Recently at church, a mother of two young men approached me asking for spiritual help for her boys. Both men who are autistic show signs that they love the church, and longing to receive the Eucharist when they see their parents receiving. They were not prepared for the sacraments or given any help on their spiritual journey.
Having had some training myself in SPRED, which is a programme to help such people, I decided to introduce the programme at Holy Trinity parish.
When they heard of this, other churches nearby requested to join us. Now we have a vibrant group of companions who are willing to accompany our special friends to grow in their faith.
Participation in our small community of faith prepares us for the movement of praise, in the simplest of our life experiences eg the eye-opener pattern of creation where we are able to discover the wonderful gift of God and pass it on in an intelligible way to our special friends. I am grateful to Sr. Tshidi, Lisa Pillay and Cecelia Clothier (our lay associate), for giving their time and expertise to this ministry and to Holy Trinity church for hosting us.
 Marion Millane

We the Sisters in Bulan and the Lay Associates and with some volunteer leaders have been working with the ‘Pastoral Care for Children’s Program since 2017 June.
We are taking care of 70 selected families in Obrero among the underprivileged, and those who live in the peripheries. We are glad that we are called to be God’s instruments of Good News to these unvisited families. Yes, we are the hands and the feet of God to reach out to these families. We are glad to see the improvement of these families taking more responsibility for their children; their health, spiritual and social welfare.
With these 70 families we feel that we have built the bigger family of God where God is really visible in their simple, fragile and vulnerable situations.
During our regular leader’s meetings we take time to read, reflect, and share the Word of God. During one of our meetings we were inspired to reach out to another area. We prayed about it and discerned with the guidance of the Parish Priest. So, our priority was to choose Zone 2 the poorest and the biggest Barangay in Bulan. it has a population of 6,260 which consists of 1,500 families and 1,003 household and a high percentage of undernourished children and indigent families. This area is always prone to typhoons and floods since it is near the sea. Most of them are fisher folk. We are glad that we have chosen this area to expand our service.
Sr. Bernie and a few Pastoral Care of Children volunteer leaders first met the Baragay Officials and introduced the Program. They were willing to accommodate the PCC program and to give their full support. Their initial interest to support the program was very encouraging.
So, we made arrangements to meet the volunteer leaders and in preparation we had several meetings. So, the Leaders Training Seminar took place from July 21-23, 2018. The blessing is most of the volunteer leaders are working in the Barangay clinic as health workers and midwives.
The three days intensive Training Seminar for the Leaders was conducted by Mrs. Erlinda Querimit one of the National PCC Formators from Manila. The 15 Volunteer Leaders received their accomplishment certificate on July 23, 2018.
Monthly the Leaders have 3 main activities to accomplish. First is home visitation by the first week of the month. The second activity is the Leaders meeting where they share their experiences on the home visitation in the light of the Gospel of the day. The third activity is the Celebration of Life; where all the families meet with their children. It is a time for spiritual and values formation, parents to share their stories, clarify their questions and doubts and a joyful time with the bigger family.
Being part of this program as a volunteer leader I am blessed that I am able to accompany families in our care.
Rosenia Gito, Lay Associate – Bulan, Philippines

Creation day 1 September 2018
In 2015 Pope Francis designated 1 September annually as a world day of prayer for the care of creation in the Catholic Church. The day of prayer, the Pope said gives individuals and communities an opportunity to implore God’s help in protecting creation and an opportunity to ask God’s forgiveness for sins committed against the world in which we live.
 
A prayer from Laudato si’
All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes, bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey toward your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day; encourage us we pray in our struggle for justice, love, and peace.
Celebrating the season of creation
Day of prayer for care of creations – Saturday 1 September 2018
Season of creation – 1 September to 4 October 2018
For more information:                         
www.seasonofcration.org
Pope’s video Message
youtube link: https://youtu.be/hC_GMY20R-c
 
 
 

A great time was spent by 108 children in Mahil (be joyful) park on 11th and 16th July 2018. This park was opened by Holy Family sisters at Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaithevu district on September 2015. The purpose of this accomplishment is to create a non-violent future generation in the traumatized post-war society where violence and abuse on children and women are increasing. At Makil Park, programmes are conducted periodically by Holy Family Sisters to lead these children through a hopeful journey with regular follow-up where they naturally grow in human values.
This time they conducted a creative workshop on the above dates by making the children engage in varieties of life-giving activities like; meditation, mindful walk, art therapy, interactive group sharing and inspiring presentations. In groups, they brought out the values of love, respect and care for others.
This was surely a fruitful gathering!

On 19 June a group of thirty-six Holy Family Lay Members, Sisters and friends from Britain and Ireland arrived in Martillac to begin a week during which they would deepen their knowledge and appreciation of Fr. Noailles and his foundation in an atmosphere of rest and relaxation.
We began our time together with a two-hour “Martillac Walk” starting at the cemetery and ending in the chapel of the Contemplative Sisters named “The Chapel of the Good Shepherd”   by our Founder.  During this walk we received a comprehensive over-view of the history and development of   La Solitude intermingled with the main points of Holy Family spirituality.  The afternoon and evening were free so that people could pray, reflect and relax in whatever way suited each one.  And that was the pattern of most of our days during the week.
We spent a morning on the Island making the Pilgrimage of the Holy Family using the up-dated version prepared by the Intervocational Spirituality Team of Britain and Ireland which was published in 2012.   The whole group prayed the preparatory station together.  We then broke into small groups, each group reflecting and sharing on two stations.  We all met again at the Grotto of Our Lady of All Graces for the final station. 
Another morning was spent watching and reflecting on power-point presentations of our Founder’s dream, his life, his devotion to Our Lady and his student days in Paris.  During our final morning in La Solitude we visited Our Lady of the Woods and our Founder’s Fountain.
We had two day-long outings during which we broadened and deepened our knowledge of Fr. Noailles and his times.  On the first of these we travelled to Verdelais,   the 12th century Marian shrine of the Bordeaux diocese which our Founder loved to visit.    It was in Verdelais that the idea of the Poor
Priests developed when Bienvenu, his brother Amand and their friend Charriez made a retreat there to reflect on their future together.  Some years later, the Priests of the Holy Family also made a retreat there.     We   visited the Basilica and the Way of the Cross and had a very informative guided   tour of the museum.    We also had some free time for relaxation during which we wandered around this typical French village which is surrounded by acre upon acre of magnificent vineyards.
Our second outing was to Bordeaux.  The morning was free so that each one could pursue her/his own interests.  Some went (window) shopping, others toured Bordeaux on the City Tour Bus while several strolled around admiring the beautiful buildings and riverside.  At 2 p. m. we met at the cathedral and spent the afternoon walking in our Founder’s footsteps.
We were also very fortunate to be in Martillac for the feast of our Founder which is celebrated there on the Sunday before 29th June so that the parishioners can be involved.    At  lunchtime  we joined  the  two Martillac  communities  and  some  parishioners  for  a celebratory  lunch  in  the  grounds  where  we enjoyed meeting old friends and making new ones.     That evening we had a very happy event when Gordon Connolly (Scotland) made his commitment as a Lay Member of the Holy Family.    The commitment took place in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd during Evening Prayer in honour of the Ven. Pierre Bienvenu Noailles and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the Miraculous Monstrance.
Our stay in Martillac concluded with a social where many hidden talents in the fields of singing and dancing came to the fore.
The whole of our pilgrimage/holiday was blessed with glorious weather which enabled us to enjoy all the beauties of the place that was so dear to our Founder, our first members and so many generations of the Family of Pierre Bienvenu Noailles.
Áine Hayde
Britain and Ireland
 
 

The International session for Information/Communications service (from Monday 21 to Thursday 31) for the Family began this morning here in the Generalate. There are 24 participants from 18 Units and the Vicariate. It is a joy to have also the presence of Anne-Marie Sibille, one of our Lay Associates among the group.
In an environment of Life and Joy, the participants expressed to one another, their expectations for the session, followed by a meaningful Opening Prayer. Ana Maria welcomed the participants and opened the session with her inspiring words.
As we went on we had Sister Bernadette, a Pauline sister, who gave some input reflections on the importance of iconic communication and doing mission online, using different digital media.
We also had Marco Grottesi, who spoke of cyber security and how to get away from all the dangers that we are exposed to when we use internet for our service.
For the last three days (from Monday 28 to Wednesday 30) Patricia Morgante is facilitating us, giving us some useful guidelines to name what we dream as a whole, for the whole, for mission and how to plan our journey forward in realizing our dreams – through information and communication service.
 
               

Since we committed ourselves to the ministry of hosting refugees and asylum seekers, the communities of Clapham, St. Gabriel’s Road and Woodford Green have been working with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). This is an international Catholic organization, operating over 50 countries worldwide. The Centre in UK is based in London.
In the Day Centre, the staff and volunteers come to know the refugees by name. The people who come to JRS are destitute. Many have been sleeping on the streets and live in fear of arrest and detention In the U.K. there is no time limit on detention. Some have been waiting for 15 years to have their asylum claims accepted. The Day Centre supports, on average, 215 destitute refugees a month. It provides a small travel allowance to pay for bus passes, toiletries, and a hot meal as well as a place to relax in safety and friendship.
The Hosting Scheme run by JRS in which we are involved, arranges for destitute refugees to be hosted for periods of 3, or sometimes, 6 months. Most of the hosting in this area is done by religious communities although families and couples have also participated. While hosting, the JRS hospitality co-coordinator supports us throughout the stay.
There are follow–up meetings to reflect together and share experiences. This is a help for the staff to get a better idea of how things are going on the ground.
Through the sharing, it was felt that, generally speaking, hosting is a positive experience.
Brigid Davis, Clapham

We had a session from 2 to 11May in kodaikanal Tamil Nadu India. Ana Maria ALCALDE the Superior General, Kumudinie DASSANAYAKE General Councilor and Malinie JAYAMANNE General bursar animated the session.
The unit leaders, temporary professed sisters, and the sisters from formation team were the participants. The general administration team by their inputs and sharing enriched and encourage us to take our life with daring and zeal. The participants felt very much privileged to experience their spirit of oneness, care and support.
On 8 May, along with the general administrative team, we went for sightseeing, in kodaikanal town. It was really reenergizing and relaxing for all of us.
We sincerely thank them for their loving presence among us.
Sr. S. Pushpa HFB
Unit- India

Coming together to protect our common Home
“The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change….  Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.”   (Laudato Si, 13)
We’ve all probably heard about Earth Day but very few of us are really aware of the story behind this particular day and its importance. 
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events take place today in more than 193 countries.
Catholic social teaching strongly encourages us to care for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers. Unfortunately, these are the ones who are most affected by the environmental crisis, although they have no part in causing it.
The importance of taking climate change seriously was emphasized in the recent papal teachings beginning from Pope John Paul II and in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, it has reached a climax.
Let us hear and act on the urgent, continuous call for each one of us, to take care of our common Home for we are part of her, belong to her and receive life from her.
 
A brief history of the birth of Earth Day
Each year, Earth Day – April 22 – marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
The idea for a national day to focus on the environment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda.
Thus began an effort towards creating public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment, and links between pollution and public health.
Today, the fight for a clean environment continues with increasing urgency, as the ravages of climate change become more manifest every day.
2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day.

Million women rise: “Together we can end male violence against women and girls”
This year marked the 11th anniversary of the Million Women Rise (MWR) march. MWR believes that male violence against women and children is a global pandemic. Violence devastates the lives of women, our families, and our communities. It also threatens to undermine efforts to bring about sustainable development. Therefore our campaign to end violence against women is an international struggle for female emancipation and liberty.
It is one of the biggest women’s marches in Europe. Usually held near International Women’s Day, this year’s Million Women Rise march took place on the 10 March on the streets of central London. Thousands of women and young girls marched through Oxford Circus chanting some of these slogans:

“The time is Now! The power is You!
 
“Together we can end all forms of male violence!
 
Whatever I wear, wherever I go,
Yes means Yes and No means No!
 
The women were asked to wear Red, which symbolises their solidarity with women’s struggle globally – red the colour of blood, the blood of our sisters who have been abused, murdered and raped throughout the world in the hands of males.
Red is also the colour of women’s power, strength, rebellion and determination as well as passion, fire and love. Women from all walks of life participated in this march. A number of high profile women shared their stories of victimisation and abuse by men. The demand was to come together to work for change and to put an end to the silence around different issues such as immigration, detention and cuts to vital services. Violence affects the lives of women, families and our communities.
So this campaign is to end violence against women around the world, from genital mutilation to harassment at work.
Nasreen Nazir, Bradford (Britain)