.  Not merely about behavior, salvation, and peace involve motivations, and often these are buried deep in denial and the subconscious” (p.11).  This was the quote in Unleashed that hooked me to read the whole book - only 8 chapters long but each sentence appears carefully crafted and directs us to the teachings of the Church and Sacred Scripture.

Reading this book was the result of a series of patterns in my own life.  The first pattern was an emotional one.  In the last 2 years a persistent frustration had been growing and spreading to multiple areas of my life indicating that development needed to occur and my own strength was insufficient.  The second pattern was directional.  I was not sure where to begin in the busyness of my life, and someone shared and encouraged me to read Unleashed (btw - thank you), but I had not prioritized it.  Then in a recent confession, the priest, who was unfamiliar to me,  recommended I complete some reading as part of his spiritual direction, but the chosen book did not arrive in time for the Christmas break.  Unleashed did.  
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Unleashed by Sonja Corbitt Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN - 2015. Reviewer: Eunice Peterson.
Sonja Corbitt’s personal transparency of her humanity and wounds invites the reader to consider their own families of origin and subsequent life choices.  Each of us have wounds and our protective responses created hurdles to the healing Christ longs to give us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Sacred Scripture, his Mother Mary and the Church.  Often these hurdles will present themselves as patterns as God, our creator, is a God of order.  They have value in our spiritual growth as our predominant fault will be revealed providing opportunity for the Holy Spirit to heal.  The revealing, though painful and humbling, allows for us to see and experience the tenderness and persistence of our Lord.  He desires wholeness for us.  It is through cooperating with his grace we let go of fear, learn to trust, and He tenderly releases us from destructive relationships, habits, circumstances and desires.

However, Ms. Corbitt does not delude the reader into thinking this will be a quick fix.  She recognizes that God allows patterns to reveal exactly where He wants to work.  Ms. Corbitt recognizes the courage and challenge required of the reader to identify the worldly comforts that have become unsatisfying but provide an illusion of control or protection.  Her heart-felt examples articulate her understanding of suffering and the hope it brings when God’s mercy is allowed to mold it and we submit to his timing.  Furthermore, she is delightfully brash in encouraging us to ask of God and seek the desires of our heart. 

Ms. Corbitt presents a solid foundation and understanding of scripture, church teachings, and lives of Saints on which to build the map to “unleash” the reader from the “patterns” which have become destructive.  The Holy Spirit works with us - as is - and through the Word.  He creates order from disorder.  “The Holy Spirit works outward to inward and in an upward spiral to God” (p. 37).   Ms. Corbitt is gifted as a writer, and intertwines personal narratives, scripture and teaching. Therefore, one reading will not be sufficient to fully comprehend her message.  Ms. Corbitt finishes each chapter with a review and invitation to guide the reader to deeper understanding and healing.  This book could be utilized as a devotional, reference or group study.

The new year encourages us to reflect and pursue newness, change or growth.  Even if you are not at a point of dissatisfaction or crisis, but you have come across this brief review - consider it an invitation to explore your spiritual development.  If like myself there has been a pervasive experience that is demanding change, or begging for healing - grab a copy of Unleashed, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, risk trusting and embrace the journey of healing.
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​​​Eunice Peterson is a Registered Psychologist in private practice.  Her practice’s primary focuses includes: trauma integration from a neurobiological perspective, disorders on the anxiety spectrum, grief and loss and life transitions.  She, her husband and five children have resided in Calgary since 2010.
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7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness - A book review

1/14/2019

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Society has conditioned us to seek instant gratification, even in matters of spirituality. We see store shelves lined with quick self-help books promising wealth and happiness in ‘four easy steps’. Ultimately, though, these formulas lead to disappointment, disillusionment, and distorted notions of how spiritual well-being is truly fostered. The beginning of a new year is a perfect time to take a step back and appreciate that the spiritual path is, truly, a journey of a lifetime. It rightly calls for the virtues of patience and grace, for critical reflection and self-examination – all of which can only emerge from everyday moments of conversion and growth.

With this in mind I encourage us to take a look at a book written a few years ago by Joe Paprocki, entitled ‘7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness’ (Loyola Press, 2012). Now, right away it’s important to think of each key not as ‘quick fixes’ to spiritual issues, but more as guiding principles to help us navigate the complex landscape of our spiritual journeys. Each principle Paprocki offers serves to keep us alert to signs that we are on a healthy path. In a fresh and engaging style, he relates each key to what he calls “the seven most provocative and important questions you will ever ask yourself.” 
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7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness, Joe Paprocki (Loyola Press, 2012). Reviewer: Dr. Lance Dixon
Through insightful illustrations and applications, Paprocki helps us orient ourselves to seeking the good of others, of recognizing and setting limits, of rediscovering the beauty in the ordinary, and seeing ourselves as we truly are; mortal human beings unconditionally loved by our Creator.

​Perhaps fittingly, the most insightful question Paprocki challenges us to reflect on is in the final chapter. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus challenges us to see ourselves within the story of Scripture, to open our eyes to the mystery of God’s presence, and let our hearts be kindled for the journey ahead. Paprocki asks us, ‘What sparks a fire within your heart?’ then leaves us with these words; “The God we seek is on fire, has a mission, and invites you and me to be a part of it. Imagine that.”


Dr. Lance Dixon currently serves as Director of Campus Ministry at St. Mary’s University. Formerly an Anglican priest in Toronto, Lance moved to Alberta with his wife and children when he became a Catholic educator with Christ the Redeemer school division, and most recently with Calgary Catholic school district. He is passionate about the new evangelization of the Church for mission in today’s world.
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Dr. Lance Dixon currently serves as Director of Campus Ministry at St. Mary’s University. Formerly an Anglican priest in Toronto, Lance moved to Alberta with his wife and children when he became a Catholic educator with Christ the Redeemer School Division, and most recently with Calgary Catholic School District. He is passionate about the new evangelization of the Church for mission in today’s world.
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Come and see

1/14/2019

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The theme of Rise Up 2018 was “Come and See” (John 1:39). I was amazed at how much I felt called to “come and see” what God was doing throughout the conference. I was raised Catholic and have placed God at the centre of my life, but I knew that there was still so much that the Father wanted to reveal to me.

On the third night of the Rise Up, all of the students were given the opportunity to be prayed over by a CCO missionary and member of the religious. While I was being prayed over, I could tangibly feel God’s presence and knew that He was calling me to be bolder in my faith and how I share it. Having been Catholic my whole life, it had been easy to fall into the routine of the sacraments and campus ministry, forgetting how life-changing the message of Jesus is.

After being prayed over, I went back to my seat and told God in prayer, “Before I can go out and do your work, I need to be truly convicted in my Christian identity”. Right away, He answered my prayer. God gave me a beautiful image of myself adorned with a crown of flowers and spoke the word “daughter” to me! This reminded me that I truly am a child of the King and that God desires for all His children to come to this realization, as well.
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The conviction I received that night at Rise Up gave me the confidence to be more courageous in how I evangelize to the people in my parish, school, and day-to-day life. Experiencing God again and His personal love, I’ve been filled with the desire to invite other people into a relationship with Him and to “come and see” what He has to offer them.

Written by: Mary Serafini
Photo: Catholic Christian Outreach
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You are called to become a saint

1/14/2019

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You are called to become a saint. You have a God-given mission. Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) has been speaking these truths into my life since I met the university student movement while on campus 13 years ago.

I came to know the personal love of Jesus by doing a faith study with a CCO missionary when I was 22. Since then I’ve been to the annual Rise Up Conference seven times in six different Canadian cities, but this time was different. I got to go as a workshop presenter with my husband on the topic of ‘holiness in the world.’ It was inspiring to hear the ways young adults are boldly living their faith in the world, and eye-opening to hear the challenges they are up against in the culture.
I’m 35 years old and married with four children. My life looks different now than it did when I attended my first Rise Up. But the Lord has remained faithful and continues to remind me that my deepest identity is missionary: to know the love of God and then share it. So I took the plunge during the commissioning evening to go up for prayer ministry, asking the Holy Spirit to equip me to share the overflow of love I had received with the world. And the world God placed in my heart that night was my godson’s mother, a long-time best friend who isn’t going to church right now. I called her up after the conference and asked if she would take the same faith study I took 13 years ago. I’m humbled to say, it’s taken me over a decade to work up the courage to ask God for the grace to ask her. And you know what, she said yes! And she even asked if I might like to invite two of our other high school friends to join us.

Proclaiming the Gospel clear and simple is at the heart of CCO. Sounds easy, but it can be daunting. Yet, I realized this Rise Up that God is greater than my pride and insecurities and there is no time like the present. 

Written by: Sara Francis
Photos: Catholic Christian Outreach
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