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NEWSLETTER
Xavier Society for the Blind
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Vol. 2 No. 9
September 2011
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WHAT'S NEW AT XSB!!!!
Welcome back from your summer vacations! We're going to keep this edition of the newsletter short, mostly reminding you of things you already know. In October, when we are all back to "reality," we'll have some new items to share with you.
Our online yard sale is still going on, and we keep adding items to make it more and more interesting. Some items are gently used, like you'd find in a real garage sale - and some are of exquisite quality, that you'd find in high class shops and museums. Visit www.biddingforgood.com/xaviersociety and
see if you find something you like. It's never too early to start shopping for Christmas.
With that in mind, don't forget that you can always "adopt" an owl (we have two different kinds available) and our four CDs are available on line, especially our Christmas album Amo, Amas, Amat - Have Yourself A LATIN Little Christmas!
The Golf Outing is in a few days and by the time you receive this, the registrations should have been closed. But if you want to come, CALL US QUICKLY and we'll see if we can squeeze you in.
Mark your calendars! Our web address is: www.xaviersocietyfortheblind.org You can keep up with the latest news of the Xavier Society at our web site, as well as making donations, buying NFL Raffle tickets and registering for events like the December concert. One more time, the web address is:
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END OF SUMMER GOLF OUTING
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September 22 is the first day of Fall, and we are celebrating by playing golf at Split Rock, Pelham Bay, a challenging yet playable course. Cost for the day is $175, and includes a light breakfast at 7:30AM, an 8:30 AM tee off (scramble, best ball format) and a delicious lunch to follow, accompanied by prizes and raffle items.
Reservations may be made on the web site, or by calling (212) 473-7800. If you don't play but want to join us for lunch, the fee is $35.
Celebrate the end of summer, and support the XSB and have a terrific day out in beautiful surroundings.
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| LUNCH WITH FR. JAMES MARTIN, SJ | 
Fr. James Martin, SJ is perhaps one of the best-known Jesuits in the United States today. The author of a number of books, he is a regular contributor to America magazine, a regular commentator on church affairs for several networks, and the unofficial chaplain of the Colbert Report. Last May, the privilege of having lunch with Fr. Martin was one of items at our auction, and it was won by Jane Coleman.
Jane is a long-time supporter of the Xavier Society for the Blind, and a former professional actress and singer whose credits include being in the original Broadway company of CAMELOT with Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. She brought two friends, Seamus and Peggy Donlon, and a grand time was had swapping stories and sharing points of view. The location was the New York Athletic Club.
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CLOSING THOUGHTS Autumn is a strange season. It's when the leaves start to change, the days get shorter and we start to prepare for winter. At the same time, school starts, communities start new activities and many people see Fall as a time of new beginnings. Our 2012 calendar will be sent off to the printers in a week. If you are not on our print mailing list (ie, you do not receive mailings from us as well as the e-Newsletter), you have to let us know if you would like a calendar. Like everything we do, it's free, but we do need to have your mailing address so we can get it to you. For several years, I have been helping out at St. Malachy's Church - The Actors' Chapel. I love that church and the people there and the whole association with the theatre community. But for the next year, instead of going there for Sunday Mass, I will be visiting churches in the New York area, helping local pastors and hopefully letting more people know about the Xavier Society and what we do. If your parish would like a visiting priest for a weekend (I am NOT taking up a special collection!), have your pastor get in touch with me. Or if you have any suggestions of parishes where I might go, please drop me a note or an email. I did not grow up in New York and I am not familiar with the various parishes. If you have personal contacts, knowledge of a particular priest or a particular place, please don't hesitate to make a recommendation.
If you would like to volunteer, or would just like to learn more about what we do, please feel free to call us, send an e-mail or a letter, or drop in for a personal visit. If you know someone who could use our services, please recommend us to them. Visit our web site, and thank you for being a friend of the Xavier Society for the Blind. Sincerely,
 | | I am also Chaplain for American Legion Post 2001, the 9-11 Memorial Post. |
Fr. John R. Sheehan, SJ Xavier Society for the Blind Phone: (212) 473-7800 |
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| OUR WEB SITE | |
The web site for the Xavier Society for the Blind was made possible by a generous grant from the Knights of Malta, and we thank them for their support of our work.
The web site is designed to be accessible to screen reading programs, and those who have registered with the XSB have a special section where they can make address changes, order books from the library and download or sign up to receive periodicals. For more information on how to register, or how to get online, contact
clientservices@xaviersocietyfortheblind.org
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SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE
|  We're cleaning our storerooms! People have donated items to us, and we are thrilled with their generosity. So instead of waiting until next Spring, we are having an online auction to help balance our budget. And if you do not want to wait through the tension of an auction, many items have a Buy Now price, so you can simply buy the item you want to own for your very own.
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FACTS ABOUT THE XSB
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"I keep hearing about this Veterans Outreach Program. What exactly is it, and how is it different from your other work?"
In one sense, it is not different from what we at all. Since 1900, our mission has been to provide religious and spiritual material to people who would otherwise not be able to get it.
Our focus on the veterans was the result of the realization that we have a community of men and women who perhaps should get special treatment, and who we have been ignoring. In the last 20 years, we as a society have become more conscious of the responsibility we have to our veterans, and that is as true for the Xavier Society for the Blind as it is for you.
Someone who is blind, or who has serious visual impairments can't read an advertisement or see a billboard. We have to make a special effort to be sure that they know that we exist and that we are here to help them in any way that we can.
Now we have added some books to our library with an eye to specifically appealing to veterans. But the services we provide for them are pretty much the same that we provide for everyone. The difference is that we are making a major effort to reach out and let the veterans and veteran organizations know about us.
We have been working with the American Legion, the National Association of Blind Veterans (Fr. John serves on the National Board of Directors), the Catholic War Veterans, Wounded Warriors and a host of other organizations and governmental entities too numerous to list here.
The other difference, of course, is that when someone suddenly and unexpectedly becomes blind, they need spiritual resources more than ever. That is true for those not veterans as well, but the increase of eye injuries in the Armed Forces has grown dramatically.
To learn more about how you can get involved with the Xavier Society for the Blind, or to get more information about what we are doing and providing, please visit our web site at:
www.xaviersocietyfortheblind.org or for more specific information or questions (or to volunteer), send us an email at:
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VETERANS OUTREACH PROGRAM
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Since 2010, the Xavier Society for the Blind has embarked on a strategic initiative to serve a "forgotten" audience of both recently disabled as well as aging Veterans. "Don't Lose Sight of God!" is the theme behind our efforts. Reaching out to this admittedly niche audience is consistent with our mission to provide specialized encouragement and support, in this case to Veterans with vision impairments.
After the trauma, first you cry. Then you realize that there can be productive life after blindness or significant vision loss. It is now apparent to all of us that most visually impaired people today can do just about anything sighted people can do, albeit with a lot more effort and, perhaps, some assistance.
An eye-opening statistic: From now to the year 2020, the Veterans Administration estimates there will be over 1 million Veterans with significant visual impairment and legal blindness. Since 9/11, the number of Disabled Veterans in America has swelled from 2.1 to 3 million. 38% of Veterans of the Global War on Terror have filed disability claims. Currently, there are 157,000 Veterans in the United States who are legally blind. Veterans of previous wars are suffering from age-related macular degeneration, a chronic condition causing vision loss.
Eye injuries account for 13% of injuries to Veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the "improvised explosive device" is the enemy's weapon of choice. About 60-70% of severe and moderate traumatic brain injury cases also include some form of visual impairment. VA statistics indicate that there will be a sustained need for services and assistance even 40 years from now.
The Xavier Society is in the forefront of bringing this problem to national attention with its participation in the Department of Defense Wounded Warrior Task Force, and by liaison with the major national Veterans organizations, including the Catholic War Veterans, the National Association of Blind Veterans, Visually Impaired Veterans of America and the American Legion. This is our contribution to the war effort and to the on-going support of those injured on the front lines while defending our freedom.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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SEPTEMBER 16-18 - NFB NY State Convention, Albany, NY
END OF SUMMER GOLF OUTING
September 22 - Split Rock Golf Course,
Pelham Bay
OCTOBER 28- Mass of Thanksgiving and
Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
DECEMBER 3 - Feast of St. Francis Xavier
DECEMBER 10 - A Concert in Honor of St. Lucy
Scandinavia House - 4:00 PM
DECEMBER 13 - Mass for the Feast of St. Lucy,
Patron Saint of the Blind.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, 6:30 PM
For more information on these or any events, please contact our office or check our web site.
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NFL Super Bowl Raffle
We are again a designated charity for the NFL, and we will again be participating in the Super Bowl Raffle.
First prize is airfare for two people to the 2012 Super Bowl, two tickets to the Super Bowl, four nights in a hotel and two tickets to the Hall of Fame Alumni Dinner, with at least one Hall of Fame player at each table.
Second Prize is $1,000 in cash.
Third Prize is $500 in cash.
There are only 250 tickets available,
and they are $100 apiece.
Tickets may be purchased on our web site
(Go to the "Contributions" page)
or by calling our office
(212) 473-7800
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| Secure Server |
On our web site, we have a secure server connection. This means you can contribute money to the Xavier Society using your credit card in perfect safety. When you get to the web site, there is a button "Donate." If you click on that, you will be taken to the Secure Server area where you can make any contribution in complete safety. (If the server is not working, please call our office at 212 473-7800 and ask for Manuel.)
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Now On
Our Web Site |
The good news is that all four of Father John's CD's are now available on our web site. CDs are $15, or a set of all four for $50. Price includes shipping and handling. You may also order any combination of CDs at a discount of 2 for $25, but we are only able to handle those orders over the phone. Available are:
Father John Sings Sacred Songs
The Several Sides of Father John
 Father John LIVE in Concert 
Amo, Amas, Amat - Have Yourself A LATIN Little Christmas | |
Go to: www.xaviersocietyfortheblind.org (Go to the "Contributions" page) or call (212) 473-7800 to place your orders.
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