tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post5433174405136100920..comments2023-12-23T00:19:35.005-08:00Comments on ADAM'S ALE: OF BARS AND ADAM'S ALEFr. Vhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13201561855047420853noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-42553363572617086342007-05-03T06:31:00.000-07:002007-05-03T06:31:00.000-07:00One of the members of Men of Praise, a prayer grou...One of the members of Men of Praise, a prayer group that my husband belongs to, is involved with a prison recovery ministry in Cleveland. They recently received a grant to enlarge their facility from 5 rooms to 25 rooms (this could serve 75 men). They are looking for furniture and household items to get up and running. There are so many men like the one in Akron that have no support whatsoever when they get out of prison.<BR/><BR/>As an aside, you made me weep for my own lack of forgiveness and unconditional love. I pray that the Eucharist give us all the strength we need to love as Jesus did - unto death!Mrs. Curranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13538978582920004791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-5334739640311699672007-05-03T04:53:00.000-07:002007-05-03T04:53:00.000-07:00Yes, it is truly hard. But the benefits are in ou...Yes, it is truly hard. But the benefits are in our court who do it.<BR/><BR/>I say an extra prayer for you today MJFr. Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13201561855047420853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-88679488982562332662007-05-02T17:35:00.000-07:002007-05-02T17:35:00.000-07:00So are you going to write the letter? I am right n...So are you going to write the letter? I am right now really struggling to forgive someone. My "lenten mission" was to do this and I really prayed. I think I made progress but when I think about things that happened I still feel vengeful so I'm obviously not there yet. I know i have to forgive but it's really hard!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-23264265059986002202007-05-02T14:14:00.000-07:002007-05-02T14:14:00.000-07:00Isn't bishop Lennon the same who is formerly of th...Isn't bishop Lennon the same who is formerly of the Archdiocese of Boston? Didn't he go down to Kentucky first until Msgr. Gainer was installed there? <BR/><BR/>CarolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-2072407965187398052007-05-02T09:56:00.000-07:002007-05-02T09:56:00.000-07:00In college we studied prison/jail rehab programs a...In college we studied prison/jail rehab programs as part of my degree, and they do have a high rate of success. By getting the prisoners engaged in some form of rehab, which for them is teaching them a skill or a trade, or even emphasizing their interests and finding a legitimate place for them, not only do the prisoners earn money that goes into an account for their release date, but they actually contribute to society while working off their debt of time for their crimes. No, it doesn't work for everyone, but the reason it works for manay is exactly what you pointed out; it emphasizes their dignity.Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-39428894121713538742007-05-02T08:41:00.000-07:002007-05-02T08:41:00.000-07:00I took in a homeless friend of my daughter's. She...I took in a homeless friend of my daughter's. She was, a year after leaving the group home, losing her license, then her car, then her job, then her apartment, then unable to pay back city money, etc., sleeping under a railroad trestle after running out of friendly sofas, subsisting on sugar and condiment packets from restaurants, and God only knows what might've been next, because when I picked her up, she was high as could be, nodding, and then very very hungry and thin. We (daughters and I) rearranged the upstairs and gave her her own room for her 19th b-day. She fixed it up herself, stayed with us a year, then eventually went into Job Corps and got a trade - and began a family with a wonderful guy. Their son is the joy of their lives. <BR/><BR/>But she was the lucky one. While she was here, she was her little brother's only family contact. He was in jail, as was big brother. They'd all been farmed out early and given up and group-homed (split, sometimes) because Dad was an alcoholic and Mom was on drugs. Well, Dad got a grip but he took it out on the kids by remaining remote (not so now, praise God), and Mom took off down south somewhere with a bunch of drugs and a new b/f. It had been years since any of them had seen her, yet they all loved her. They all missed her. <BR/><BR/>Little brother wrote her a letter, from jail, on Mother's Day (a letter she never got). His sister cried as she read it, and so did I. "Dear Mom, I don't hold anything against you, but I wonder if my life would've been different if you had stuck around a little longer, and maybe if we hadn't all been split up. I hope you're alright. I'm not much of a praying kid, but I pray for you and Dad. And I hope if you ever find out I was in jail, you will forgive me for goofing up. I'll try harder, Mom.."<BR/><BR/>Well, you see where this letter was going: "I need for someone to care." I allowed her to receive every one of his allowed phone calls - which are made collect only - because they so needed one another. But it was too hard on her, you know? Later, he thanked me so much for not only accepting his calls, but for taking care of his sister whom he loved. "It's my brother's and my responsibility, and we blew it.. God bless you, I'm so thankful to you people." <BR/><BR/>I know that not everyone in prison or jail is him.. but we all need someone to care for us so much that we find peace and health. There are so many of daughters' male friends on the street at 18 -- we took in many over the years from our first set of kids, too. Because I know where acting-up or tipsy boys go almost right away: They go to jail, and they get a record. Sometimes, maybe often, that would NOT happen, if there were someone vitally interested in them.<BR/>Anyway, thank you for a crucially important post.<BR/><BR/>CarolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-50337734554628277812007-05-02T08:22:00.000-07:002007-05-02T08:22:00.000-07:00LOL!I need to learn how to read. I read "Caravagg...LOL!<BR/><BR/>I need to learn how to read. I read "Caravaggio!" And couldn't figure out why he was shouting it - though we really could use more of the likes of him.<BR/><BR/>That aside - I agree - good observation.Fr. Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13201561855047420853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5745814378416915364.post-77654862574114180192007-05-02T07:56:00.000-07:002007-05-02T07:56:00.000-07:00Isn't it our fears about rejection, obligation, hu...Isn't it our fears about rejection, obligation, humiliation, pain (physical and psychological) which limit our loving? Or perhaps we fear that we may need to give up some of our "stuff," or time or energy. To love completely is to risk everything. Heck, loving perfectly could even get you crucified!<BR/><BR/>I once read the papal preacher to JPII was found shouted "Coraggio!" through the ceiling to the pope who was in his apartment. Maybe we need more "coraggio" to love more perfectly.Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14319078647573190174noreply@blogger.com