Caring for creation as a family

BY JESSICA DONOHUE  Special Contributor

As March came in like a lion and is, hopefully, going out like a lamb, we are finally coming out of the bleak midwinter and looking toward the spring!

Coinciding with the new life gifted us by Christ which we celebrate in Easter, the spring brings to new life a special beauty of nature as God’s Creation awakens in vibrancy and joy. The natural world is surely a wonder, and not only for the beauty we can perceive in its sights and sounds and scents, but for the balm it provides the soul.

We know we are a special part of God’s creation when we sense how our souls harmonize with nature, and the benefits of experiencing the natural world are even well-documented by the sciences.

Maybe one of the best aspects of the natural world is its vastness. We can all, undoubtedly, not only connect with some part of nature, but we can care for God’s creation too. In fact, we are called to do so. We are privileged to be stewards of the world God gifted us, and caring for it is not only a special responsibility, but an experience which enriches our lives and our faith.

Here are some practical ways your family can care for God’s creation as we head into spring:

Mary Garden • Creating a Mary Garden is a beautiful way to bring together our Catholic faith traditions and caring for God’s natural world. Mary Gardens typically include flowers and plants that have some connection with the Blessed Mother, and often feature a statue of Mary. You can find a lot of helpful resources online to help you get started. Catholic Icing offers a great introduction at www.catholicicing.com/how-to-starta-mary-garden-at-home/

Caring for animals • There are many ways you can help care for animals in your community. Supporting your local shelter in their work to help the homeless pets is one. Check out the website of your local shelter for a wish list you might contribute to or look into fostering a cat or a dog, kitten or puppy. Many shelters also have ways you can help from home.

Give each child an opportunity to care for creation • Even the smallest child can help care for the gift of nature. Purchase a small indoor plant for a child as an opportunity to learn to nurture life. Also, as those of us without a green thumb know, there are several varieties of hardy plants that are very forgiving, so you can get some good advice at a nursery or by doing research online.

Ideas from the Laudato Sí Movement • Laudato Sí is an encyclical letter promulgated by Pope Francis in which he addresses how we are called to care for creation.

Faith at Home is a monthly column coordinated by the Diocese of Trenton’s Departments of Catechesis, Evangelization and Family Life, and Youth and Young Adult Ministry. For additional Faith at Home resources, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home.

The Laudato Sí Movement works to fulfill these ideals, and offers 52 ways to care for creation at their website –https:// laudatosimovement.org/news/52-waysto-care-for-creation-en-news/ Appreciating nature as a family • One of the most effective ways to instill a love and appreciation for God’s creation, and a desire to care for it, is to simply be in its majestic presence. Take a hike together, find a place with great bike trails, go to the beach – the possibilities are endless, especially in New Jersey where our drive to a lake, a mountain or the ocean is relatively short! When you return, start a conversation with your family about the difference between how you feel in nature versus in front of a screen. Note for parents – try not to use this conversation as a way to put digital technology in a bad light. Instead, use this opportunity as a way to help your children grow into the habit of maintaining a healthy balance between connecting with the natural world and making good use of technology.

EN FA I T H HOM E AT

As St. John Chrysostom wrote, “From the creation learn to admire the Lord! Indeed the magnitude and beauty of creation display a God who is the artificer of the universe. He has made the mode of creation to be our best teacher.”

Jessica Donahue serves as director of religious education in St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton.

Accompaniment; Culture of

Human Formation

Self-Knowledge

Self-acceptance

PARTICIPATION IN PARISH LIFE

CLERGY ENGAGED COUPLE MENTOR COUPLE

7

I N A R Y T I EM

Hensler, including Our Lady of Good Counsel and St. Mary of the Lakes in Medford.

According to Father Grogan, couples who might be considered to serve in the role of mentor will have been married for at least five years, live out their Catholic faith, and are open to sharing their experience and guiding the new couple.

Accompaniment On The Journey

Father Grogan, married for 25 years and ordained a priest eight years after the death of his wife, brings a special insight to marriage.

“When we consider every important pursuit in our lives, we encounter times of discernment or searching, periods of transformation. We also often seek a mentor or coach to help us advance. That works for careers and for physical fitness. It also has a model in our sacramental life,” Father Grogan observed, noting sponsors for both Baptism and Confirmation, and now mentors for Marriage.

“That is where the idea of accompaniment seems to be a vital part of the journey of Marriage,” Father Grogan explained. “My personal experience has shown that both the newly married and the mentor couple benefit from the relationship and ongoing conversation. It seems that, like spiritual direction, all four of the participants grow from the in-depth conversations which accompany the mentoring role.”

Aspects of the new Vatican document are being looked at in a national conversation now being led by staff from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. One focus of the discussion, Hensler explained, is the call of married couples to the mission of evangelization, sometimes through their parish’s Marriage preparation ministry and by mentoring young, engaged couples, leading others to experience “the beauty and abundance of grace” available to them through the Sacrament of Marriage.

To learn more about the diocesan marriage catechumenate process visit dioceseoftrenton.org/better-together, or contact Peg Hensler, associate director, Marriage Ministries and Natural Family Planning, at phensler@dioceseoftrenton.org.

For more from Father Grogan, go to TrentonMonitor.com and click on FAITH & CULTURE>FAMILY LIFE.

Endowment Monies Available

Empowering men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their communities.

Applications are now being accepted for grants from the Bishop George W. Ahr Endowment Fund. These grants are available to any church, office, apostolate or ministry within the Diocese of Trenton attempting to provide services for vulnerable individuals and those in need. Approximately $10,000 is available for distribution. Download the application form at dioceseoftrenton.org/bishop-ahr-endowmentfund, or contact Grace Magee, Chancery & Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Trenton: gmagee@ dioceseoftrenton.org or by mail: Diocese of Trenton, Attn: Grace Magee, P.O. Box 5147, Trenton, NJ 08638 • All applications must be postmarked no later than June 2, 2023.

Empowering men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their communities.

Empowering men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their communities.

Empowering men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their communities.

Empowering men to live their faith at home, in their parish, at work and in their communities.

As we begin the renewal season of spring, membership in the Knights of Columbus can offer men an opportunity for growth and a renewal of spirit in service to others by fulfilling our order’s central vision to engage in charitable works, to serve the Church, to support brother Knights, to act for the good of our country, and to give aid to those in need.

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For FREE membership when joining online use code: BlessedMcGivney

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

For FREE membership when joining online use code: BlessedMcGivney

For more information visit: kofc.org/join

Visitation Parish celebrates 75 years of faith, fellowship in Brick Township

BY DAVID KARAS  Correspondent

As Visitation Parish marks its 75th anniversary this year, Father Edward Blanchett, pastor, has been joined by parishioners in celebrating the impact that the parish has had on its own members, as well as on the surrounding community.

“Each of us is given time on this earth by our Creator and we choose how that time is best spent. Visitation’s history has been an example of people spending that time well: not only in their personal advancement in the faith but also in how they reflect that faith in loving service to others,” Father Blanchett said.

He also spoke about the sense of community among faithful there, saying, “It reminds us that none of us is ever really alone. We are part of a greater whole that both walks with us and receives strength from each other.”

“Visitation, its good shepherds and its parishioners, are a concerned, caring and faith-filled community not prone to abandon their love of God and of one another for ‘greener pastures,’” said parishioner Florence Ochs. “Visitation welcomes all who are seeking a committed relationship … to build up a community of faithful followers of Jesus, his laws and his Church.”

Like many others, Ochs shared how much Visitation Parish has affected her life, and how it has inspired her to live her faith through service to others.

A celebration to start off Visitation Parish’s 75th anniversary celebration was held in late January. A Mass was held in Visitation Church with a Communion breakfast following. Courtesy photo

“It has given me a greater sense of what it means to ‘give back’ not always in a monetary way, but in giving of my time and energy so that I may impact someone’s life for the better,” she said. “When the community becomes aware of a need by a parishioner, whether spiritual, life-altering or just a caring person to talk to we are ready to respond to that call.”

Father Blanchett recalls seeing faithful from the Brick Township parish helping those in need following the devastation left behind by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. While he was serving in another parish community at the time, he recalls witnessing the impact of the Visitation Relief Center that was sustained by parishioners to support neighbors affected by the historic storm.

“From its small beginnings, the Visitation Relief Center – now known as Seeds of Service – together with our very active St. Vincent de Paul Conference and other parish ministries, continue to show how our faith as Catholics goes far beyond the time we come together in church,” said Father Blanchett. “It expresses itself best when carrying out the commandment of Jesus: Love one another as I have loved you. And it is a blessing that continues to build – showing our faith to others in caring service helps reinforce and invigorate our faith through the many miracles we see working through that service.”

Like Ochs, Joan Olden, part of the team organizing events, also spoke about the reach of the parish’s efforts to serve others.

“Our Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a very strong presence in the parish and the community, enabling our Vincentians

CELEBRATING VISITATION PARISH’S DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY

This year, faithful in Visitation Parish, Brick, are marking their faith community’s 75th anniversary.

The year of celebration began with a Mass, which included the Knights of Columbus leading the opening procession. A Communion Breakfast followed, and the parish hall was filled to capacity. The opening Mass and breakfast also provided the opportunity to recognize parish volunteers, and included a tribute to the year of the National Eucharistic Revival.

The celebration also included a video presentation showcasing photos from the parish’s history, which dates back to its inception in 1948. The film paid tribute to those involved in the construction and leadership of the parish over the years, and included photos from events like a Summer Tent Mass in 1958, parish picnics and other events.

“It was a wonderful reflection of parish growth and development,” said parishioner Joan Olden.

To learn more about Visitation Parish and about events being planned to celebrate its anniversary, visit visitationrcchurch.org not only to grow in holiness but to live the word of Jesus,” she said. “The Visitation parishioners are incredibly generous with their donations both financially and materially.”

Those outreach efforts include operating a thrift shop and food pantry, as well as a host of service projects being run by the society’s juniors group.

As a personal blessing, Olden said, “Visitation has given me wonderful opportunities to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, [serving as a] lector and altar server, bringing Communion to the homebound and the hospital, being part of the cohort teams and the National Eucharistic Revival team,” she said.

Father Blanchett described his eight years as pastor of Visitation Parish as “extremely fruitful for me in my ministry as a priest,” and is grateful to the parish family for inviting him into their community and allowing him to be part of both good and bad times.

When asked about what he would tell others about Visitation Parish, Father Blanchett’s answer was simple and inviting: “I guess I can only invite others to come and see!”