The Great Command: "Love one another"

To my mind, we have three great blessings from God, among many others, and they are - forgetfulness, the inability to see the future with certitude, and the gift of gratitude. Without forgetfulness, I shudder to think I would have my faults constantly in my line of vision; without the ability to see the future with certitude I can plan ahead with some optimism and not dwell on problems which, if known,would possibly paralyze me from acting; without gratitude, how could I even appreciate that the world does not center around me and that ultimately it is others who have made me what I am today. In a word, we are a people for others. It would a lonely life indeed if I thought I was the only actor on stage

and the audience really did not matter. Sort of like the rooster who thinks the Sun rises because it calls

out the morning.  

David Brooks, the political commentator for the New York Times, in his new book The Social Animal, quotes the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge on his thought that a new born babe seeks and learns love from its mother, "Ere yet a conscious self exists, the love begins and the first love is love of another. The babe acknowledges a self in the mother's form years before it can recognize a self in is

own."   

Easter, the celebration of the risen Christ, is not far off.  Love is the theme. God' love for humankind and Jesus love for the Father. The inherited legacy for the world is in Jesus' great command "to love one another." To my great pleasure, as we celebrate Easter and also the 40 Anniversary of the founding of the Franciscan Family Apostolate, this mighty work has been a witness to this great legacy of Love. The stage, the actors and the audience are all of one skin. We have inspired each other not only here but in far off India. Yes, there were errors which now live in the land of forgetfulness; and at times I faltered starting something new for fear of failure; but

gratitude wins the day.  As you read further down you will see gratitude alive and well in the life of Paluru Ravanamma. Lastly, I thank God for gracing us with sponsors like yourselves.  A lived religion is the only viable one. Thank you for your love, your witness.   

May the blessings of Easter lighten your burdens and enrich you all the more.

Warmest regards in Saint Francis,

Alan J. Ouimet, S.F.O.

Alan J. Ouimet S.F.O.

Little Drops of Water Make an Ocean 

You may be surprised to see the drastic changes taking place in the life of Paluru Ravanamma, who resides in Veeraghattam, Andhra Pradesh. Her life was one of misery. She was one of the most deserving families to receive support over the past two years when, in December 2008, the Franciscan Family Apostolate gave her venture capital and assigned her a sponsor to achieve self-reliance. This young widow, with great and ambitious determination to reach her goal, changed her life entirely. Paluru was a victim of tribal prejudice which blames the premature death of a husband on the wife. She suffered intensely on this account with no way to support her young family. In a tribal culture remarriage is almost impossible as a young widow is considered accursed. To bring her into another family is to bring death. God blessed her through her Franciscan sponsor bringing her assistance at a crucial time in her life convincing her she was loved and providing her with an organized system of help through the Canossian Sisters. She had an Herculean job ahead of her but learned, after joining the Canossian Sisters women's empowerment group that she had many hidden talents. With other widows like herself she started to earn her livelihood from the sweat of her brow.  Initially she had to endure a lot of calumny but was able, by the grace of God and a belief in herself, to overcome that. With the regular family assistance mingled with her earned savings she was able purchase a small plot of land enabling her to participate in a government housing program providing her with proper shelter. Having a small house and the ability to earn a livelihood gave Paluru new strength in her life. Her own brother who loved her much gave full support in assisting in the construction program being a mason with his manual labor. 

Paluru's children Vinayak Kumar and Anitha are living in a boarding house run bythe religious to get better education.  The measure of her growth can be seen over the past two years with her election as the leader of ten women in her empowerment group. It is a wonderful thing to see a woman who closeted herself blaming her situation on fate gradually come out and willingly toil in various sectors as coolie worker, fruits seller, vegetables seller, sale of fire wood, sale of Tiffin etc. so to reach her goal.

The Franciscan Family Apostolate can be forever happy and proud giving life to this family and bringing her into the main stream of society within the span of such little time. Today she has no loans or debts and is self-reliant. That she succeeded to own a plot of land with a small and beautiful house and to have become a woman leader has given her the courage to stand up for what is right and becoming a voice for the voiceless.

This year we are celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the Franciscan Family Apostolate. May the Franciscan Family Apostolate be an ever moving spring bringing many of the poor and voiceless into the mainstream of society, with joy and vigour.

Yours in Jesus and Mary, 

Sr. Carmel