Week of December 6,
2010
Prayer Requests
Annual Appeal 2010-2011:
Celebrating Five Years
of Promoting Care for Family Caregivers
Dear Friends:
A lot has changed since 2005 when we began the Friends
of St. John the Caregiver. And a lot hasn’t.
What’s changed?
--We now have members in Australia, Canada, China,
England, Fiji, Ireland, Malaysia, Nigeria, the
Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa,
Scotland, and forty states in the United States. (Each
member has promised to pray for caregivers and those
receiving care. And, we can tell you, their prayers are
powerful and very much appreciated.*)
--We now have parishes and dioceses around
the world who are using our material in their ministry
to caregivers in their area.
--We now have thousands and thousands of
visitors each month to our three Web sites:
YourAgingParent.com, CatholicCaregivers.com, and
FSJC.org.
What’s remained the same?
--There are still caregivers who need this unique
ministry.
--The Friends of St. John the Caregiver is
still the only international Catholic organization whose
primary focus is promoting care for family caregivers.
(Caregiving is pro-life!)
--We’re still a completely volunteer
ministry that offers all its resources and material for
free.
-- And we’re still relying on our wonderful
donors who make all this possible.
That’s why we’re asking you to please donate once
again
to the Friends of St. John the Caregiver.
Something else has remained the same: the heartfelt
words of gratitude we receive from caregivers, from
those who help caregivers, and from parishes and
dioceses. Then, too, there’s the joy and appreciation
expressed by those who “discover” the Friends of St.
John the Caregiver and what it alone provides.
“Thank you so much for your prayers. It helps so
much when I am in the thick of things to know I AM
NOT ALONE in all of this. Just knowing there are
tons and tons of others out there doing exactly what
I am doing helps a great deal (although many times I
feel I am the only one when I am utterly
exhausted).” --C.W., Massachusetts
“I write
to you from South Africa having seen the wonderful
work your organization does in the United States. In
South Africa—which is still a third world country
with one of the highest number of HIV patients in
the world—there is sadly a lack of facilities for
caring for the aged. The hospital system is poorly
run and overcrowded, and there are very few
facilities for the aged, which means much of the
caregiving has to be done at home. I am a Catholic
and would like to start a ‘Friends of St John the
Caregiver’ association in our parish. I would have
the support of our priest. There would be volunteers
from the other local Catholic parishes as well.” --J.O’B.,
South Africa
“The
‘little blue prayer book’ is a big hit with all of
the caregivers who attend my caregiving seminars. I
would appreciate it very much if you will send forty
more copies. I have a big session coming up at a
local parish.” --R.C., Tennessee
“Thank
you for all you do. I was so happy when I found your
Web site. Whenever I need a lift, I can go back to
something I read in one of your brochures,
newsletters, etc.” -- M.G., Wisconsin
“I came across
your site in doing some research for a retreat that
we are planning for caregivers. We have included
copies of your pamphlet in their retreat folders. I
am personally committed to praying for the needs of
caregivers and those receiving care. I am most
grateful for your prayers for my own personal
requests and the collective needs of all the
pastoral home-care visitors. I would be delighted to
pass along pamphlets and prayer cards. I gather
together with parish team leaders (about twenty of
them) regularly and can begin letting them know
about your ministry.” -- C.M., Canada
“Many thanks for your
package of prayer books, etc. I have started to pray
accordingly. As I previously mentioned, it is my
pleasure to translate your little prayer book into
Chinese and it is totally at no cost as I have
promised.” --B.S.H.P., Singapore
You can see why we’re celebrating and why . . .
We’re asking you now to please donate once again
and help support this one-of-a-kind
Catholic ministry and resource.
On behalf of countless families around the globe — names
and faces and stories you’ll never know, see or hear on
this side of heaven — thank you! Please take a minute —
right now — to fill print and fill out the
donation form and to write that check. You can
go to
FSJC.org and click “Donate” and give that way, too.
(Your donation is tax deductible!)
Your donation
really does make a difference!
(* We invite you
to become a member! No meetings, no dues. You can
find more information at the end of this week's letter.)
- - -
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.
- - -
As it has for a number of years, Creighton University's
online ministry has
daily prayers for Advent.
- - -
Please
join us in welcoming the newest member of the Friends
of St. John the Caregiver: Lydia R. of California. Please keep
her and her intentions
in your prayers. She has promised to pray for you and yours.
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 Advent had us thinking about the
Church's telling people to "Rejoice!" ("Gaudete!")
in the middle of this penitential liturgical season. And
it had us thinking about "pink-candle moments" shared by
a caregiver and his or her care-receiver as Christmas
nears.
of
those. Like you, he accepted one vocation after the
other, or one on top of the other, or one alongside the
other. Yes, it was John who wrote "God is love" (1 John
4:8) but, it would seem, it took him a while to realize
that and to learn how to live that love.