Attending a mission inspires and causes one to think.  The first part of the mission with John Angotti has done just that.  John has asked us to step back and look at ourselves and the world we live in.  To explore how we serve others.  Do we serve others as Jesus served others?  Do we reach out to the homeless, sick and outcasts or do we stay in our comfort zone.  Have we listened to the response God has for us after we pray the Lord's prayer or are we so busy praying we don't hear what the Lord has to say to us.  Last night at the concert, John had us singing and praising God. It was a joyful experience and there was such a sense of community.  Looking around, you could see the smilling faces filled with spirit as young and old together sang out the praises to our Lord.  Watching Father Joseph and the Youth, swing back and forth, praising God filled me with lightness.   As we locked arms together and prayed the Lord's Prayer my heart and spirit soared.   We can be joyful and share our faith.  But what does that mean exactly?

 This morning we started to dig deeper into what it means to live our faith.   John has asked us some tough questions such as " if we pray what we believe, do we live what we believe"?  Where have you seen God today?  How have we touched someone as Jesus touched the leper in this week's Gospel? (Mk.1:40-45).  How do we take that light and spirit we experienced in the mission out the door and share it with others.   Each one of us has been given different gifts, and different ways to share our light.  We each need to reflect on these questions, to take them in prayer and share them as Jesus has shared with us.

What are some of your thoughts on the mission?  Why not share them with us in the message boards?

If you haven't had a chance to come to the mission yet, there is a session Monday evening at 7PM and a morning Tuesday session at 9:30 AM and Tuesday evening session at 7PM.   Come join us, it is not only about questions, but about sharing our joy and praise that we believe and have faith.  

Espiritu Santo Parish Center

October 22, 2011

"At Home with Jesus" 

10:00 am – 2:30 pm

Registration begins at 9:30 am

Presenter: Jackie Mallory

Jackie is a Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute instructor and former Director of Parish Faith Formation, specializing in family-centered religious education. She is a Master Catechist for the Diocese and teacher in the Catechist Certification Program.

A fee of $10.00 will be charged for this retreat. No one will be turned away for inability to pay. Lunch is included

Ministries of Mercy Retreat For those working in Life, Justice and Outreach Ministries.  Visitation to the Sick and Homebound, Jail Ministry, FAST, Parish Nurses, St. Vincent de Paul, Pinellas Hope, and Respect Life.

Register online at life.dosp.org under upcoming events or contact:

Anyely Garcia, Diocese of St Petersburg-Ministries of Mercy

727.344.1611 x471

Saturday morning after the 8:30 am Mass, we will gather in the Chapel for a memorial for those who have experienced a pregnancy loss. This is something that can be overlooked when we reflect on Respect Life. How do people deal with the loss of a child due to a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or abortion? Often people do not know how to respond and you can hear the pain of unresolved grief in grandmothers who never had the chance to share their grief at the time it happened. This coming Saturday we have an opportunity to come together as community in prayer and worship to mourn our loss and receive comfort, to begin the healing process. We will have speakers who know what it is to have experienced that loss and suggestions for resources. Please join us Saturday October 1st for the Memorial Service at 9:15 am in the Chapel followed by Fellowship and a speakers forum in the Parish Center. For more information please contact Emma or call 813.924.4173.

Ministry is about serving others while living out our Baptismal call.  Our model for ministry is Christ and He reminds us that we need time to come away and rest.  Time to refresh  and re-energize.  A friend of mine declared: Karen, if you don't go to the well and refresh yourself you will have nothing to give anyone else.  Any time I ignore this advice and run on empty so to speak, I find myself stressed. Jesus said, "Come away to a lonely place and rest a while" Mark 6:31  Jesus had much to accomplish, but recognized the importance of being refreshed with prayer and quiet time.   Between cell phones and email that follow you everywhere it is a challenge to find any quiet time.  But if we follow the ministry model of Our Lord we will make time, even if it means getting up earlier to do so.  Everything we do is derived out of our relationship with God, we need to slow down and take the time to rest and refresh if we are to carry out our mission.   Thank you for your ministry, please take care of yourself so that you can continue to witness to others that we are the Body of Christ reaching out to each other.  If you have any questions about Pastoral Care,  please contact Karen Heaphy  at 727.726.8477, x310 or karen@espiritusanto.cc