OUR GLOBAL FAMILY Amid all the Olympics coverage I watched, I was most taken by the women’s basketball team. Their passion was mesmerizing and their tenacity in stepping up to all manner of challenges made me proud. In particular, I could not get over how repeatedly they were described as “unselfish.” Each individual player […]
Carolyn Woo: I have met hope … in person
OUR GLOBAL FAMILY In July I traveled to Serbia, Greece and Lebanon to review the refugee situation now that the borders to Northern Europe are closed. While the flow of people has diminished, it has not ceased. Migration is now largely dependent on traffickers who charge individuals 4,000 to 6,000 euros to facilitate illegal crossings. […]
Carolyn Woo: Companions for the journey
OUR GLOBAL FAMILY All of us learn from our friends and family. We get tips on restaurants, doctors, service providers or best places to get this and that. I just sent a request to a friend for her pickled cucumbers recipe, and I am looking at colorful origami cranes a Catholic Relief Services colleague taught […]
Carolyn Woo: A dangerous word
Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States has touched each of us in so many ways through words, gestures and that indelible twinkle in his eyes whenever he is with people. There is much to unpack in our own journey of faith. I want to begin with the moniker affectionately given to him: the […]
Carolyn Woo | Our Global Family: Examining our aspirations
While reading a United Nations Development Program report on violence in Latin America, I encountered the term “aspirational crimes,” used to explain the tragic acceleration in crimes on and by young people. The term refers to crimes motivated by money and the irresistible desire for consumption. Partly this is to support one’s family in situations […]
Carolyn Y. Woo: The pope’s call to ecological conversion
On June 18, I had the unbelievable privilege and unforgettable experience of speaking at the Vatican press conference for the launch of Pope Francis’ much-anticipated encyclical on the environment. Named “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” the encyclical draws from St. Francis’ “Canticle of the Creatures,” which “invites us to see nature as […]
Carolyn Y. Woo | Our global family: Take a vacation. God will cover for you
For many people around the world, summer means vacations. When I grew up in Hong Kong, we did not have the practice of family vacations. Early in my career, our family went to wherever I had a summer conference. It was not quite a vacation as I always spent part of the time away from […]
Carolyn Y. Woo: Presence, not presents
Christmas is fast approaching. My thoughts, like those of many, have turned to Christmas presents. What would be fun and useful for my team members at Catholic Relief Services? What would not be merely shelved but stay in sight and mind and bring a smile? When would I have time to shop? What about my […]
Carolyn Y. Woo: Working toward God’s abundance for all
In the Catholic Relief Services guest dining room in Baltimore we have decorated the left wall with pictures of grains, plants, trees, water. The inscription reads: “We shall see the bounty of the Lord.” On the opposing wall, we have the words from Psalm 27:13, “in the land of the living.” It is accompanied by […]