The Best Christmas Card of All

The most beautiful Christmas Card I received this year (so far) is from the Sisters of Life. They had a wonderful idea and created a card with the faces of adorable children, dressed as the Three Kings.  These are children whose mothers decided against abortion. Moses, dressed as King Balthasar was born in 2006 at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent. Isaiah, dressed as King Caspar was also born in '06. T'veigh Emmanuel dressed as King Melchior was born in 2007. This was the message inside the card, "The little magi on this card are three of the more than 10,000 children whose mothers have had the courage to give them life with the support of our missions. Through the gifts and treasures you bring to these missions, you participate in welcoming the Christ Child into the world. For this we call YOU the Magi." 

I have displayed the card in a prominent place in my home. It makes me happy just looking at the faces of these children. To think that my small donation, when added to all the others, can do so much good. 

I found this on their website-"The Sisters of Life is a contemplative/active religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O'Connor for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life. Like all religious communities, we take the three traditional vows but also we are consecrated under a special, fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life."

Cardinal O'Connor must be smiling down on these wonderful women who have done so much good for the cause of life. And their numbers are growing. Whenever I receive their newsletter, I'm always pleased to see the faces and read the biographies of young women who are responding to a  worthy cause and vocation. They all look very happy. At times, when I'm in Manhattan, I see the Sisters walking through the city confidently going about their work. 

NJA

O Antiphon for Dec. 17th

O Sapientia-O Wisdom

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from one end to the other mightily,

and sweetly ordering all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence.

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My prayer is for the Church-O Wisdom, Most Holy, Give Wisdom through the Spirit to your Church, to all leaders within the Church, so that the Body of Christ might flourish and succeed in doing Your will. Amen.  

NJA

A Letter From A NY Cardinal

I never forget when someone is kind to me or goes out of their way to show encouragement. As New York awaits the appointment of its tenth archbishop, I've been thinking about a letter I received from Cardinal O'Connor in May of 1998. It meant a lot to me. I never expected a response to the letter I mailed him, but I did receive one, much to my amazement. My letter to the Cardinal had included a copy of an article I had written for Brooklyn's diocesan newspaper, The Tablet. What was so interesting and what compelled me to send a copy to Cardinal O'Connor was the surprising fact that he wrote a similar article, on the same topic, on the same weekend my article appeared. The articles were very similar, one appeared in Brooklyn and the other article appeared in Catholic New York. This is how the letter he wrote me started, "I just returned from Rome to find your letter and your column that appeared in the Tablet. It truly must be the work of the Holy Spirit that had us taking on the same subject at the same time!" The rest of the letter spoke about the topic we wrote about (the importance of keeping holy the Sabbath, in particular Sunday morning). The letter was well thought out and hand-signed. 

It is now framed and I read it whenever I need encouragement. When Cardinal O'Connor died on May 3rd, 2000, my friend Anne Byrne and I went to Manhattan and waited on line to attend the wake in St. Patrick's Cathedral. I wouldn't have missed it. I stood before the Cardinal, prayed and paid my respects. He had been kind to me, though I never met him personally, he said and I believed it, that the Spirit was working through us at the same time.

NJA