Ascension Catholic Church

Muslim on Main Street

belinda — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:43:39 +0000

The following article appeared in the May 2011 issue of U.S. Catholic, which interviewed Akbar Ahmed, former Pakistani Ambassador to England. Mr. Ahmed, who was educated in a Catholic school in his homeland, has lived in the United States since 2000. For his book Journey into America, Mr. Ahmed and five research assistants visited 75 communities and 100 mosques to explore the place of Islam in America.

What does Islam look like in America?
The United States is one of the most fascinating countries in the world for the Muslim community. Islam is a global religion with communities in Brazil, Japan, and the most unlikely places, but the most fascinating community is in the United States of America for one big reason: its variety.
American Muslims are a tiny minority, about 7 million people or 2 percent of the population, and the community covers every kind of Muslim. On our year-long journey, I met Cambodian Muslims, white and Latino converts to Islam, Arabs and Pakistanis. The whole world is here.
About one third—maybe even half—of the U.S. Muslim population is African American. What is fascinating about them is that even though they aren’t part of the mainstream American story, they are, in fact, as American in their narrative as WASPs or Catholic or Jewish immigrants.
When I asked about their conversion to Islam, many said, “We are not converting to Islam; we are reverting to Islam.” They explained that 40 to 50 percent of the slaves brought from Africa on those terrible death ships were Muslim. I later double-checked this, and if you look at the map of Africa, where these ships landed, and the type of people they picked up, most of these tribes even today are Muslim. It’s logical that in many cases the slaves would have been Muslim.
This huge population, which is American and which is Muslim, today could be the best ambassadors for America to Islam and for Islam to America.

What about immigrant Muslims?
The immigrants coming to the United States from the 1970s onward were highly educated professionals: professors and doctors and engineers and entrepreneurs. They are modernists—people who say, “We are living in America, and we live by the rules of America. We’re proud of being Muslim, and yet we can play baseball and dress like Americans.”
They didn’t have any problems at first. You don’t ask your doctor, “When did you come here? Are you here legally?” You have a doctor-patient relationship with him.
Then on 9/11 every American suddenly became aware of Islam. The same doctor now became an object of suspicion. People suddenly wanted to ask, “Aren’t you from Egypt or Pakistan? Don’t you guys train terrorists?”
I was coming from England where there already was a debate about Islam, but these American Muslim immigrants didn’t see it coming. They have huge houses and Mercedes, and they’re all living the American dream, saying, “This is the most wonderful country in the world.” Their lifestyles are almost dangerous because they are so isolated from the wider community—eating Pakistani food or Egyptian food and speaking in their own language.
I first saw this in New Orleans in 1997 when I gave the keynote address to the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America. After the talk we were on a boat, the Mississippi Queen, when I heard the azan, the call to prayer.
I came onto the main deck, and I saw a sight that both excited and scared me. The visual impact of 30 or 40 Muslims in traditional dress praying in unison excited me, and I thought, “My God, look at this, how wonderful. Muslims are totally integrated as part of American society.”
But it scared me because I knew something of American history and race relations. Every group, including the Catholics and the Jews, waited a long time to be accepted. These Muslims were simply bypassing all this.
So when 9/11 happened, I knew how disconnected the Muslim immigrant community was and how little Americans knew about it. Ten years later the gap has never been greater.

Will Muslims eventually be accepted as Americans just as Catholics have generally been accepted?
There are real differences that will make it harder for Muslims to be accepted. First, Catholics are part of the Christian tradition. They have an organic relationship with Protestants, even if there are disagreements. Culturally they are similar. European Catholics are white from an outsider’s perspective, and as an anthropologist I very quickly discovered the importance of color in the United States.
It took Catholics more than 100 years before they were accepted, until John F. Kennedy was elected president, and the stories are horrifying—churches were burned, Catholics were lynched. But an outsider would see no difference between Protestants and Catholics today.
When I traveled throughout America, people constantly asked me, “Can a Muslim really be an American?” They were challenging the capacity of the doctor who came decades ago to be an American. It’s going to take a long time for Muslims to be fully part of America.

What is preventing Muslims from becoming part of the United States?
We have a double failure. Americans simplify Islam, reducing it to a caricature, and Muslims fail to explain it.
When I talk to Muslim leaders, I say, “Americans want to know about shariah (Islamic law), polygamy, jihad, attitudes to Jews and Christians. Have you answered them?” They just keep saying, “Islam is a religion of peace.”
We haven’t provided good enough answers. The diversity of the community also creates problems because leadership is divided and uncertain about which way to go.
Apart from the fact that 7 million American citizens are Muslim, it is in America’s interest to
have good relations with the Muslim world. We have tens of thousands of troops in the Muslim world. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and General David Petraeus constantly talk about winning hearts and minds, but unless you understand the Muslim world, you’re not going to win hearts and minds.
The Muslim American community is a kind of hostage community now.
It’s as if we’re being held hostage for the chaos in the Muslim world from which we escaped. There’s a fear, based on statements from then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and other officials following 9/11, that the 7 million U.S. Muslims could be locked up in internment camps, even though this would be impossible and unwise.
I hear—and not too softly—that we can’t trust Muslims. A girl in a hijab—a head scarf—couldn’t stand behind Obama during his campaign. Obama can’t go to a Sikh temple on his visit to India because he’d have to wear a head covering and someone would say he’s a Muslim. Twenty-five percent of the country already thinks he is a Muslim.
A lot of people hint very darkly at what could happen if, God forbid, some idiotic, confused young Muslim from the United States killed hundreds of people. The backlash would be so intense, it could lead to anything.

Should we be afraid of homegrown terrorism?
It’s a real issue, and it’s classic anthropology, even though self-described experts pin it on theology. If terrorism was motivated by faith, why weren’t the previous generations of Muslims blowing up everyone?
Potential homegrown terrorists are confused young men. They grow up in American culture, but after 9/11 American culture implicitly or explicitly rejected them. In the meantime their parents’ culture has faded away.
Being suspended between two cultures is the most dangerous position for any individual to be in, and both are pulling. To be fully accepted in America, a young Muslim may have to say, “Damn Islam, barbaric religion. I hate this religion.” But Muslim culture may say, “You’ve become too American; you’re drinking and sexually promiscuous like all these other kids.”
When this young Muslim needs answers, he goes to the imam, the religious teacher or leader of the mosque, and says, “I’m in turmoil. Give me advice. Should I drink, should I do drugs? All my friends are doing it at school.” These imams are largely from the Middle East or South Asia. They have little knowledge of American culture and will not be able to answer. He’ll just say, “How dare you talk about this.”
The young man won’t talk to his parents because in our culture there’s a formality between the generations. So who does he turn to? He’s a confused teenager, and as a Muslim he’s doubly confused. He has all these ideas in his mind, is reading the media here and abroad. He’s going to go online. He may start talking to radical imams who say, “Come to us. We have the answers. Take revenge for Islam.”
At a New York mosque, we met two little boys born around 9/11. They are Americans; they only know America. They’ve been beaten up at school and called terrorists. One boy’s parents went to Pakistan, and the mother was killed in a bus blown up by the Taliban.
If there is a 10-year-old boy whose mother was blown up by terrorists and who has been called a terrorist, he will likely be a very confused, angry teenager. He’s going to want to express his anger and hatred for the world that has taken away his mother and abused him. And that is the danger.

Can we do anything to prevent this?
I tell Muslim leaders to be sensitive to young people and channel their energy. Tell them, “You want to do something for Islam and America? Go to Pakistan or Afghanistan. Work in a hospital, become teachers. Become ambassadors for Islam and for America. See the impact you will make.”
We need a Muslim Peace Corps. I think the government has to be involved. Americans don’t want to involve the government, but the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are involved already, sometimes making people feel like criminals.
We need positive programs for the next generation that give young Muslims self-confidence and a sense that America doesn’t hate them.
We cannot pretend this crisis does not exist, and I am very nervous because America is continuing to demonize Islam in the media. There’s so much Islamophobia. It’s a miracle that there haven’t been more homegrown terrorists.
My personal experience—the respect and hospitality that I’ve received—cannot be taken as a typical American response to Muslims. If I want to do a favor to American society, I can’t say that there’s no problem, that we love you and you love us. I have to be honest.

Were the congressional hearings on the radicalization of the American Muslim community necessary?
It’s tempting to say no because of the poisonous atmosphere. There have been attacks on mosques and women in hijabs. Schoolchildren are called terrorists because they have Muslim names. Even if there are just a few incidents, we need to do everything possible to dampen that atmosphere of distrust and hatred.
I initially had some reservations because some of the panelists are very hostile to Islam. At the same time this is a democracy. It has certain institutions, and as Muslims we need to respect them. I saw the hearings as a challenge to Muslim Americans to participate, write letters to the editor and articles, be in the media, and explain Islam—explain the richness, the sophistication of Muslim cultures. The panel also included three Americans who are more than capable of handling false or distorted ideas.
The question is why they investigated Islam and not any other religions, but that is the reality of living in the United States after 9/11. We cannot pretend that 9/11 did not happen. We cannot pretend that there isn’t a generalized Islamophobia.
A lot of well-meaning, sensible Americans really don’t know anything about Islam. And by sulking, becoming angry, or rejecting any questioning, Muslims feed into the sense that “well, these Muslims aren’t really good, proper Americans.”

Some say Muslims can’t be real Americans because of shariah. Should we worry about Islamic law being imposed in the United States?
I had a little exchange on Anderson Cooper 360 with Frank Gaffney, a so-called expert on shariah. He’s written a book and claims that shariah has taken over America.
“My mathematics are not very good, so you’ll have to help me,” I said. “Please explain how 2 percent of the population—assuming that every one of the Muslims wants shariah—can impose its will in a democracy on 98 percent of the population?”
Only literalist Muslims might want shariah, but modern and mystic Muslims would be its first victims.
I’ve been an administrator in Pakistan, a country that is 98 percent Muslim. We don’t have shariah. Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Malaysia are 90 to 95 percent Muslim. It would take them three minutes to pass a resolution to impose shariah on everyone. Yet, most of the time Muslims are not imposing it in their own countries where they can. Why are we worried that they are going to impose it in America where they can’t?

What can we learn from the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East?
I’ve been saying for years that ordinary Muslims want nothing more than dignity, security for their families, jobs, and education. They don’t want corrupt, incompetent leaders eating up their countries’ resources. They don’t want tyrants ruling them for decades.
I was told by the so-called experts that somehow Muslims are a distinct species that like to be ruled by strong men. This is sheer nonsense. It’s neither Islamic nor rational. So I was thrilled that in Cairo we saw a genuine Arab revolution, led by ordinary Muslims.
American experts had no idea how to cope with this. The challenge isn’t for those rising against the tyranny of a pharaoh. The challenge is for America. Is America going to say, “Wait a minute, these people want exactly what we want: democracy, human rights, civil liberties. Let us help them.”

What can Catholics do to help Muslims become part of America?
The first thing is to begin to understand Islam. They need to read books like Journey into America so they can understand American Muslims, warts and all.
I also would suggest that they visit a mosque. Go talk to the imam or the women in the mosque. Invite them to a Catholic church or to a gathering. The dynamics will change very quickly because there’s nothing like seeing the bonds that already exist between our faiths for creating understanding and then friendship.
On a flight to Denver, one of my assistants told the lady sitting next to him that he was going to visit a mosque. She said, “How are you visiting a mosque? Muslims never allow outsiders to go into a mosque; they kill them or something.” He said, “I’ve been to 100 mosques with Professor Ahmed.” She responded, “Out of the question, that’s impossible.”
People have very strange ideas of each other, whether between Catholics and Protestants, Christians and Jews, or Buddhists and Hindus. It’s not surprising that there are so many questions. But the only and the shortest way to dispel misperceptions is through knowledge of each other—knowledge and this personal relationship. Everything changes from there.

Have a blessed week,

tobin2@live.com

3. Articles: NEW Four Techniques That Get Employers To Return Your Phone Calls

suzanne — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:06:10 +0000

Four Techniques That Get Employers To Return Your Phone Calls

Are you frustrated when you receive no response after you send out resumes, no follow-up calls to hear how you did on interviews, no replies when you are trying to gather more information about a prospective employer?

Well, you are not alone. Over the past few years, it seems like it has been impossible to get people to return phone calls. The truth is this has always been the case. The employment decision making process often moves slowly. As a result, getting back to you happens slowly too. But when you are out of work, or are trying to jump from your current position, the waiting hurts more, because the stakes are higher. In many cases, you can’t afford to wait, because you need an answer now.

However, if you are proactive and creative, you can get people to return your calls. Here are some tips that work:

Don’t Expect People To Get Back To You.

This means follow-up on a regular basis. People get busy and do not always remember to get back to you because they get sidetracked on other projects. They are not avoiding you, they are just working on other priorities, or do not have an answer for you yet.

The person who wants something is the person who is responsible for following-up. This means you. You cannot make one call and then say to yourself “if the person wanted to get back to me they would” and then give up. You have to be persistent. This is how you will get what you want.

Schedule A Follow-Up Call At The End Of Each Call Or Meeting. Try not to leave any meeting or telephone conversation without another one scheduled. This way you have a time and a commitment from the other person to talk again. So when you are following up you do not have to feel like you are being pushy, rather you are fulfilling on a commitment you made to have another call.

If They Cannot Give You A Follow-Up Time, Ask Them When Would Be A Good Time Or Day To Call Them Again.

This way you do not leave the conversation hearing the dreaded “I’ll get back to you.” or “I will call you.” These words only keep you sitting by your phone for days waiting for it to ring. In the meantime, you are going over the last conversation in your head over and over again, looking for clues of what you did wrong. Don’t waste your time and energy. Let people know you will be calling again.

If They Give You No Commitment (Or You Were Afraid To Ask) Call Them

Here’s a trick that is very effective. Wait 3 days after you’ve had a conversation with someone, and call them. Then, call them once a week until they get back to you. Many people feel funny about this, but it does work. The goal here is to be as nice and gracious on the first call as the 16th (or later.) If you get angry and it comes across in your voice mail messages, you will not get a return call.

Side note: Please do not think I am telling you to stalk someone or be overly pushy. If someone says they will get back to you, they should. Following-up is your way of ensuring that they do. One rule to the follow-up calls: if someone says stop calling, then stop calling. But this happens very rarely.

In many cases the person you are trying to reach just got busy and is grateful that you were persistent, and thanks you for following-up. You both win, they get a stellar employee, and you get a new job.

So what do you say? You only have one life to live so it might as well be a life you love!

- Deborah Brown-Volkman

Deborah Brown-Volkman, PCC, is the President of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. a successful career, life, and mentor coaching company that works with Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are looking for new career opportunities or seek to become more productive in their current role. She is the author of “Coach Yourself To A New Career” and “How To Feel Great At Work Everyday.” Deborah can be reached www.surpassyourdreams.com

www.reinvent-your-career.com or at (631) 874-2877.

Read more: CrossRoads – Four Techniques That Get Employers To Return Your Phone Calls http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4738&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#ixzz1uTJLAZDh

Source: http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4738&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#axzz1uTJIHqhD

3. Articles: NEW Does Coercion Merit compliance?

suzanne — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:03:45 +0000

Does Coercion Merit compliance?

“Oh brave new world! That has such people in’t!” In context, this line by Miranda in Shakespeare’s The Tempest (Act V, scene 1), was ironic. Huxley’s title Brave New World, also ironic. Let’s visit another literary work: A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Not only conceivable from where we stand now, but very frightening.

AP recently reported that Justin Basset was asked for his FaceBook log in information during an interview so that the company could examine his page because his profile was set to private. Basset withdrew his application.

This egregious request – and expectation that it will be met – isn’t a stand-alone act. It happens to be blatant enough that there’s action moving against it. But the principle is condoned within the parameters of other invasive acts, some of which we willingly participate in. So allow me to digress a bit and follow along outside of the job search world for a minute.

Want gas or electricity? A phone? Cable service? Hand over your social security number.

Get savings and gifts! Just swipe this little tag you carry on your keychain…. (how many of those do you have?)

Prevent terrorism! Millions support the Patriot Act, which allows the FBI to freely search emails, phone records, and financial records without a court order.

Been “frisked” or searched when you went through the metal detector prior to flying?

How much of the world knows who you are, what you’re doing, who and what you like and don’t like, where you live and went to school, when your birthday is…..because you’re all over social media?

Hiring companies have always conducted references. Government-related entities have always done their checking a little more arduously. But then private companies began background checks and fingerprinting. Then drug tests – even if you weren’t operating machinery. Next, credit checks were added to the mix.

As a career coach, I teach job seekers how to take back control of their career by not doing everything they’re told, showing them why they don’t have to follow rules such as submitting their resume online. They learn more effective ways to be noticed, and then how to separate the wheat from the chaff. I’ve long maintained the reason the companies take all the power is because job seekers give it to them.

But this Facebook issue is different. There’s no way around it. You either give it up or go home. Obviously not everyone is going to be able to go home, like Basset was. So what do you do if that’s you? You still go home.

Don’t be cowed into submission or rationalize it by telling yourself you’ve nothing to hide. A company who asks you to hand over that information has no respect for boundaries and that will show up elsewhere after they’ve employed you. Signing yourself in so they can nose around isn’t any more acceptable.

Acquiescing is the same as condoning. Letting a company blur your boundaries is no different than allowing your partner to. Both are invasive and abusive.

Nothing is black and white, especially to a private company who wants to rationalize their screening process for hiring. Their reason is to check for unacceptable behaviour. That’s a nebulous term, especially when companies are looking to screen out, not screen in, and relatively innocuous things may be considered “unacceptable.” It’s the principle we’re talking about here, and the principle is controlling others. It’s coercion.

The Department of Justice regards it as a federal crime to enter a social networking site in violation of the TOS, although they’re not prosecuting for it. IL has proposed legislation making it illegal, and MD passed it in a landslide. It’s waiting for the governor’s signature.

Have enough respect for yourself to leave, just as Bassett did. Because if too many people don’t, then bit by bit, it becomes acceptable, simply because there are too many complying.

- Judi Perkins

Judi was a very successful recruiter for 22 years (15 contingency, 4 agency, 3 retained) and has now been a career coach for 3. The recruiter background, especially having been all three types, gives her deep insight into both sides of the hiring process. Now she teaches job seekers both the skill and psychological aspects of job hunting and why the usual methods don’t work.

judi@findtheperfectjob.com

203.778.8894 www.findtheperfectjob.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HowToCareerCoach

Read more: CrossRoads – Does Coercion Merit compliance? http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4740&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#ixzz1uTJyjYSK

Source: http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4740&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#axzz1uTJIHqhD

3. Articles: NEW Questions to Ask and Avoid During Your Next Job Interview

suzanne — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:00:17 +0000

Questions to Ask and Avoid During Your Next Job Interview

The phone call you’ve waited for has finally come! You’ve been invited in for a job interview. Now your nerves are on edge. You know what to wear but you may not know what questions to ask or avoid, or if you’ll even have an opportunity to speak up other than to answer questions fired at you.

Don’t worry. There will be time for you to voice your concerns and inquiries. The important thing is to know what questions to ask and which ones to set aside—for now. Keep in mind that interviewers want to speak with job seekers who are sharp, confident, and professional. This is no time to be passive and overly polite, though courtesy is always appropriate. Remember, you’re vying for the job you want. Take an active role in asking questions by being prepared ahead of time.

Consider These:

What factors about this company are attractive to you?

What makes this firm a great place to build a career?

How do you see the future of this company?

What is the most challenging aspect of working for this organization?

In your opinion, what would be the biggest adjustment for someone new?

Answers to these questions can help you decide whether or not this is the place you want to work. They will also help you respond to the questions you’re asked. You’ll be ready to answer in a way that will show you were listening, paying attention, and taking note of management’s vision and objectives for the company.

Questions to Avoid

Steer clear of questions that you can answer yourself by doing a bit of basic research online—such as the kind of work you’d be doing, or the level of leadership that would be expected of you or the focus of the company. Walk into the interview armed with as much information as possible and then ask only those questions that will help you decide whether to accept or decline the job offer if it is presented.

Also avoid asking questions related to salary, benefits, vacation, sick days and so on. At this point you have not yet been offered the position. You are being ‘screened.’

There will come a time and place to discuss pay and benefits, but the interview is not that place.

Use What You Learn

The most important thing you can do during an interview is to show yourself as someone the hiring manager wants. Focus on displaying your skills and experience and how you can fit the profile of the person the interviewer is looking for. This gives you leverage for negotiating salary and benefits when the job offer comes through.

Be aware of the impression you’d make if you ask questions that have nothing to do with the job opportunity. An interview is not a social visit or a time to talk about sports and hobbies. It’s a business meeting that has one purpose: to determine if you are the right person to fill the opening. If the interviewer asks a few questions about your interests, it’s fine to answer them honestly. He or she wants to get to know you—but avoid getting off-track with long-winded responses that take the focus off the job.

Common sense is your best ally. Be yourself. Do your homework. Show up neatly dressed. Arrive on time. Know the right questions to ask, and the ones to avoid. And bring enthusiasm, a smile, and a firm handshake.

- Jimmy Sweeney

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new “Secret Career Document” job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job Search Secrets.”

Visit our friends at Job Interview “Secret” and discover Jimmy Sweeney’s breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.

Read more: CrossRoads – Questions to Ask and Avoid During Your Next Job Interview http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4739&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#ixzz1uTJl7ecT

Source: http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4739&newslett\ er_id=1077&archive=1#axzz1uTJIHqhD

belinda — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:15:36 +0000

There are no announcements at this time.…

Happy Mother’s Day!

belinda — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:19:48 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day!

Prayer for Priests and Vocations

This weekend, we salute, remember and give thanks for all mothers living and deceased, near and far. Here are a few bits and pieces on motherhood.

Examples of inspiring women and mothers

The following anecdotes are from the Christopher News Notes (June 1988).

Her name was Eliza McArdle and for her time she was well educated. At the age of 17 she married Andrew Johnson, an unschooled 19-year-old tailor.
She taught him writing and arithmetic and he entered politics, becoming mayor of Greenville, Tenn., a state legislator, governor, vice-president and the President of the United States. As president he bought Alaska from Russia for $7 million.
A woman who lived in obscurity helped shape history.

Throughout history many women have assumed important roles. Two thousand years ago a Jewish girl from Nazareth was the key player in a unique drama of salvation that is still unfolding.
On a totally different level, in our own time, the civil rights movement was launched when Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of an Alabama bus.
Where this once was a man’s world, it is now a woman’s world as well. And Eliza McArdle could well aspire to and succeed in a political career in her own right.
The world is a better place for it. Women such as Rachel Carson, Mother Teresa, Coretta Scott King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sandra Day O’Connor and Maggie Kuehn demonstrate that women are the equal of men as agents of constructive social change.
Nor is a woman’s effectiveness necessarily limited by circumstances. Single women, homemakers, the widowed, the disabled, the divorced, grandmothers, business women—all have a role unique to them. God’s work remains to be done, and women are called to do it in equal partnership with men.

Prayerful . . .
“Mary” was 82 years old and bedridden, confined to a Denver nursing home and feeling more and more useless each day. From her bed, all she could see was a tall crane on a construction site several blocks away. To occupy herself she prayed for the workers.
A visitor learned of her prayers and went to the construction site to find out the names of the workers so Mary could make her prayers more personal. Touched by Mary’s concern, the workers signed their names to a hard hat and sent it to Mary. Shortly before the work was finished, Mary died. But toward the end she no longer felt useless. And not a single worker was injured on the job.

Homemakers . . .
Mrs. Gloria Pitzer, in Catholic Quote, tells of being watched by her daughter Debbie while doing the dishes.
Debbie commented on how many times she had seen her mother do this, and asked, “Mom, don’t you ever get tired of doing the dishes?” Her mother replied, “I’m not doing the dishes, I’m building a home.”

Caring . . .
When Kathy Burke of New Mexico finished her training in family medicine, she decided to limit her practice to the disabled and their families. She was told that she wouldn’t be able to make a living out of such a specialty.
She went ahead anyway. Now her practice is thriving and her office has become the training ground for people planning to work with the disabled.

Selfless . . .
Mrs. Chessie Harris of Huntsville, Ala., told her family “we’ve got to move over and make room” after coming across a boy scavenging meat scraps and a girl looking for returnable bottles because they were hungry.
Her family did make room. Two years later Mrs. Harris obtained a boarding-house license. More than 800 children have since found love and shelter with “Mama Harris.”

Determined . . .
Because women were not permitted to run in the Boston Marathon in 1967, Kathrine Switzer entered under the name K.V. Switzer. At the four-mile mark, one race official physically tried to pull her out of the race but was stopped by one of her friends.
Kathrine Switzer finished the race. Then she campaigned for four years to have it opened to women, having decided “to devote some part of my life to changing this situation with women’s sports.” One of her goals: “to show the Olympic Committee that women could and wanted to run.” A marathon and a 10,000 meter race for women have since been added to the Olympics.

Agents of Change . . .
On trips to Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, Mrs. Jessica Linder couldn’t help but notice “how very hard the women work and for how little.” She decided to do something about it.
That something was People’s Exchange International—a way of marketing the handicrafts of Latin American women. Proceeds from the sale of the crafts are given in part to the women in salary; the rest goes into educational programs.
There is no limit to the ability of women to contribute to the solution of problems large and small. With Mary as a model—she who was God-fearing, accepting, courageous, prayerful, concerned for others—they need but believe in their own abilities, appreciating their special gifts and making use of them.

This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

A Prayer for Today’s Woman

Lord God,

Show me the inherent goodness and beauty of my womanhood and teach me to rejoice in all its aspects. Let me see the dignity of my sex so that I shall never permit anyone to abuse, debase or ridicule it.
Show me the wonder of my role as a life-bearer which is not limited to my biological function as a mother but extends to other aspects and situations of my presence in the world; let me recognize my power to nurture, comfort, inspire and guide others as part of the creative process of my life.
Fill me with the desire to build up rather than tear down, to heal rather than to wound, to reconcile rather than polarize, to risk rather than to seek compromise and security.
Help me to see what is of everlasting value in cultural and religious traditions; help me to forge ahead and to be true to my own nature without being hindered by false assumptions of the past or by passing fads of the present day.
Let me understand that my femininity is a gift of God to be acknowledged with gratitude and delight; let me know that womanhood is not a situation in conflict with manhood but that both are created equal for the purpose of mutual love and support.
Help me to grow according to my own nature so that I may be able to fulfill my destiny according to Your will.
I pray for all my sisters in the world—may they lives as Your children in freedom and peace. Amen
Catherine de Vinck

I thank God today for the many inspiring women of Ascension Parish who week after week give of themselves to our parish and wider community.
Welcome, Blake Britton. At the 9:30, 11:30am and 5:30pm Masses, we welcome Blake Britton, one of the young men from our diocese studying for the priesthood. Some years ago, I wrote the following prayer.

Prayer for Priests and Vocations

Jesus, good and gentle Shepherd, I thank you for the men who have heard and responded to your call to priesthood.
Place in their hearts a deep desire to love and serve you and the people you have placed in their care.
May their word to us be your Word.
And may we hear and act on your Word.
Protect and guard your priests from false and sinful ways.
Keep them in your truth.
Help them to grow in holiness.
Help us, your people, to love and support your priests by word and deed.
Lord of the Harvest, may all those whom you are calling to the priesthood and religious life hear and answer your call.
Show us, as a parish, ways to foster vocations.
Jesus, bless all Vocations Directors. Help them to discover effective ways to call men and women to the priesthood and religious life.
Amen.

Have a blessed Mother’s Day,

tobin2@live.com

CHURCH TEACHING ON HOMOSEXUALITY AND ON PREMARITAL SEX

belinda — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:16:11 +0000

An important distinction when it comes
to the issue of homosexuality

Media people like Piers Morgan and Chris Wallace would sometimes throw the question: “Is it a sin to be gay?” Politicians such as Rick Santorum, a devout Catholic, and church leaders like Joel Osteen, televangelist and pastor, would, predictably, respond in the affirmative. Last Sunday, when Chris Wallace asked
Joel Osteen if he believed it was a sin to be gay, the answer was yes indeed, he believed it was.

I am amazed and irritated by how such newscasters, politicians, and church leaders blur the important distinction between homosexual orientation and homosexual acting out.

I wonder if Senator Santorum or Pastor Osteen would respond in the same manner if asked whether it is a sin for some-
one to have a homosexual orientation. I hope not. Do we ourselves believe that it is a sin to be gay or that being gay is a sexual identity that people intentionally choose? I wonder how many people fail to make a distinction between orientation and acting out sexually when it comes to this issue.

Catholic teaching on homosexuality

In my articles on the Catechism, I have summarized the Church teaching on this issue (see Article 24).

Homosexuality (C 2357-2359, USC p.407). Homosexuality is the term used to refer to men and women who have an exclusive, enduring and predominant sexual attraction towards persons of the same sex.

In its three paragraphs on homosexuality, the Catechism (paras. 257-259) makes the following five points:

The genesis of same-sex attraction remains largely unexplained.

Persons with same-sex attraction do not choose their condition or sexual orientation.

Persons with same-sex attraction must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Any form of unjust discrimination towards persons with same-sex attraction is morally wrong and should be condemned.

Sexual relations between homosexual persons is morally wrong. Why? Catholic newspaper columnist and author, Amy Welborn, writes: “To put it rather bluntly, the parts (i.e., our genital parts) were made to fit and fit for a purpose…namely, the creation of a family in the physical and spiritual sense. The purpose of genital sex is to create communion between a man and a woman (more specifically between a husband and a wife) and to procreate new life. Homosexual acts can never fulfill the twofold design of the Creator for genital sex.” In stating that homosexual acts are morally wrong, we are not saying that homosexual desires are morally wrong, unless of course we deliberately will them.

“Homosexual persons are called to chastity” (C 2359). Just as single persons with a heterosexual orientation are called to live a chaste life, so are persons with a homosexual orientation. Of course, a major difference is
that marriage is always an option for the single person with a heterosexual orientation. Persons with same-sex attraction can and should cultivate warm, loving and caring friendships with persons of the same and opposite sex. Such friendships are usually tremendously life-giving.

Needless to say, this is a very difficult issue. In any church family today, there are some gay couples who love each other very much and do seek to live good lives.

While we should be very clear on Church teaching in this area, we should leave it to God to judge people and the way they choose to live their lives. I love the saying: “My job is to love people. God’s job is to judge them.”
Church teaching on pre-marital sex

In the same article on sexuality issues, I have written the following on the issue of premarital sex.

Even though we live in a sex-saturated society, hardly anyone spends time thinking about the meaning and purpose of sex. How often do we ask: What did God have in mind when he implanted a sexual faculty in the human person?

According to Catholic Tradition, God had a twofold purpose, namely, the continuation of the human race (procreative dimension of sex) and the strengthening of the love bond between the man and the woman— husband and wife—so that they could raise their child/children in a loving environment (unitive dimension). We might add that in the language of love, genital sex is the way husband and wife say to each other: “I give myself totally to you. I am totally committed to our relationship and if God blesses us with a child, I will be here to love and raise that child with you.” The Church believes that the best context for that kind of relationship is marriage.

As much as they might like to do so, no couple can rewrite the meaning of sexual intercourse. It is tied to committed love—the love that creates new life. To let on that sexual intercourse is something else is to dispute the whole design of our Creator. When our Church speaks about “openness to new life,” it is directed only to couples for whom this is a biological possibility.

Now that we are clear about the Creator’s design for sex, let us look at some of the ways that people can fail to live out God’s purpose.

Dating couples. Many dating couples engage in premarital sex as a way to express their love and to see if they are sexually compatible. Others move in together because they believe it is a smart way to prepare for marriage. What can be said about these two modern-day aspects of dating?

It is normal for dating couples who are growing in their love for each other to want to express their love in a physical way. But when dating couples become sexually active with each other, they are usually allowing their bodies to say much more than their hearts are ready to give.

For a Christian couple, the dating period is a time to discern if God is calling them to the sacred vocation of marriage. It is a time to see if a person would make a lifelong partner, and what qualities, gifts, values and goals he/she would bring to the marriage table. It is a time to see how mature and good-hearted that person is, how he/she would handle pressure and difficult situations, how well he/she communicates and deals with conflict.

However wonderful sex might be during this period of the relationship, it could get in the way of two people making a good decision about their readiness for marriage. One woman who had lived with her fiancé during the dating period decided to move out. She said: “I had come to the point where my judgment of the relationship was based on sex. When sex was on and good, I judged the relationship to be good and vice versa. So I moved out and stopped having sex to see how the relationship would be without the sex.” Often the sexual dimension of a dating relationship makes it very difficult for a couple to break up even though there are very good reasons for doing so.

Cohabitation. As stated above, many couples today think that cohabitation is a good way to prepare for marriage. But all the research shows that couples who cohabit prior to marriage have a much higher rate of divorce than couples who choose to go the traditional route. Perhaps there is truth to the old saying: “Easy to move in, easy to move out.” In addition, cohabitation can be a source of scandal to younger siblings and to friends. It also weakens the respect that we, as a Christian community, should have for the sacred institution of marriage.

The gospel ideal of saving sex for marriage is not an easy one and will make little or no sense to couples who do not have a personal relationship with Christ and are not serious about following his gospel message in this area.
Living the Church’s message of “saving sex for marriage” is very contrary to the world message of “safe sex.” But as we ponder the consequences of the world’s way―AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, increase in the number of abortions, unwed pregnancies, and divorce―we begin to see the wisdom of the Church’s message in this area of Christian life.

Impact of childhood experiences on sexual formation

If we were raised in an environment in which we received positive and wholesome messages regarding our sexuality, our bodies, and our male and female relationships, we are indeed very blessed. We are also blessed if during our teenage years, sexuality issues were openly discussed and talked about, and if we had mature adults in our lives to help us to negotiate the challenges of growing through our adolescent years.

On the other hand, if we grew up in an environment in which there was “great silence” around sexuality issues, or in which sex was always spoken about with overtones of warning and danger, or if we were told by parents or church teachers that all sexual feelings were wrong and sinful, we would most likely have picked up lots of negative messages about sex and sexuality. Worse still, if the key relationships in our childhood formation were dysfunctional or abusive, we are, most likely, deeply wounded in this important area of our lives.

Such woundedness would have made it very difficult for us to feel positive about our bodies and sexuality. It would also have wounded our capacity to enter into healthy relationships with other men and women. Furthermore, if we were raised in a home or church environment in which we were told that all sexual thoughts and feelings were sinful and that the worst sins were the sins against the sixth and ninth commandments, our ability to relate to a loving God would also have been negatively impacted. As a result of negative experiences and messages during childhood, many of us may have grown into adulthood with a certain amount of confusion, guilt, shame and awkwardness in the area of our sexuality.

Other issues covered in Article 24:

Three dimensions of human sexuality

Chastity (obstacles and helps to living a chaste life)

Extramarital sex

Masturbation

Pornography

National Family Planning

In vitro birth methods

Reflection questions

1. How would you rate the formation you received at home and at church on sexuality issues? How could it have been more helpful? When it comes to relationships, what are some things men can learn from women, and vice versa?

2. Women: What is one thing you would want men to remember when relating to women?

3. Men: What is one thing you would want women to remember when relating to men?

My 28 articles on the four pillars of the Catechism are available on our website:
www.ascensioncatholic.net/catechism

Have a blessed week,

tobin2@live.com

3. Articles: Resume. How Honest Should You Be On Your Resume?

suzanne — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:17:44 +0000

How Honest Should You Be On Your Resume?

Those who have been out of work several months, or are working outside their area of expertise in order to make ends meet, tend to want to hide that on their resume. They’re worried it will reflect poorly on them and adversely affect their chances of getting an interview.

Actually, the opposite is true, because unexplained resume blanks cause question marks. These career aberrations need to be accounted for. Human nature defaults to the negative. We look for problems in order to avoid them. Holes in the resume cause questions which equal problems.

Whether or not your odd jobs or unemployment compromise your interview possibilities depends on what you were doing, why you were doing it, and especially how you spin it, both in the cover letter and in the interview.

Why, if you’ve held a job outside your norm, should you be faulted for “doing what it takes” to feed yourself and your family? Stepping outside of your career track shows a positive attitude, a way of thinking, and of solving a problem. It’s also the attitude and behavior you’ll bring to a company, as opposed to a person who does nothing, worrying and whining all the while. Additionally, there’s the experience in both life and people that are now part of who you are.

One of my clients was in the finance industry, and decided to go to school full time to get her Master’s in Divinity. She wasn’t planning on pursuing a career in that area; it was just something she wanted to do. And then she went back into finance. How to spin that? Focus. A love of learning. But she feared the nature of the degree would make people uncomfortable, yet that was the easiest part, because by nature, she was serene, even keeled, and considerate of others. She hit the proselytizing fear head on, and learned her schooling was a matter of interest, not concern.

Another individual was out of work for two years with a serious illness and wasn’t sure he should list that. Absolutely he should. This is life. Stuff happens. It doesn’t need to be listed as anything other than “Illness preventing employment,” and presented on the resume just as a company heading would be.

A strange, but brief, change of direction in a career is frequently a result of someone internally examining their direction in life. Be open about that. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue the path I was pursuing, so I went in a direction that seemed viable. What I learned was that I didn’t like it as much as I thought, and for these reasons, I really do like what I’m doing.” And then know those reasons to assure a potential employer you won’t be slacking or leaving the company to take off in some new direction.

Unfortunately almost everyone misses the opportunity to use their cover letter to both inform and introduce these experiences. This is one reason generic cover letters are a mistake. Another reason is that they fail to address the specifics of what the company wants. They’re the easy way out, spotted at a glance, never read, yet perpetuated by professional resume writers.

Write a custom one, use the exact words from the ad, lead into examples from your career, and use the last paragraph to put a brief, but positive spin, on the section you feel is questionable. Now you’re quelling objections before they arise, eliminating questions, and solving problems.

It’s not about whether you’re honest; it’s about how you spin the honesty. I don’t mean “spin” as altering the truth, because honesty is paramount. Be who you are. Be comfortable and straight forward about that. If the hiring authority is going to judge you and consider you damaged goods rather than appreciating your honesty and acknowledging the factors one might associate with the alleged resume blotch, you don’t want to work there anyway.

- Judi Perkins

judi@findtheperfectjob.com 203.778.8894 www.findtheperfectjob.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HowToCareerCoach

Read more: CrossRoads – How Honest Should You Be On Your Resume? http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4714&newslett\ er_id=1068&archive=1#ixzz1uDCZFTOk

Source: http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4714&newslett\ er_id=1068&archive=1#axzz1uDCWj1b8

3. Articles: Interview. To Tell or Not to Tell

suzanne — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:15:52 +0000

To Tell or Not to Tell

We all know what you need to do to get ready for your next interview. You need to research the job and the hiring company, be prepared for those behavioral interview questions, job skills etc. Now, there’s another thing you need to be prepared for and this question is coming up more and more. Interviewers are actually asking for your Facebook login information.

For years, employers have used background checks and even credit checks as screening tools. But now, as social media has become such in integral part of our daily life, employers are aggressively searching the internet for information on prospective employees as a means of protecting themselves. Employers are not obligated for the most part to explain why a candidate gets rejected. Any red flags that come up in their searches could wind up being the reason the applicant gets passed over. It could be any number of things: age, lifestyle, politics, affiliations, to name just a few. Are you comfortable with what they’ll find? Try doing a Google search on your name and see what comes up in the search results. Good? Bad? Ugly?

So what do you do if you have a Facebook profile and are asked for your password? The real question is whether or not you want to work for a company the demands to look through the window into your private life. It would be easy to say of course not, but what if you really need the job financially? If you are worried this could happen to you, take another look at what you have posted from an outside point of view and look for things that might trip up your chances of getting hired or be potentially embarrassing to friends or family. A possible alternative is if you have not already done so, create a LinkedIn account. This is the largest professional network and a great way to connect with other members in your field. You can suggest the interviewer take a look at this profile instead.

This is an on-going discussion and some states and organizations are trying to put legislation in place banning this practice including the ACLU.

- Jean Vosler

Jean is the Director of Marketing and Communication for www.net-temps.com, a leading online job board.

Read more: CrossRoads – To Tell or Not to Tell http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4715&newslett\ er_id=1068&archive=1#ixzz1uDCnT7vJ

Source: http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/crossroads/index.htm?op=view&id=4715&newslett\ er_id=1068&archive=1#axzz1uDCWj1b8

DOMINGO DE PENTECOSTÉS

belinda — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:23:07 +0000

27 de Mayo de 2012

Antes de ora juntos, tomen un momento para estar tranquilos y pedir poder responder a la circulación del Espíritu Santo.

ORACION PARA EMPEZAR: Ven, Espíritu Santo, llena los corazones de los fieles reunidos en tu nombre. Enciende en nosotros el fuego de tu amor divino. Permite que tus dones durmientes dentro de nosotros se manifiesten en nuestras vidas para que todos conozcan su presencia y actividad en nuestras vidas. Amén.

COMPARTIENDO VIDA: De qué estas más o menos agradecido esta semana?

DIRECTOR LEE LA FRASE DE ENFOQUE: Las primeras y terceras lecturas hablan de la venida del Espíritu Santo. La segunda lectura nos dice que el Espíritu Santo concede a la Iglesia una diversidad de dones.
Si crees que ayudará a tu compartida de fe, lee el comentario en algún momento de tus sesiones.

PRIMERA LECTURA: Hechos 2:1-11

Lucas sitúa la venida del Espíritu Santo en la fiesta Judía de Pentecostés. En el Evangelio de Juan, el Espíritu Santo viene el Domingo de Pascua. En las escrituras, el significado teológico de los eventos es lo que importa y no su cronología histórica.
En la tradición Judía, Pentecostés es una fiesta de la cosecha que celebra la entrega de la ley en el Monte Sinaí. Pentecostés celebra el Pacto de Israel con Dios, el nacimiento de Israel. Pentecostés (que significa cincuenta) se celebrarán 50 días después de Pascua.

Lucas demuestra el Espíritu Santo en Pentecostés para anunciar el comienzo de un nuevo Israel. La Iglesia tendrá un alcance universal. Personas de todas las naciones serán invitadas a unirse a este nuevo pueblo de Dios.
La llegada del Espíritu Santo es descrita tanto en términos visuales como auditivos que recuerdan a las teofanías del Antiguo Testamento, (es decir, apariciones de Dios). Dios se le aparece a Moisés en una zarza ardiente y Dios le habla a Job desde un torbellino (Job 38:1). El primer don que imparte el espíritu es el don de lenguas. Quizás lo más milagroso de este evento es el cambio interior que funcionó en los discípulos. Un grupo de discípulos llenos de temor convertidos en ardientes proclamadores del Evangelio.

SALMO RESPONSORIAL 104

Esto es un himno de alabanza al creador, Dios, quien nos da nueva vida en el Espíritu.

SEGUNDA LECTURA: 1Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

Pablo busca lograr dos puntos importantes en estos versos. Primeramente, todos los dones proceden del mismo Espíritu. Este Espíritu es el factor unificador en una comunidad en la cual muchos dones amenazan con crear caos. En segundo lugar, los dones son dados para el bien común y no para un exaltación de si mismo .

EVANGELIO: Juan 20:19-23

“En la tarde de ese primer día de la semana…… Jesús vino.” Esta aparición ocurre en la tarde de el Domingo de Pascua por la noche, la tarde de la Resurrección. Jesús viene a un grupo de discípulos atemorizados (“las puertas fueron bloqueadas por el temor de los Judíos”). El hecho de que Jesús puede entrar por puertas cerradas muestra que “la vida resucitada” es totalmente diferente, no limitada por obstáculos físicos. Sin embargo, mostrándoles sus manos y su costado, Jesús está diciendo que existe una conexión y una continuidad entre el Cristo crucificado y el Cristo resucitado. También, mostrándoles sus manos perforados y costado, Jesús les está comunicando el costo de la gloria.

Jesús da a conocer tres dones: paz, alegría y el Espíritu. La “paz” o shalom que trae Jesús reemplaza los sentimientos de culpa que los discípulos deben haber tenido por haber abandonado a Jesús en su hora de mayor necesidad. El regalo de la paz o shalom restaura la armonía a una relación rota o herida. Los discípulos experimentan alegría al ver a Jesús. Esta alegría por la presencia de Jesús reemplaza la depresión que deben haber sentido durante la ausencia de Jesús. A continuación, Jesús imparte su espíritu: “Él sopló sobre ellos”. Este gesto es visto como una reminiscencia de Dios soplar la vida en Adan (Gen 2:7). Pentecostés es el inicio de una nueva creación. Por su gesto de respiración, Jesús trae a la luz su Iglesia. A continuación, Jesús comisiona a quienes están reunidos a ir y perdonar pecados. “Cuyos pecados que perdonan son perdonados y cuyos pecados retenidos serán retenidos “. Originalmente, estas palabras probablemente fueron vistas como prerrogativa de la Iglesia para otorgar o negar el bautismo a aquellos que buscaban entrada en la Iglesia. Personas que fueron juzgadas como no verdaderamente arrepentidos de sus pecados o que no abrazaban el mensaje de Jesús fueron rechazadas del bautismo que, entre otras cosas, limpiaba al recipiente del pecado. Más tarde, nuestra Iglesia vio en estas palabras de Jesús, la fundación del Sacramento de la Reconciliación.

PREGUNTAS PARA COMPARTIR FE

1. ¿Qué versículo te llamo mas la atención y por qué?

2. ¿Quién es el Espíritu Santo para ti? ¿Si tienes una relación con el Espíritu Santo, cómo comenzó y como se desarrollo?

3. ¿Qué don del Espíritu Santo más deseas o necesitas en este momento en tu vida?

4. ¿Cómo has presenciado la presencia del Espíritu Santo en tu vida?

RESPONDIENDO A LA PALABRA

Nombra una forma en que puedes actuar sobre las lecturas de hoy.
Sugerencias: Esta semana pasa algún tiempo reflexionando sobre cómo Dios te ha facultado a hacer alguna labor en nuestra Iglesia o en el mundo. Si no sientes actividad o presencia del Espíritu Santo en tu vida, considera la posibilidad de hablar con un sacerdote o un guía espiritual sobre este importante asunto.

CONCLUIR CON ORACIONES DE PETICIÓN Y DE INTERCESIÓN

Esta semana considera orar brevemente sobre cada miembro de tu grupo para obtener una nueva efusión del Espíritu Santo. Reúnanse alrededor de cada persona y pongan sus manos sobre ella. Puedes orar en silencio o vocalizar una oración. Preguntar a cada persona qué don o fruto (paz, alegría, amor, etc.) del Espíritu Santo les gustaría recibir o desenvolver.

Meditación
El espíritu llega suavemente y él mismo se hace conocido por su fragancia. No se siente como una carga, porque él es leve. Rayos de luz y conocimiento le alumbran al acercarse. El espíritu viene con una ternura de un verdadero amigo y protector para salvar, para sanar, para enseñar, para abogar, para fortalecer, para consolar. El espíritu viene a iluminar [la] mente… y a través de [nosotros], las mentes de los otros….
Como luz sorprende los ojos de [uno] que sale de la oscuridad a la luz del sol y le permite ver claramente las cosas que no podía discernir antes, así la luz [del espíritu] inunda [nuestras almas] y [nos] permite ver claramente las cosas… más allá del alcance de la visión humana, cosas que aun se van a llevar acabo.
Cirilo de Jerusalén
(Citado en lo esencial de la fe, p.79, Fr. Alfred McBride)

ORACIÓN DE APERTURA

Ven, Espíritu Santo,
Llenar los corazones de tus fieles
Y enciende en nosotros el fuego de tu amor.
Envía tu espíritu
Y seremos recreados
Y renovaras la faz de la tierra.

ORACIÓN PARA CERAR

Padre de luz,
De quien viene cada buen regalo,
Envía tu espíritu en nuestras vidas.
Con el poder de un poderoso viento….
Y por la llama de tu sabiduría,
Abre los horizontes de nuestras mentes.
Afloja nuestras lenguas para cantar tus alabanzas
En palabras más allá del poder del hablar,
Porque sin tu Espíritu
Nunca podríamos alzar nuestras voces
En palabras de paz
O anunciar la verdad
Que Jesús es el Señor! Amén.