February 23, 2012
Cathedral Campaign Video
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November 11, 2011
Parenting in the World Today
Mary Ronan, family life educator and author of Raising Your Children in an Ungodly World has been with us at St. Francis for the last few days. I always pick up great nuggets of information each time she is here. In addition to attending her formal presentations, I had the opportunity to talk with Mary one-on-one about issues facing parents.
One concept that continues to resonate from Mary with me is that it is OK for parents to delay – information and things. As Mary shared in a variety of forums, you don’t need to give your child all of the information right away. You also don’t need to give them everything right away even if you can afford it. In life, we don’t get everything instantly. We had to learn patience. Isn’t that an important virtue that our children should learn as well? If we give them everything all the time, how do we expect them to learn?
As Mary Ronan also shared with us during her visit this past week, parents don’t need to fix all of the mistakes that kids make. Suffering is a valuable experience. If we fix all of the mistakes, how will they ever experience failing? You may think, “that’s the point, I don’t want my child to fail.” But our kids need to learn this. We might want to pretend that none of us will ever fail in life, but we know it happens. Would it not be better that a child learn to fail early in their lives? I think about grades that students earn. If a student earns a failing grade on a test in 6th grade, is that the end of the world? I hope not. It might not be pleasant and might warrant a discussion at home and with a teacher, but per- spective is important. One grade on one test does not de- fine a person. It does not mean they won’t get into high school or the college of their choice. Wouldn’t you rather have your child experience their first failing grade in grade school rather than in college?
I can only imagine the pressures that parents face today in raising their children. I am not a parenting expert but my experience in working with children and parents has given me some insight. Kids today need more help than ever in becoming independent and authentic and I would venture to say that parents need help too. Many parents are faced with the dilemma of wanting to give their children everything and do everything for them while at the same time, they want to raise good, well-adjusted kids. No wonder many parents are exhausted at the end of the day!
One of my favorite books is The Blessing of a Skinned Knee by Dr. Wendy Mogel. I ’ve mentioned this book before, but I find that the concepts continue to ring true. Dr. Mogel, a clinical psychologist and parent educator, writes about how the teachings of the Hebrew Scripture and Judaism can help parents raise self-reliant children. Dr. Mogel believes that the following are crucial aspects of parenting in raising children:
• accept that your children are both unique and ordinary
• teach them to honor their parents and to respect oth- ers – family, friends, and community
• teach them to be resilient, self-reliant, and courageous
• teach them to be grateful for their blessings
• teach them the value of work
• teach them to make their table an altar – to approach food with an attitude of moderation, celebration, and sanctification
• teach them to accept rules and to exercise self-control
• teach them the preciousness of the present moment
• teach them about God
I found that these concepts are not only helpful in the home, but at school as well. We see ourselves as partners with parents in educating their children. Let us consider together the wisdom of our Hebrew scriptures in helping children become independent, self-reliant gifts from God. To do that, it may be helpful to spend some time thinking about our personal past. Let us consider our own experi- ences as children and ponder how much we learned about life from our mistakes, from our parents who let us figure things out, and from our own skinned knees.
In God’s love,
Jennifer Bigelow
Principal, The Franciscan School
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May 6, 2011
Franciscan Reflection on the Death of Osama bin Laden
The electrifying news that Osama bin Laden has been killed has gripped the attention of our nation and the world, occasioning powerful and conflicting emotions and reactions. It also invites us, as Franciscans, to stand back and reflect prayerfully on what God might be inviting us to in the wake of this death.
Like so many, perhaps our first response, on a very human level, was a sense of relief. The sinister attacks of September 11, 2001, are still deeply embedded in our national and personal consciousness. These images surface not only anger but also fear and unease at the precarious nature of life. On 9/11, we lost one of our own brothers, Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM; many people we serve also suffered the death of relatives and friends in the attacks. Since 2001, we have felt the emptiness of the loss of loved ones, as well as the darkness of fear that 9/11 opened in all of our lives: will we be attacked again?
Osama bin Laden in many ways became the embodiment of our fears. The announcement of his death, then, may have produced an understandable dimension of cathartic release – a sense, or at least hope, that things may be better. Such a release may initially express itself in joy. But if we are honest with ourselves as Christians, we quickly feel quite uncomfortable with a joy that comes from the death of another human being – even one we call our enemy. Isn’t this discomfort the sting of conscience reminding us that as Gospel people, as Easter people in this season of hope, we are called by God to something more? We are reminded in the Word of God:
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the LORD will see it and be displeased.” (Proverbs 24:17-18a)
So, if we are not to rejoice at this event, what is the invitation of God?
In this Easter season we are reminded that all good things we hope for, even overcoming death itself, are possible through the love and mercy of God. The risen Christ’s words to his followers, “Peace be with you,” invite us to remember that, as evil as the actions of Osama bin Laden were, he was still a beloved child of God. Yes! While God would never condone the hateful actions of bin Laden, never was God’s love withdrawn from him. This sobering truth of the Gospel is a call to us to reinvigorate our efforts to resolve conflict at all levels of our own lives: personal, political and social. The killing of Osama bin Laden means that there is no opportunity, at least in this life and in his case, for reconciliation with an “enemy.” However, we are left to contemplate those people in our lives, at all levels, with whom working towards reconciliation is still a possibility.
Reflecting on this decisive moment in our country should move us to prayer. We pray for Osama bin Laden, his family and those who follow his leadership: that they may not harden their hearts at his killing and seek revenge. We pray, too, for ourselves, that we might not rest in joy or harden our own hearts at his death.
Second, we are called to redouble our efforts to seek peaceful solutions to international and domestic conflicts, enjoining our leaders to seek lasting peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Israel-Palestine, Sudan, Congo and other locations torn by warfare. As Franciscans, we are particularly aware that reconciliation can repair the broken relationships of humanity – as such, it must be one of our highest goals.
Finally, in our own lives, we are called to do all that is within our ability to reconcile with others with whom we have conflict or disagreement. Perhaps this is also an invitation for greater interfaith dialogue. We must not allow any opportunity to seek reconciliation to pass by unanswered.
Easter reminds us that reconciliation is always possible because of the steadfast love of our God who remains forever committed to us. We pray that we may never lose hope, and that we may have the faith and openness to seek to journey with all others of good will.
We offer these reflections with humility, believing that as we respond to the invitation to imitate the love of God revealed in the dying and rising of Jesus Christ, more wondrous and unimaginable gifts await us all.
May the Lord Give You Peace,
Leadership of Holy Name Province, Franciscan Friars
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February 18, 2011
Tim Dumas to Speak at Job Connections Ministry
On Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 8:30 am Tim Dumas, noted speaker, consultant and magician will present at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Job Connections Ministry monthly meeting. Tim combines his unique experience in the business and entertainment world to help clients find exceptional ways to improve creativity, increase sales and profits, and use humor to develop fun and productive work environments. The presentation is aimed at assisting job seekers, as well as improving current job effectiveness. Additional information on Tim Dumas may be found at http://www.timdumas.com
The Job Connections Ministry at St. Francis, in existence for over two years, seeks to encourage and support men and women while they are in between jobs. The ministry offers instruction and support while providing encouragement, information, networking, job search skills and spiritual guidance. It is open to anyone in the community and meets monthly at St. Francis. Additional information on the ministry may be found at http://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/job_connections
The presentation will take place at 8:30 am in the Founders Room of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613. For additional information, please contact Father Julian Jagudilla, OFM at Julian.Jagudilla@stfrancisraleigh.org or 919/847-8205, ext. 241.
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January 31, 2011
Bishop Marks Catholic Schools Week with Visit to St. Francis
http://www.dioceseofraleigh.org/news/view.aspx?id=1015
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January 26, 2011
Church Buildings to Receive Gold LEED Awards
Fr. Mark Reamer OFM, John F. O’Connor - Minister Provincial of the Holy Name Province, and Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh.
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On Monday, January 31, 2011, representatives from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) presented three Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Awards to the Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi for the standards followed in the design and construction of three buildings on our campus; the Assisi Community Center, Elizabeth Hall Preschool, and St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Receiving any certification is an accomplishment; receiving three awards is indeed a rarity, and reflects our parish’s 28 year history of concern for our environment.
In addition to representatives from the USGBC, other honored guests included Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh; Very Reverend John F. O’Connor, Minister Provincial of the Holy Name Province; North Carolina 4th District United States Congressman David Price; Mr. Dee A. Freeman, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources; and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker.
The award ceremony took place at 3:30 pm in St. Mary of the Angels Chapel, 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613. For additional information, please contact Marc Kielty at marc.kielty@stfrancisraleigh.org or 919/847-8205, ext. 266.
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