In response to VA Tech tragedy

I am posting this e-mail from Kathy Taormina, the National Youth/Young Adult Commission Chair in case there is ANYone out there who reads this who may need or know someone who might need the sites and links she lists.

May we all reach out, in love, to those whose lives have been forever changed by the events at VA Tech, and in some way that should include us all.

This is a forward from the National Association of Catholic Youth Ministry Leaders, which the SFO National Youth/Young Adult Commission Chair is a charter member, to represent Franciscan Youth in the USA. After yesterday's heart wrenching events in Virginia, may we keep them all in our prayers, especially those most vulnerable...our youths!

peace, Kathy
SFO FYYA Chair
the end of a sad day For those of us who serve and love young people, today’s tragedy at Virginia Tech is most discouraging. The loss of 33 lives and the injury of many more overshadow the horror of the Pennsylvania Amish in Nickel Mines or even Columbine. Here is a compilation of web-based resources for you to consider using in the upcoming days:> NFCYM: www.nfcym.org/resources/pastoralresponse/ViolencetoYouth.htm> Saint Mary’s Press http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smp.org%2FSchoolViolence.cfm> Youth Specialties http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youthspecialties.com%2Ffree%2Fweb_violence.php> Gospel . com http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gospelcom.net%2Fbuzz%2F%3Fp%3D391> Talking with Young People: * American Psychological Association - Talking to your children about the recent spate of school shootings http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apa.org%2Ftopics%2Fschoolshooting.html * Children and Parents: Talking with Kids about Violence http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthresources.caremark.com%2Farticle%2Fplainprimer%2F100234508 * Tragic Times, Healing Words http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sesameworkshop.org%2Fparents%2Fadvice%2Farticle.php%3FcontentId%3D49560 * Talking with Kids about News http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talkingwithkids.org%2Ftelevision%2Ftwk-news.html * Can School Shootings be prevented? http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1025024741&msgid=4853282&act=LULL&c=38429&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kidspeace.org%2Fpdf%2FSchoolShooting_Langman.pdf * Ten tips regarding talking to your Child about School shootings www.kidspeace.org/SchoolShootingPreventionTips.htm#ten

Tears

What a truly sad day as we pray for all those involved in the VA. Tech shootings. Prayers for all those affected by this- prayers for the shooter's family who will have to live with what has happened; prayers for the shooter who must have been in so much pain as to choose this as a way to express his pain; for the victims and their families as they now have to deal with their own pain as a result of someone else's. "I cried a tear for you today, though I do not know your name and I only wish there was some small way that I could ease your pain"

Holy Thursday

Dear Lord, I know you want to wash my feet.
I know my fear, my resistance.
I'm not clean. I'm embarrassed to admit to myself all the ways I am dishonest, self-indulgent, negligent, defensive, and failing in my relationship with you, with others - failing to love.
Wash me. Let me accept, embrace, how your self-giving sets me free from my sin and offers to heal me.
By your being brokenand given, poured out and shared, make me whole.
Let my heart be freed of its anxiety and fear, its anger and lust.

Fill me with joy and peace, that I might give you praise.
Send me to wash, to forgive, to free, to nourish, to embrace and give life.
By your grace, may the poor know that your mandate has touched my heart and the hearts of the community whose celebration of your love sustains me.

Lenten Reflection

This is a picture titled the Garden of Gethsemane and Mount of Olives where Jesus often took his disciples to pray, from a web - site dailyscripture.net- The following is a Lenten reflection from the same site. A little lengthy but worth meditating on. Peace and all good to you all. Susan SFO
"Taking the high road to repentance"a meditation on Isaiah 58 for Lent by Don SchwagerScripture: Isaiah 58:1-12
1 "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 3 `Why have we fasted, and thou seest it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and thou takest no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am.
"If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. Meditation: The Forty Days is a season of grace to prepare our hearts anew to celebrate the Feast of the Christian Passover (Easter). It is the annual time of retreat for the Christian people. Forty days is a tenth of a year, a tithe of our year to the Lord. The Forty Days is a time for remembering what Christ did for us in his death and resurrection. Like the Israelites on their journey to the promised land, we, too, are sojourners on our way to the promised land--the life of the age to come in heaven. In this time of retreat we set aside other pursuits that we may seek the Lord more earnestly, in repentance, humility, and a sincere desire to be more fully conformed to the will of Christ in every area of our lives.
The first reading of Lent on Ash Wednesday is taken from the prophet Isaiah. It is a call to take the high-roads to repentance. The first high-road to repentance is the humble acknowledgment of our sins before God. To acknowledge our sins helps us to stop committing them.
The second high-road is to forgive those who trespass against us, to forget the wrongs done to us, and to refrain from unrighteous anger.
The third high-road is to pray with fervent and diligent prayer, knowing that God will surely reward those who seek him diligently.
The fourth high-road to repentance is almsgiving. Freely God has given to us. He calls us to give freely to others, especially to those who lack basic necessities, for the measure we give will be the measure we get.
Are you ready to seek the Lord in this season, with humility, with fasting, with fervent prayer, and with almsgiving? Ask God to lead you in this time of retreat, to free you from distractions, and to strengthen you in reforming your life.
"Lord Jesus Christ, help me to set aside distractions and unnecessary pursuits that I may seek you diligently in this season of the Forty Days. Help me to examine my life in the light of your truth and grace, that I may conform my life more fully to your will. May all that I do be pleasing to you."

the Spirit's FYYA

The emerging FY/YA of St. Casimir's Franciscan Fraternity want to call themselves "The Spirit's FYYA" is currently working on designing a logo for themselves. This picture comes close to what they want. The hands lifted in praise will be the Ys in the FYYA, and of course, the Spirit. They want this all surrounded by a "ring of FYYA" represented by "children, youth and young adults' joining hands, being one.
If anyone reads this that can draw or sketch, go for it.

We will gather on Palm Sunday as a group, taking books gathered from friends and family to the children in Camden who have no books at home to read. We will share about the Passion of our Lord and what it means to them.

Peace and all good to all who enter this site. May you know we pray for you. May you know how deeply we are committed to LIGHTING the Spirit's FYYA.
Susan SFO

PERFECT JOY

Preach the Gospel. IF necessary - use words.

National FY/YA Chair - Kathy Taormina

National Youth/Young Adult Commission Chair – Kathy Taormina writes:
…
“The apostolic teaching of the Church…is the marriage of human action and the divine. It was like being re-awakened to why we, as Secular Franciscans, live, breathe and encounter one another within the ministry of our Commissions,” Did I believe in this marriage of human action and the divine? Could I see examples of human hands and hearts being guided by God in what we try to accomplish in the FYYA? Did I see this human and divine merging in the actions I take as an SFO? I recalled the poem that talks about us being the only hands/feets/eyes/ect. of God that most people will ever encounter, but did I truly believe it? Was I just another “do-gooder” because of the warm fuzzy feelings I got or because of the praise I received from those around me? Could I truly believe that an all powerful and loving God could choose me and the FYYA to bring Him into the world? All tough questions that I had to face and that the FYYA Commission had to evaluate. This is what I discovered…
I have always viewed the FYYA as encompassing ALL the commissions. The youth have their own, specific Formation, which is geared toward their age, and determined by our SFO Constitution and USA FYYA Statutes. They are not limited to engage in the efforts of any one of the four Apostolic Commissions’ actions, but can connect with society in various projects and events within all the Commissions.
The answer to the questions, in all cases, is a resounding YES! (except to the do-gooder question)! I can see God in our youth, in the adults who journey with the youth, and especially in the accomplishments of our youth around the USA! The divine is truly “married” to the human person in the lives of our young people, if we but look for it and when found, nurture it. The FYYA challenges each of you!
May we not only be witnesses to this “marriage”, but may 2007 be a year filled with our human actions saying “I DO!” to our God! “
Thanks Kathy for words well said.

Prayer for Peaceful Spirit

Send us your spirit Lord that we may love everyone and not fear anyone. Help us to be instruments of Your Peace; to respond with love and not violence; to accept suffering rather than inflict it; to live more simply....Guide us in the way of non-violence. Disarm our hearts and we will be our instruments to disarm other hearts. Lead us into Your reign of love and peace where there is no fear and no violence.

Is there anyone out there reading this? Send me a comment or two.

Peace and all good dear sisters and brothers. Susan SFO

MOST IMPORTANT PART OF FY/YA???

There are so many things that are important to remember about
Franciscan Youth and Young Adult; minstering to them where they are, listening to them and really hearing what they have to say and recognizing that what they have to say IS important, providing opportunities for service combined with prayer, and the list could go on and on and on and on.......the needs of all our youth and young adults are many and varied, but I truly believe,
with all my heart
that THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of Youth and Young Adult is
Y O U

The Spirit's FY/YA Stations of the Cross

• The Spirit's FY/YA join in Stations of the Cross for an RCIA class.
• ** The youth from our emerging Franciscan Youth Group - calling themselves the Spirit's FY/YA- shared their own reflections with the RCIA class of OLQP Catholic church in Hainesport, NJ on the Stations of the cross. Some exerpts from these reflections -
• Natalie, age 16, Station II, Jesus Accepts His Cross - Natalie drew a beautiful picture of a cross with many little crosses and renderings of people bearing their own cross, i.e. poverty, hunger, disease, violence, abuse, abandonment,.... Natalie has had to bear her own cross having had a devastating illness that required a kidney transplant one year ago.
• Devin - age 9, Station XI - Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross - Devin had trouble writing what he wanted to share but asked that as the reflection was read that a large nail be hit with a big hammer so people could "feel" the nail. He said that every time he lies to his mom, or disobeys his dad or argues with his sister, he "feels" that nail in Jesus hands and feet.
• Liliya - age 17, Station XII, Jesus Dies On The Cross - Liliya wrote a reflection of "looking into His eyes as He looks in mine and both seeing Love". Liliya is a young woman the oldest of triplets from Bulgaria adopted at age 10 who has known what it means to want to look in someone's eyes and see love. Her adoption into a loving family has allowed her to experience that love and give that love.
• The rest of the stations were shared by the RCIA team members and RCIA catechumens and candidates through pictures and song and personal reflection.

What a joy to have the youth help us in this most precious meditation.

Franciscan Youth - H20 Project - Can you do it?

THE PROBLEM: • Women and children walk 2 hours each way to fetch water (hauling dirty water back to their families.) They have no time or energy left for education or small business, and many of them die. • Preventable water related diseases kill one child every 15 seconds. That's 8,000 every day (and that's just the children). Imagine if that many precious ones were dying in the U.S.! THE SOLUTION: • Take the H2O Challenge!• For 2 weeks make water your only beverage. • Contribute the money you would have spent at the soda machine and coffee shop toward the drilling of clean water wells. • Is it a sacrifice to give up your milk, coffee, soda, etc. for 2 weeks? • Will you be changing someone else's life forever? Absolutely.• What does The H2O Project get out of it? Financially, absolutely nothing, but they get the joy of knowing they have helped you (and many like you) make a difference.THE PROCESS: • Go online for more information at www.theh2oproject.org and log onto http://homepage.mac.com/michaelnanfria/H2O/iMovieTheater86.html for a 5.5 minute impact video! Once you see it, you will be changed forever!• Pick one 14-day period during Lent.• Follow the instructions. For a letter to use in your fraternity or parish, click here (MS Word document)• Email (or mail-see address below) Kathy at kltsfo@frontiernet.net to let her know you have accepted the challenge; you must list your Fraternity and Region.• Start fasting…start saving…save the children!

Light the FY/YA

We have been challenged time and again to "turn up the flame" of the spirit in our hearts and in our lives. My personal challenge is that before we can turn up the flame we must first LIGHT THE FY/YA. And so, this blog spot is giving me the "kindling" to get the FY/YA started.

A challenge to all the fraternities in the St. Katharine Drexel Region of the Secular Franciscan Order -

DO SOMETHING for the youth.

and this is not an option as a secular - it is our obligation

• Join them in a project they are involved in, or support their efforts;
• sponsor a communion or confirmation class and send them a prayer card with the SFO logo on it;
• offer to share the spirit of Francis and Clare with a CCD class;
• look into the eyes of a young person sitting next to you in church so they can see God's love.

Even the smallest of actions toward the youth in a positive way, accepting them and loving them for who they are (not who we want them to be) will 'spark' the flame of love and the spirit of God.

Peace and all good. Susan Coyle SFO

Peace and all good. Praise God for our emerging little (in number) Franciscan Youth and Young Adult group. They are in the process of creating a name and logo for themselves, centering around the Spirit's FY/YA, with catch phrases like Wooo-Hooo and Wow-Tau. They will be leading Stations of the Cross for an RCIA class this Sunday, 3-18. In June they will take a trip to St. Francis Retreat Center for the healing mass held the second Sunday of the month by Fr. Dan. They will soon be contacting youth at the LBI fraternities to possibly join with them in one of their activities.
I am in the process of getting all the e-mail contacts for the region listed in my address book so that sending info will be faster.

Thought for the day- 'Give us the grace and courage to live a life of non-violence so that we may be faithful to Jessus. Help us to be instruments of peace"

Pax et bonum - Susan Coyle, SFO SKD Region FY/YA Chair

Be the ground you walk on
Be the earth you live on
Be the sky that you are under
Be the words that you speak
Be the sun that warms you
Be the person that you are
Be yourself
Megan - age 8

IF we could only just BE instead of just talking about being, striving to be, wanting to be, needing to be, hoping to be --- Just Be.

Peace and all good - Susan SFO

Someone sent me this picture a while ago. With the Quinquennial and Youth Congress coming up with the theme being multicultural I thought of this picture. If only we could all see with
God's eyes.

Susan, SFO

Begin Again

This is my first attempt at "blogging". I pray this will be a site where people can come and find out about the Franciscan Youth and Young Adult Commission of the St. Katharine Drexel Region of the Secular Franciscan Order. The Way of Life of St. Francis of Assisi and his spirituality - Living the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ - needs to be shared and the voice of God calling people to this way of life needs to be heard.

This is work in progress. I will be creating and updating as much as I can with my limited knowledge of the computer world. But I know how to type and I can at least communicate through words if nothing else.

Peace and all Good. Susan Coyle, SFO, Franciscan Youth and Young Adult Chairperson for the SKD Region of the Secular Franciscan Order, (NJ, PA and DE)