“Be not afraid … everything is possible with God.” St. Luke 1:26…47
Mary’s response to the angel set a perfect example for Advent and all seasons. Her selfless “yes,” immediately followed by her visit to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth, was her way of giving thanks to God.
Today, parish volunteers across the diocese follow our Blessed Mother’s example, saying “yes” to God’s invitation and reaching out to the vulnerable where Emmanuel, God with us, is revealed.
In that spirit, we continue, from the last issue, our Talk Story holiday thanks-giving list.
We give thanks to God that, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, the diocesan Star Light Star Bright project brought 59 children and 34 caregivers from neighboring islands to be with their moms at the Women’s Community Correctional Center. The previous week, parishioners and formerly incarcerated women collected gifts for almost 160 children whose mothers are in WCCC. Then on Saturday, Dec. 13, Bishop Larry Silva joined parishioners from all over Oahu celebrating the hope of Christmas with the mothers and families at WCCC.
We give thanks to God for the Growing Healthy project involving Molokai’s St. Damien Parish, students at Kaunakakai Elementary School and the Hawaii Alliance for Community-based Economic Development. Thanks to their efforts, the youth were given the opportunity to learn more about growing and eating healthy food. The students learned about food costs and preparing dinner, and issues like air pollution and the watershed. This effort is part of a practical process of disaster preparedness and community resilience being explored in several Hawaii parishes.
We give thanks to God for the challenges that give us the grace to persevere. The courage to overcome our struggles strengthens us to help ourselves and others. We give thanks for parishioners at Holy Trinity Parish’s Cancer Support Ministry, who made it possible to step up our outreach to other parishes. This supportive life-giving ministry now has expanded to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pearl City, Maria Lanakila Parish in Lahaina and Annunciation Parish in Waimea. A heartfelt mahalo to parishioners at St. Damien on Molokai and Christ the King on Maui who, along with Holy Trinity in Kuliouou, continue to lead with love and care.
We give thanks to our God for the parishioners at Resurrection of the Lord, Waipio, and Holy Trinity who help with the Ohana Mass for special families the third and last Sundays of the month.
These gifts of parish social ministries show how blessed we are to believe in a God revealed in the vulnerability of a child in a manger, and why we are called as missionary disciples of joy to imitate the message of the angels and Mary’s example this Christmas season, “Be not afraid … everything is possible with God.”
Mahalo,
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
