THE IHM CHARISM CONNECTION

ENLARGE YOUR HEART!

St.Alphonsus Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, encourages each of us: “Enlarge your heart. We are dealing with a God who is full of love.”

So, what does this Italian priest from the 18th Century have to do with the IHM Sisters? Awhole lot! It was a young and zealous Redemptorist priest, Father Louis Gillet, who approached Mother Theresa Maxis in Baltimore to request help in catechizing and teaching the immigrant population in the Detroit, Michigan area. From this humble request, the IHM Sisters were created! Those first Sisters captured the spirituality of the Redemptorist that now is our legacy!At the very heart of the spirituality of St.Alphonsus is love: God's love for us and our love for God in response. SaintAlphonsus was overwhelmed by God's love for him and for all of us, and forAlphonsus, this was especially manifest in Jesus. Jesus is the unshake- able sign and proof that God loves us.

The spirit of the IHM congregation is, in the tradition of St.Alphonsus Liguori, the spirit of Jesus Christ the Redeemer. The essence of Redemptorist spirituality is rooted in the self-emptying of Jesus Christ and it is this spirit which impels the sisters to offer themselves in joyful self-giving to God by their transformation into Christ and their incorporation into his redeeming mission through the Church.

The IHM Sisters strive to be "joyful bearers of God's redeeming love" to all people! We read in Scripture: "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things"(1Corinthinans 13:7). Yes! The Beatles sang it right: "All you need is love!"

To learn more about the IHM Sisters, go to: https://ihmimmaculata.org/

A NEW MINISTRY YEAR: THERE WAS A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD

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Sister Marie Gipprich IHM

As you prepare for and begin a new school year, there is something I’d like to share with you. The role of a Catholic School educator and catechist is quite unique. In a Catholic school setting, not only do you teach academic subjects but there is the added dimension (of greatest importance, I think) of sharing your religious faith with your students. Our catechists meet our children infrequently but are entrusted with sharing the Catholic faith with them as well and introducing them to the person of Jesus Christ. As you know, this can’t be done simply by repeating the words found in a religion textbook. Nor can it be done by grading students on knowledge alone. So, what exactly is the role of our teachers and catechists?

Recently, I was reading about and praying with St. John the Baptist. In my mind’s eye, I see him as a bit of a character. Who eats locusts and wild honey and dresses in camel’s hair?? It seems he did! But I needed to look beyond that description of his appearance in the scriptures to the description of who he was and what he did “There was a man sent from God,” the scripture says. There is a person sent from God and that person is you! John was a witness. Through him, others learned about Jesus. John’s witness, a human witness, is necessary. Your witness is necessary

If I had to sum up John’s “call”, I would describe his role as being the “opening act” for Jesus. Picture the opening acts at one of the concerts you’ve attended. They’re good, but they are not the real thing, the main event. They get the audience “reeved up” for the main attraction. I hope I am not being irreverent to suggest that you and I are the “opening acts” for Jesus. You prepare the way in the hearts of your students to meet Jesus, to hear him speak to them, to get to know him. In other words, you, like John, point to Jesus! Your kind words, your inclusive treatment of all your students, your respect for them as children of God, and your love for each and every one of them are pointing to Jesus, who calls us to follow him in words and deeds. This is how your students will come to know Jesus: through YOU!

John’s job, his “opening act,” was to prepare his audience, to get them ready to appreciate the One who would come after him, the one who is greater than he. We read further, “John was NOT the light.” He had the privilege of introducing the people to the One who would be their Savior, the Light of the world. John knew that it wasn’t about him. It was about Jesus, the Center, the Main Event, in your classrooms. John had a job to do. You do too.

Your children who are in front of you need this message of John: Jesus brings us closer to the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that begins right here on earth, right in your classrooms, right in their homes, right on the playground. And who will bring that message? YOU! You are the John the Baptists of your classrooms!

May this “new” year be a time of blessing, of encounters with Jesus through the message you convey that point to the One who loves us all unconditionally.

One last comment, if I may. Don’t be surprised if the children in your classrooms point Jesus out to you as well!

Two Feet of Love in Action

by Sister Joyce C. Bell, IHM Coordinator of Social Justice

There is a question that appears in each of the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). Jesus is asked : “What is the greatest of all the commandments?” In each one of these gospels, Jesus responds with the same answer: “First, You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Second, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two Commandments the entire law and the prophets are based.” Matthew 22:36-40

Another way of saying this is, our love for God is expressed in our love for our neighbor. Based on Scripture, our Catholic tradition teaches us that love of neighbor is two pronged. It expresses itself in charity and in social action. This is often referred to as the “Two Feet of Love in Action.” The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have produced the following video to help us more clearly see that our love for our neighbor must wed charitable action to social action if we are going to be effective disciples of Jesus.

Two Feet of Love in Action (USCCB) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1RhLX4bow8 https://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-humandevelopment/upload/Two-Feet-handout-grayscale.pdf

We often refer to these “two feet” as “charity” and “justice.” Here is a simple definition of each. Charity addresses an immediate need. You may have noticed the corporal works of mercy which were featured in the video. “Justice” identifies the root causes of the problem that created the need and seeks to find solutions to these problems by supporting changes to institutions or to political structures.

Below you will find a link to a resource from the USCCB that further illustrates the nature of charity and the nature of justice.

You may find more helpful resources by visiting Two Feet of Love in Action on the USCCB website and looking in the resources and initiatives section. https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/whatwe-believe/catholic-social-teaching/two-feet-of-love-in-action