'New creation' is not just adapting to change
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Heidi at Las Americas Immigrant Refugee Center (August 2019)
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Heidi Cerneka rings alarm about
detained migrants’ COVID-19 risk
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“People who have never committed a crime in their lives, who came to the United States to ask for protection and asylum, are now being detained in tinder boxes just waiting for a match,” Heidi said. Prisons and detention centers—like shelters and hospitals and other places where people are in close living quarters—are “known to be places where infections spread at lightning speed once they enter,” she explained.
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Ted's Talk
In this unsettling time, it seems we are pulled between two great tugs of human longing. One tug reaches for hope and transformation, intuiting a beauty and wholeness of our truest selves that we have yet to embrace. The other resists change, afraid that more loss will be too difficult to bear if we loosen our grip on the familiar.
Paul spoke of our life in Christ as transformation to “a new creation: everything old had passed; see, everything has become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). God is always offering transformation:
new creation
rather than merely letting go for the sake of change,
awakening
as opposed to simple adaptation.
Trusting in God’s promise of transformation requires patience and community. We are inspired by the first responders—especially our health care workers across the world, including some of our lay missioners—whose patient service to and accompaniment of our communities during the long COVID-19 recovery is an example of incarnational spirituality. Their compassionate presence has lessened our collective grief and given us hope.
In recent weeks our Maryknoll community has shared stories of God’s faithfulness. We have acknowledged the increased needs and challenges within our regions and discovered strength through new ways of gathering and reflecting.
It might be difficult to believe that any good can arise from the pandemic. And yet, any transformation requires our participation. May we, as an Easter people, allow God to open our hearts that we can step out in faith and love with the risen Jesus, always involved in the encounter, healing and release of our full humanity.
Yours in mission,
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Ted Miles
Executive Director
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During these troubling times, please join us in prayer in our
"Virtual Chapel"
on our website.
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A generous, anonymous donor has made a $12,000 challenge gift to support Maryknoll Lay Missioners’ COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
Any donation you make or pledge now will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $12,000.
Your gift will help provide basic necessities such as food, hygiene supplies, protective accessories, health care, education and pastoral care to the communities our lay missioners accompany. In addition, your support helps Maryknoll Lay Missioners thrive as we meet unexpected emergency expenses in this time of uncertainty.
Please help us reach our goal. And spread the word!
This Tuesday, May 5 is
#GivingTuesdayNow
, a new global day of giving and unity that is rallying people in support of nonprofits responding to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.
Please consider a generous donation to build hope for the most vulnerable in Africa, Asia and the Americas.
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Meet a Missioner Monday
Facebook Live and YouTube Live
Mondays at 10 am EDT
Mark your calendars every Monday at 10 am EDT for Meet a Missioner Monday! We are hosting livestream interviews with our missioners around the world on both
Facebook
and
YouTube
so you can learn more about their work and how their communities are doing in this trying time.
Be sure to bring along your questions about the countries where they serve, their work, or their lives.
- May 11, 2020 – Joanne Blaney (São Paulo, Brazil) on "Restorative Justice"
- May 18, 2020 – Evey (age 10) and Melissa Altman (Zaragoza, El Salvador) on "Growing up in Mission."
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We are also continuing to host
Facebook Watch Parties
for:
- Solidarity on Tap
- Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers, Sunday Mass at 10 am (EDT)
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Our next Discernment Webinar
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Interested in learning more about what it takes to be a Maryknoll lay missioner?
Join us
May 26 at 5 pm EDT
for a webinar presentation about how to become a Maryknoll lay missioner.
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Mission during COVID-19
Maryknoll lay missioners have been responding in many different impactful and creative ways to the COVID-19 crisis in their communities.
In our continuously updated section on
"Mission during COVID-19,"
you can read about missioners' initiatives and experiences in all of our regions: Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, El Salvador, Haiti, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and the U.S.-Mexico border.
You will also find timely reflections on the crisis from global missioners' perspectives.
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