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'Dear Friends' November 2011

 

Week of November 7, 2011
Prayer Requests
  

Saying Good-bye to the Family Home

Dear Friends:

       Last week was a busy and productive one for us. We mailed and e-mailed the fall edition of Among Friends, FSJC's quarterly newsletter. And we posted a new flier, bulletin briefs and prayers of intercession on CatholicCaregivers.com. This subject of this month's flier is "Saying Good-bye to the Family Home." This is how it begins:

In the unfolding seasons that are a part of caregiving and care-receiving, many families find themselves saying good-bye to the family home.
     It’s a special time in the life of a family. It’s a time to remember what has been and what is passing away. There will be no more Thanksgiving meals in that dining room, with the parents and grandparents sitting elbow to elbow at the table with its extra leaves, and the kids giggling at their own, fun table. There will be no more placing the Christmas tree (a big one when Mom gets to pick it, a small one when it’s Dad’s turn) in that corner....

        You can find this new Topic here and the flier here.

- - -

       Again this week we cordially invite you to join the Friends of St. John the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include YourAgingParent.com and CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about becoming a member here.
       No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
       You can:

        sign up on-line here
       
        or call us toll-free at 1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
      
        or print and mail an application form.

       God bless you!

                                                          Monica and Bill

To contact us
To join FSJC
To make a donation
To view or make prayer requests
Materials order form
Past "Dear Friends" letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of November 14, 2011
Prayer Requests
  

Dealing with Change

Dear Friends:

       Parishes and dioceses in the United States have been preparing in-the-pew English-speaking Catholics for the past six months to get them ready for some changes in the Mass. (For example, the response to "The Lord be with you" will be "And with your spirit.") Even so, come the first Sunday of Advent--when the changes go into effect--more than a few are going to be surprised. And a little rattled.
       That's a typical reaction to change and, as you well know, caregiving can include change after change after change. Just when you get used to this, along come that. A new prescription . . . A new procedure or treatment . . . A new insurance form . . . A new doctor . . . A new test result . . . A new dietary restriction . . . And on and on.
       Then, too, there can be the changes in your care-receiver's health and abilities. What he could do six months ago, he can't do now. What she so enjoyed doing last Christmas isn't going to be possible this Christmas.
       And you change, too. Living the vocation, running the "marathon," of caregiving takes a toll, even when you so want to do what you're doing for someone you love so dearly.
       All this is one more reason, one very good reason, to be patient with yourself. To acknowledge that sometimes you are surprised, that you are rattled, by what's happening.  Whether it was expected or out of the blue.
       As we head into the holidays, it's a good time to look again at the advice of St. Francis de Sales:

 

- - -

       This week we're so pleased to welcome Betty McD. of Missouri as the newest member of the Friends of St. John the Caregiver. Please keep her and her intentions in your prayers. She has promised to pray for you and yours.
       And w
e cordially invite you to join the Friends of St. John the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include YourAgingParent.com and CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about becoming a member here.
       No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
       You can:

        sign up on-line here
       
        or call us toll-free at 1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
      
        or print and mail an application form.

       God bless you!

                                                          Monica and Bill

To contact us
To join FSJC
To make a donation
To view or make prayer requests
Materials order form
Past "Dear Friends" letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of November 21, 2011
Prayer Requests
  

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Dear Friends:

       On a day dedicated to giving thanks to God and our loved ones, we — on behalf of your care-receiver — want to thank you for many ways (the cornucopia of ways?) you live that love.

- - -

       As it has for a number of years, Creighton University's online ministry has daily prayers for Advent, which begins Sunday, Nov. 27.

- - -

Free Christmas Gifts! Friends of St. John the Caregiver holy cards, prayer cards and prayer books:
          --make great stocking stuffers,
          --are ideal for including in Christmas cards,
          --and are the perfect accompaniment for those tins of Christmas cookies you’re giving to family, friends and neighbors.
       Free means free! The items are free and the shipping is free, too. This is the
order form that has the list of material available and just click here for ways to contact us.

- - -

       Again this week we cordially invite you to join the Friends of St. John the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include YourAgingParent.com and CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about becoming a member here.
       No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
       You can:

        sign up on-line here
       
        or call us toll-free at 1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
      
        or print and mail an application form.

       God bless you!

                                                          Monica and Bill

To contact us
To join FSJC
To make a donation
To view or make prayer requests
Materials order form
Past "Dear Friends" letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of November 28, 2011
Prayer Requests
  

'God with Us'

Dear Friends:

       The first week of Advent means "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is one of the top hymns at Sunday Mass. No doubt you're familiar with that one. The first verse reads:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

       There are some powerful words there that can accurately reflect a caregiver's situation.
       At times, a caregiver can feel "captive" to the many demands and responsibilities of assisting a loved one, especially as needs increase and his or her "own time" decreases.
       He or she can feel "exiled" – cut off – from family, friends, fellow parishioner and others.
       No wonder, at times, caregiving is "lonely" even though a caregiver is seldom alone. The one receiving care may be slipping away physically, mentally or both.
       And there’s "mourning." The grieving begins long before a loved one dies.
       How can a caregiver be "ransomed"?
       What can make a difference?
       "Emmanuel."
       As you probably know, that word itself comes from the Hebrew for "God with us."
       There's reason to "rejoice" –- to be comforted; to let a troubled mind, heart and soul be at peace –- because the God who asked you to take care of this person who's so dear to you (and to him) is with you always.
       Always.
       Always.

- - -

       As we mentioned last week, there are daily Advent reflections provided by Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. To visit the general information page click here, and to go straight the First Week of Advent, click here.
       You can also find the Mass readings for each day at the site for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. That link is here.

- - -

Free Christmas Gifts! Friends of St. John the Caregiver holy cards, prayer cards and prayer books:
          --make great stocking stuffers,
          --are ideal for including in Christmas cards,
          --and are the perfect accompaniment for those tins of Christmas cookies you’re giving to family, friends and neighbors.
       Free means free! The items are free and the shipping is free, too. This is the
order form that has the list of material available and just click here for ways to contact us.

- - -

       This week we're so pleased to welcome Julia H. of Michigan and Michael D. of California as the newest members of the Friends of St. John the Caregiver. Please keep them and their intentions in your prayers. They have promised to pray for you and yours.
       And w
e cordially invite you to join the Friends of St. John the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include YourAgingParent.com and CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about becoming a member here.
       No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both (including quite a few former caregivers).
       You can:

        sign up on-line here
       
        or call us toll-free at 1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
      
        or print and mail an application form.

       God bless you!

                                                          Monica and Bill

To contact us
To join FSJC
To make a donation
To view or make prayer requests
Materials order form
Past "Dear Friends" letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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