The Church enters into the last week of Christmastide as January 9th culminates with the Baptism of the Lord.

The Good News

A friend of ours, author Michael Brown, founder of Spirit Daily, (www.spiritdaily.com) recently spent time in Rwanda, Africa, on research. A truly remarkable trip that would trek through some of the most impoverished yet, spiritually blessed regions of central Africa.

One of the villages he visited was a mission outpost in Nyakinama. Six Catholic priests are in Rwanda serving 2,000 local children with a school and they also have a formation center and seminary for the regions people. (www.marian.org)

It was one of the priests, Father Mark that took Michael on a journey to Volcanoes National Park to observe the "gorillas in the mist."

They traversed harsh road conditions and then had to hike for hours over volcanic terrain to reach the mountains peaks where these endangered gorillas live. Michael and Father Mark spent over an hour within fifteen feet of a gorilla family, consisting of females, infants and a silver-back male.

I enjoy wildlife - God's Creation (and in so many places, on the verge of extinction). "There are less than 1,000 wild gorillas in the world. What a delight it was to see God's Creation from such an elevation as well as to pray there - literally, some days, above the clouds," Michael has written.

These mountain gorillas exist today through the efforts of conservationist and concerned people like you, who wish to see that God's creation is preserved. There are approximately only 700 of these gorillas left in the wild and your donation to either the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund or the African Wildlife Foundation will certainly support tremendous efforts to preserve this area and these creatures from destruction.

Father Ron's Column

"You are my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!"

~by Father Ron Camarda

Father Ron moves us into spiritual "joy" with his words of encouragement as he celebrates the "love" that calls each of us "son" and "daughter."

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Susi's Commentary

Something Old, Something New

~by Susi Pittman

The Tridentine Mass (Traditional Latin Mass) is a great treasure of my spirituality! Old Catholics may remember the Last Gospel from this Mass and the beautiful affirmation that it makes. It is perhaps a perfect way to begin a new year, a new day or any new beginning. See why!

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Inspiration Blooms

Let Your Light Shine

~by Sister Marie Rene, S.S.J.

Visit the Gospel of Matthew with Sister Marie Rene and let your light shine!

Nature Calls

~by Frank Gromling

I must tell you that Frank wrote the book on the right whale, entitled FRANK'S WHALES. This book is used extensively by marine biologists for its immeasurable data and insight into one of the Atlantic's most gentle creatures. We welcome Frank to our web site as he opens his column with a look at his favorite topic!

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Artfully Speaking

North Atlantic Right Whales

~by Rick Cannizzaro

Rick knows personally of the right whale, living on Florida's coast and seeing their activity in the waters offshore during the winter months. He starts the new year with a look at this beautiful, endangered species.

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In the Key of "G"

I Wonder As I Wander

~by Mary Galvano-Bajohr

Mary is caught up in the great "yes" of the Christmas season, as she reflects on the Solemnity of Mary and how the Mother of Jesus sets the perfect example for all of us.

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Invite Susi to Speak

Susi Pittman, author and founder of CatholicStewardsofCreation.com is available to speak to your school, club or organization. *

She loves sharing her passion and love for the creatures of this world with her audience! Susi is about saying "yes" to God when it would be easier to say no! She is about teaching others how to see the created world through the eyes of a dedicated steward, as God's "stand-in." She is about believing that you can do anything you want to do and enjoy getting there, heartbreak and all! If it is the challenge of change, Susi helps people rise to the occasion with all the vigor and enthusiasm that serving God as caretakers demands in this wonderful life.

For booking information, please call (904) 735-5979 or email susi@catholicstewardsofcreation.com

Currently scheduled to speak at Incarnation Church, Sarasota Florida, January 25, 2011, 7:00PM

Steward Alerts

Sign the petition to ask Pepsi to stop their blasphemous commercial ad.

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Vatican issues final of the Roman Missal Third Edition, for the Diocese of the United States

Steward Activities 

7 Tips for Bird Feeding on a Budget

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Sunday gospel Activities for your children from CatholicMom.com

Wellness & Nutrition

13 Keys of a Healthy Diet

Not all of us are going to be dieting through the first three months of this year. Many are just wanting to be more careful and in charge of what they eat. The University of California at Berkeley offers a web site called THE FOUNDATIONS OF WELLNESS on which they give extremely good information for healthy new year in eating.

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Organic Farming & Gardening

Have you been looking for a high quality, information pack, FREE organic gardening and farming magazine? Then please look no further. Catch Susi's articles on each issue.

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Stargazing

What's Up for January 2011?

What's up for January? Check in with Jane Houston Jones of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena California.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR as we remember the other creatures who share our world and make us laugh!

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I remember the days when Susi ran me through obedience school. It was a time in which I was made to make a supreme effort to learn stuff I would never use in the real world.

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