Christ the King Parish

 

Dear Friends:

I would like to thank so many of you who have already sent your donation to the Technology and Outdoor Mass fund. We are so blessed to have the perfect campus, and I am currently strategizing with our staff and Core Team for the fall and winter. On Monday, we celebrated the funeral of Michael, a police officer who died unexpectedly at the age of 24. We were able to offer them an amazing celebration outdoors with added shaded areas and a better sound system and FM Radio transmission. Everyone wants us to offer online Facebook transmission so that their relatives and friends from around the country can participate. Our experts are working on a superior online presence. We are making a difference during this pandemic. Thank You.

During these pandemic months, a number of St. Joseph’s Sisters celebrated their Jubilee rather quietly and simply. Sr. Carmel Garcia, who was our school principal for 10 years at CTK was one of the blessed nuns, who celebrated 60 years. The Sisters of St. Joseph titled the celebration as an invitation to “Remember the Past, Celebrate the Present and Embrace the Future.” Sr. Marietta Fahey SHF (Sisters of the Holy Family) is another blessed nun who also celebrated 60 years of religious life. We will be holding a celebration in the coming weeks, once we pin down a date with Sr. Carmel and others. In the brochure that was published on the occasion of the Jubilee, Sr. Carmel wrote:

“I loved being an elementary teacher, administrator and religious education coordinator while living in a supportive local community. I am currently a proud CSJ volunteer which provides a variety of “doings”. My goal is to continue to be a sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet like our dear patron St. Joseph, always moving towards a profound love of God and neighbor without distinction – always being ready and grateful for the opportunities to serve because I said “Yes” to my call as a CSJ. For my 60 years, I say “Thank You,” to the mission of Jesus (whom I endeavor to follow), to my family (whose roots I treasure), to my CSJ community for allowing me to grow and develop spiritually, to the people of God who helped me use my gifts in countless ways.”

The number of Roman Catholic Sisters in the U.S. peaked in 1965, when there were about 180,000. The current count is below 50,000. Research says less than 1% of the remaining sisters are younger than 40, and that number is shrinking fast. One projection estimates that by the year 2043, there will be fewer than 1,000 sisters left in the U.S. Some experts attribute the dwindling number of sisters to a growth of opportunity for women outside the church. Others point to an overall trend of Americans moving away from organized religions. Sisters in the United States have suffered greatly in the hands of our leaders who have at times minimized their contribution and viewed their ministry of justice and peace with suspicion and animosity.

The sisters have embraced Social Justice more than priests and religious men in the United States and abroad. They are animated by Catholic social teaching and their congregation’s charism (spiritual gift) to care for an individual’s mind, body and spirit, as well as the community around those individuals. Catholic social teaching rests in the idea that everyone is made in the image of God and therefore has inherent dignity. Development, therefore, must promote the dignity of the person. The Catholic Church speaks of “integral human development,” which promotes the interconnectedness of economic, cultural, ecological and spiritual health of people and communities. I have been fortunate to meet, to listen and to be inspired by so many nuns in my life. Sr. Carmel and Sr. Marietta have modeled God’s love in amazing ways during their 60 years of dedication to God and His people.

Fr. Paulson