News from Maryknoll Northwest
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Greetings!
Recently, a visiting priest to the Mission House described the challenges of working within a culture in which people are "polite, but not kind." Although he himself was neither American nor speaking about Americans, his words struck a chord with me. Many of us have ideas about what constitutes a polite society, and can take great offense when people violate these customs. I am no exception. I have clear notions about what amounts to "rude" behavior in public, as a guest, as either a patron or employee of a restaurant - the list goes on.
But often, the emphasis on politeness can diminish, or even contradict, the imperative on genuine kindness. For instance, many of us subscribe to the "polite" practice of not challenging those closest to us on religion and politics. A stark example of this can be seen in a recent survey of US Catholics conducted by the National Catholic Reporter. Two figures, in particular, stand out. The first: that 67% of US Catholics view helping the poor as central to their Catholic identity. The only belief characterized in this way by a larger percentage was the Resurrection of Christ. Oddly, though, a second figure indicates that 60% also believe that you can be a good Catholic without donating time or money in service to the poor.
At first, this seems like an impossible contradiction. But, in a society in which we so value individualism, it may simply be "polite" not to challenge others or even form opinions on how faith ought to be lived out. Conversely, we have the words and model of Jesus, who himself was kind-hearted, but often not polite at all. We began this month with his statement of who we ought to be, and how we ought to live our faith. Blessed, he said, are the poor in spirit, the meek, those who thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the peacemakers, the persecuted. How much of his ministry was dedicated to challenging those that did not embody those ideals? Surely, his love for even the Pharisees drove him to share the message of God's love with them.
The call to mission is both God's challenge and God's example to us. While we recognize that none of us is perfect, the hope is that we can answer this call as best we can, with dialogue, prayer, and reflection guiding us towards God's Kingdom. The question becomes, are we showing genuine kindness when we do not truly share the Good News of God's love in the most challenging situations?
We on the Maryknoll team hope, as always, that the opportunities and resources mentioned in this newsletter will help guide you in that process with each other, and help guide us in that process with you.
Peace,
Kevin Foy and the Maryknoll Team
kfoy@maryknoll.org
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2012 Guatemala Immersion for Teachers
Better connect your parish and school community with God's mission of global solidarity, peace, and justice by participating in the Maryknoll Teacher Immersion Program.
This June, Maryknoll will lead 8-10 Catholic School Teachers on an eight day immersion experience to Guatemala.
View the links below for more information:
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2012 Youth on Mission Contest
The 2012 Youth on Mission Contest for young people in the Archdiocese of Seattle is now open!
This year's theme: Christ Has No Body Now But Yours!
This contest aims both to highlight the ways in which our youth witness Christ's love, and also to form them in answering God's mission call to love, peace, justice, and solidarity. You can find more information on the contest by clicking here. This link will also lead you to lesson and activity ideas for engaging youth with this theme. Even if you cannot participate in the contest, feel free to utilize these resources!
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Parish Mission/Retreat Opportunity
Father Thomas Marti, a Maryknoll priest, currently serves as Director of the Maryknoll Mission House in Seattle. He is available to offer parish missions on the theme of Mission - the Mission of Jesus, the Mission of the Church, and Mission of all the baptized.
For more information, click the links below:
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Resource Library
The Maryknoll Mission House Resource Library is a free source of books and videos on topics relating to mission, including peace, justice, solidarity, nonviolence, theology, prayer, and interreligious dialogue. To view and/or check out a resource, please visit us.
Our normal business hours are 9-4:30, M-F. Please call or email to set up a time to come visit.
Featured Resources
The Field Afar DVD Series
- This 15-part series explores the richness, vibrancy and spirit alive in the world today as experienced by Maryknoll missioners: priests, brothers, sisters, and lay people. Through the work they do and the friendships they make with the peoples of the world, viewers can see the hand of God at work in lands both near and far.
Children of the Earth DVD Series
- This acclaimed video series, now on DVD, profiles children, their families and their cultures from around the world.
My Americas/Caminante DVD Series (Available in English and Spanish)
- Journey to eight Latin American countries in the company of Roberto Alcaraz and Leticia Vasquez--two young people of Latin descent who go on a pilgrimage to rediscover deeply held cultural, historical, and spiritual traditions.
What is the Mission of the Church by Roger Schroeder, SVD
- A basic guide to the "who, what, where, and why" of mission and its meaning for the local and universal church.
This Our Exile by James Martin, SJ
- A new edition of the first book by the best-selling author of My Life with the Saints and The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything.
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The Mission House and the Missions Office of the Archdiocese of Seattle plan to begin our monthly mission forums anew in January, 2012. Mission Forum is our chance to engage with speakers and films uniquely selected to offer insight on topics related to mission, global solidarity, peace, and justice.
To sign up for mission forum announcements, click here.
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Message from Fr. Bob McCahill
Bob McCahill is a Maryknoll priest who lives in Bangladesh. Every year, Fr. Bob sends out a Christmas letter. Fr. Bob's full letter is typically printed in the National Catholic Reporter near Christmas. Below is an excerpt.
 "Skinny, awkward, six years old Bareek was brought to see me by his skinny, worried mother. A doctor had diagnosed the boy's cerebral palsy. I pledged to arrange a two weeks long course of physio-therapy so that mother could learn to help her son. On that very day, Haroon and I were hauling earth baskets to lay as a foundation for my new house. Bareek decided to help us. In his family's cooking shed he found a high-sided rice plate. Working alongside the men Bareek filled his plate repeatedly, carried it fifteen meters in his odd, jerky gate, and emptied it wherever Haroon and I emptied our basketfulls. Bareek labored non-stop as long as we did. Neighbors who observed his voluntary efforts thought, pound for pound, Bareek was the most admirable of all the earth haulers."
-Fr. Bob McCahill
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Tales from Local Missioners
Bill Engels is a Maryknoll Affiliate who lives and works in Bangladesh.
"I met Brother Tim [Raible] at the Seattle Maryknoll House in 2008 through my participation in the JustFaith program at St. Joseph's Parish. He put me in contact with Sr. Miriam Perlewitz, MM, and Sr. Joan Westhues, MM, who had a teaching opportunity at their primary and secondary school in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They assisted me in securing a position as principal at another school in Dhaka. We arranged an exchange of services whereby they would assist me in my work as principle and I would teach at their school...
I found the lack of infrastructure and frequent power outages each day a far cry from what I was used to after two years in Seattle and three years in Seoul, Korea. The traffic congestion due to the lack of enforced laws and town planning and the regular interrupted access to electricity at the computer meant there was a lot more waiting and need for patience...
One memorable incident was the morning of Eid-Ul Azha, the Muslim holiday in which families slaughter a bull. Thinking everyone would be indoors celebrating, my wife and I decided to go for a leisurely stroll on the uncongested streets. We didn't know that many families slaughter the bull outside the apartment building. Our holiday stroll turned out to be a torturous march of several blocks through blood and gore...
Srs. Miriam Perlewitz and Joan Westhues, Vice-Principal and Principal of BACHA English Medium School, where I teach, have inspired me by their simple lives and heroic, selfless service to Christ in the guise of the Bangladeshi people. Fr. Bob McCahill, who lives with and serves the poor in rural Bangladesh, has also been an inspiration..."
-Bill Engels
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Mission Message from Archbishop Vlazny
Bishop John Vlazny, Archbishop of Portland, recently wrote on mission in the Catholic Sentinel:
"Believe it or not, back when we were baptized, we all became missionaries. As Catholics we have been called by Jesus not only to profess and celebrate our faith but also to share our faith with those around us. Each and every one of us has a responsibility for the church's mission to the world. St. Therese of Lisieux, whose feast we celebrated on Oct. 1 is one of the co-patronesses, together with the great missionary St. Francis Xavier, for the missionary endeavors of our Catholic family. She never left the Carmelite convent where she died at age 24. Yet she realized that even though she could not go to distant places to proclaim the good news, she had a responsibility to pray for and support the missionary endeavors of all her brothers and sisters who did."
View the entire article here. |
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Click HERE to enter (Deadline: November 30th).
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Maryknoll Centennial Mass, St. patrick's Cathedral, New York
Some 1,800 people attended the Maryknoll Centennial Mass on October 30th at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick celebrated.
Read the Catholic Review article on the event here. |
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Visit Us!
Remember, you are welcome to come by and visit the Mission House, take a tour, peruse and check books out from our library, or simply stop by and chat. To make sure that someone would be available to visit with you and show you around, please call or email first.
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Maryknoll Mission House
958 16th Avenue E
Seattle, WA 98112
P: (206) 322-8831
F: (206) 324-6909
E: seattle@maryknoll.org
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Reflection
Open My Eyes
"Open my eyes, so that I may behold wondrous things."
-Psalm 119:18
"Help me, Jesus, to open my heart to the needs of those
around me.
Let me see using your eyes.
Let me hear using your ears.
Let me love using your heart."
Celso S. Bate
Friend of Maryknoll
Where do you see God in the world? Where do you struggle to see with God's eyes, hear with God's ears, and love with God's heart?
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MARYKNOLL Magazine and REVISTA now online
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Get additional copies of the magazines for each of your students along with a poster and study guide. FREE. Check out our Classroom Program.
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Mission Education & Promotion
Western Region
Seattle/Northwest
958 16th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112
Regional Center
16642 Ashland Ave.
San Lorenzo, California 94580
General Hours
Mon-Fri 9 am to 4 pm
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