I feel my heart called “to the more…” yet, I have had the privilege of
ministering with the most wonderful young men and women who BELIEVE with all
their heart…that life is full of many blessings.
I feel my heart called “to the more…” yet, I know that the persons with
disabilities who share their hearts with me each day give more to me than they
would ever know. They teach me about
“the more!” They love
unconditionally…even when they don’t get along (which is unusual)! One day a young man had a fight with another
guy…they have a bit of a history together.
The taller one punched the smaller one…not good…we had to go to the
hospital…a black eye was beginning to shine…a nurse came in to see me and said
“you know we have students and adults come here from St. John of God for a
variety of things like seizures etc, but NEVER for fighting.” Which is the truth! When I sat with the young man who punched the
other man, we of course went through the many different coping strategies that
he could have used…He said “You know, Sister, I love Johnny…I love the ground
he walks on…but I don’t like him.” How
profound! He was repentant and had a
sense of “the more” that he was called to be.
There was another gentleman with Down Syndrome, who at the young age of
53, passed away after a year of dealing with dementia issues. Joe was as sweet as they come…so loving, so
holy. He taught me the unconditional
love of God. He knew without a doubt
that he was loved by God and he shared that love with all of us until the day
he died…and continues to share it in the hearts of those of us who remember him
lovingly. Joe always reminded me of my
mom’s favorite prayer from St. Francis de Sales: “Do not look forward to what
might happen tomorrow, the same everlasting God who cares for you today, will
take care of you tomorrow and every day.
Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing
strength to bear it. Be at peace then,
and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations”.
Joe is an angel. May you be blessed with a Joe in your life who calls you “to the more.”
Kathy McShane SSJ
 |
| Joe at Walk/Ride-a-thon |
Kathy McShane SSJ currently serves as the Pastoral Care Coordinator for
St. John of God Community Services in Westville, NJ.
hi greetings in the precious name of jesus
ReplyDeletemy prayers of our father is w you
my name is joanne
when i was about seventeen i was faced w a difficult situation one of being labeled
emr in the school of st.joseph center it was not because of the principles,teachers
psychologist fault it was the fault of uncoroperative parents one of which was made known to me since early age i knew what i was labeled and could not fight it
so i turned my hard cold towards everyone in the catholic faith perticularly towards the principle at the time kathleen mcshane later on to getting even w my parents for the many disfunctions and abuse suffered as a child and forceing the only one that cared out of my life a brother since learning to forgive me through
reconcilieing w the savior of my sins jesus christ
an act of repentence true conversion
ive turned away from alcohol ,drugs,wrongful affections to many disfunctional acts of mentall illnesses done by pain,my own words that forced the psychologist
to put me on medicine til i dealt w what i and family had done
i am forgiven for all i have done and forgve all my family has done
loveing them for what they are to me and not what i can get or what they couldnt give me love,moral values,support through out the years although they still cant ive learned to love them through the eyes of god and out of the love he has opened my eyes to see and feel through the many ones who have loved me
workers,ssj,preist,christians who have bestowed christ into my life way before i
even knew of him
or knew who it was who sent them as i look back i can thank alot of catholics for there lives shown to me i have reflects to follow ...in this i want to personally thank
knights of columbus,shriners for great christmas parties through your work at st.joseph center pottsville all the way up to nuns sister kathleen mcshane,sister susan cunningham,sister francis quinn,sister eleanor sheilds,mrs.cynthia wixsted,mrs theresa keefer,
sister kathleen for pointing me to the catholic church when i was15 years old being invited to go to church w her and parents that refused to give me a godly home although they professed to be catholic ive been delivered from the workings
of witchcraft opened to me through not only by rebellion but witchcraft in itself
they went through emotions of showing they were catholic but was not one of example
in this it pushes me to make it evident in my life by works ,actions ,words
humility,humbleness one of faithfulness to three in carnation and the catholic
church i have returned to st.patrick pottsville that pushed through nuns to have me confirmed and to start me in the first cummonion .......
recently been told that although my husband kept himself santified through the holy catholic church not getting into premartial relationships,to various sinful area
of life he could of been in but was taught better through a catholic grandmother
and the holy catholc church annunciation bvm shenandoah pa
his trust of a nondenominational church that married us married us wrong and it is not recongnized by the catholic church one decision a preist should of known
that it would not be a marriage recongnized by god
when 1 catholic marries a nondenominational believer or any other church it is not recongnized by god unless the catholic church gives there blessing on it
therefore although we are recongnized by state we are not recongnized by god
therefore what my husband tried to not do preserving himself up to the age of 40 now is damaged considering we are liveing in sin by the sightof god continuelly
saying reconciliation prayers and the our father to cover ourselves
let this church difference be one of a lesson to the readers?
ones who are seeking his blessings on everything?
facebook im known as joanne ryan baker
email is joanneryan1125@yahoo.com