C O N T R I B U TO R S
M r s . L i s a H i l l - S u t t o n , O. P. w w w. l i s a j u l i a p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m Our Lady of Angels P h o t o g r a p h e r / Wr i t e r / P u bl i s h e r M e l i s s a C h av e s Our Lady of Angels Wr i t e r / C o p y E d i t o r Malissa Coy Our Lady of Angels Copy Editor Jo s e p h S u t t o n Our Lady of Angels Copy Editor
Sophie Wheeler Our Lady of Angels Layout Designer Fr. Ke v i n O ’ Ke e f e Pa s t o r - S t . J u d e Spiritual Direction Fr. T h o m a s C av a n a u g h Pa r r o c h i a l V i c a r S t . Jo h n t h e A p o s t l e Spiritual Direction N a t a l i e S u t t o n a n d K a t e r i Fo o s Our Lady of Angels Te e n C o r n e r C o n t r i b u t o rs
Pe g g y L i u z z o St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Wr i t e r C y n t h i a Vi v i a n St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Copy Editor
C O N TAC T U S
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P R I N C E W I L L I A M C O U N T Y C AT H O L I C I S A L A B O R O F LOV E W I T H T H E I N T E N T I O N O F D R AW I N G C LO S E R TO G E T H E R O U R LO C A L P R I N C E W I L L I A M C AT H O L I C C O M M U N I T Y. W E B E L I E V E T H AT B R I N G I N G AT T E N T I O N TO O U R N E I G H B O R S I N T H E P E W S , W H O M W E M AY N OT Y E T K N OW O N A P E R S O N A L L E V E L , WILL GIVE OUR READERS AN O P P O RT U N I T Y TO S E E T H E G O O D WO R K S T H AT LO C A L C AT H O L I C S A R E D O I N G I N T H E N A M E O F C H R I S T. W E S E E K TO D E E P E N O U R P R AY E R L I F E , A N D G ROW I N T H E LOV E A N D K N OW L E D G E O F O U R C AT H O L I C FA I T H S O I N T U R N W E C A N B E T T E R S H A R E T H AT LOV E , K N OW L E D G E A N D S U P P O RT W I T H O U R C O M M U N I T Y AT L A R G E .
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TA B L E O F CONTENTS 6
The Catholic Commuter
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S a c r i s t a n S p o t l i g h t : Ke r i S h a n k s
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Te e n C o r n e r
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To L ov e U n c o n d i t i o n a l l y
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Fe a s t o f S t . K a t e r i Te k a k w i t h a : Apple Cobbler
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C o l o r i n g Pa g e : S t . Ve r o n i c a
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Pa r i s h D i r e c t o r y a n d B u l l e t i n s
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the
CATH OLIC COMM UTER by David Collins
Prince William County Catholic
In the first chapter of the second epistle of Saint Peter, Peter writes, [5] “And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; [6] And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; [7] And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity.”
It was a fairly empty and unfulfilling venture. Having thoughts, but being scared to share them. Having “friends,” but never revealing the depths of each other’s thoughts due to a crippling fear of judgement or loss of a relationship. Living a lifestyle in direct contradiction to my conscience, and worse, not living the ideals which I studied, but separating the theoretical and the practical, as Recently, this passage stood out to me if they could not coexist. The cyclical when reading the New Testament (for nature of feeling ashamed while simulthe first time). Unfortunately, through- taneously being ridden with pride was out most of my life, especially in high something that I knew was not good for school and college, I had elevated me,. But like many others, I was waiting knowledge and love of brotherhood for another day down the road to change. to the highest order, meaning—out of order. I attempted to do this by ta- After college, I began working at Saint bling my faith, exploring my studies, John Paul the Great Catholic High and being friends with every person School in Dumfries, Virginia. The two who crossed my path—regardless of cities, the City of Man and the City of the clash of morals and values. This is God, as Saint Augustine discusses in problematic, of course, because it is a his work, The City of God, were clashself-centered approach to life. I was ing into one another. The secular and solely focused on my social status, the divine. I knew immediately which my intellectual and outward reputa- city was the right one to pursue, but I tion, and receiving validation from my also knew that it was not going to be peers. This narcissistic way of existing an easy transition. Unfortunately for absorbed every decision and motive be- Maddie, my wife, she accepted me at hind every action (and inaction), and, where I was and helped me understand counterintuitively, further distanced my true calling to live for someone else. me from friends, family, and God.
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Following these transformations, it’s clear to see the voidness that knowledge and community can bring if it is not rooted in faith and virtue. I began to read books not for the sake of how to win arguments, but to be a better man, to be who I was created to be. Some of the books that fundamentally changed my life and perspective are: the Bible, The Imitation of Christ, Introduction to the Devout Life, The Discernment of Spirits, A Manual of Practical Devotion to Saint Joseph, and the Secret of the Rosary, among others. Still, after some time I ran into another quandary. What good was all of this newly obtained truth that has been so radically positive and transformative in my formation if it is not put into practice? Or, if it is not communicated with others?
After applying much of what I had learned to the actions and habits of my daily life, I decided that it was finally time to break out of my shell and to know, love, and serve the Lord. The first step in this venture was the creation of The Catholic Commuter. This social media page is designed to utilize the time spent riding the train home to learn, grow, and effectively evangelize—all with the intent of strengthening Christ’s kingdom. The Catholic Commuter will share powerful passages from transformative works and communicate them with others. If you or your loved one would be interested in following the account, you can find The Catholic Commuter on Facebook and Instagram at @thecatholiccommuter. I hope to see you there!
*Photos on right courtesy of David Collins
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SACRISTAN SPOTLIGHT:
KERI SHANKS
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Through an invitation to join the Mother-Daughter Ministry of the Daughters of Veronica in Eucharistic Stewardship (D.O.V.E.S.), I found my calling to be a sacristan at Our Lady of Angels. Having been a parishioner of the parish for the majority of my 46 years of life, with the exception of a few years out of state, I immediately knew this was my call from God to serve Him in a way beyond the pews. I spent many hours in the chapel to ensure that I was following the Will of God and not my own heart. There were many signs from God that this was what I was meant to do. Through prayer and thoughtful consideration and in conversation with my family, I accepted the invitation to the D.O.V.E.S. and subsequently, my role as sacristan. I have now been a sacristan for nearly 9 years, and I have been the Lead Sacristan for just about 7 of those 9 years. It goes so much beyond just setting up for Mass. It enhances my constant yearning to be near Our Lord. Even as a young child and a teen and through college I felt drawn to our Lord, especially in Eucharistic Adoration. When
my daughter and I were invited to the D.O.V.E.S. it took less than 2 months for me to then be asked to step in as a substitute sacristan, which then led to me becoming a full-time sacristan. Being a sacristan strengthens my faith in many ways. First and foremost, it means I am constantly serving God. I serve God by serving our priests, parishioners, and the entire parish community. Secondly, my yearning to be near God is fulfilled with each moment I prepare and plan for Mass. It increases my prayer time as I arrive early for my duties and then have extra time for silent prayer without distraction. Often after a daily Mass I find myself called to sit in the chapel for a bit and pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. My prayer life has increased ten-fold since becoming a sacristan. Because of my call to serve in the sacristy, I have also found life-long friends who share the same values and morals that I do. Having friends who share my faith and encourage me has been a tremendous blessing. These friends and I pray for each other and our families, and
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we lift each other up and watch over each other. We are a family within a family. Through the guidance of the different priests who I have volunteered under, I have also learned many new things about our faith and about the parish. Working directly with the priests, altar servers, D.O.V.E.S, ushers, and many others directly allows me to share my love for God and my talents and skills with others and to teach the young daughters about the sacristy. You may be wondering, what does a sacristan do? Well, I am certain that some of the duties will vary from parish to parish, but under the guidance of the priests of the parish the expectations are explained and then we go forth and serve as we are taught. The main role of the sacristan is to prepare the sacred vessels for the altar servers to set on the credence table. Of course, in the current pandemic, without the use of altar servers, my role currently also consists of setting the altar before Mass. However, during non-pandemic times, I set everything in the sacristy and direct the altar servers as to which items go on the credence table and which go on the offertory table. I ensure the ciboria have enough hosts for the expected crowd at each Mass. Determining this is a judgment call and sometimes can be difficult, so what I’ve learned is it’s always better to have too many hosts than not enough. I prepare the water and wine cruets for each Mass so that there is always enough of each. It is imperative to
know the liturgical color of the day in order to properly veil the priests chalice. I put the priest host and the chalice veil on and check that each item is in the right order (chalice, purificator, paten, host, pall, corporal, chalice veil) so that the priest has everything set the way he needs it. Knowing that the hosts I have placed in the ciboria will truly become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ makes my heart happy. And when I hear the words in Mass, and know that the bread and wine is now Our Lord, I often feel chills in my spine. I know God is with me and I know that I have served him fully. Each priest has different preferences and so it is important to learn what they need and want. For instance, one priest may want a chalice veil at every Mass and another priest never wants it. One priest may want me to light the charcoal for the incense whereas another may not want to have incense at all. As a sacristan it is helpful to be flexible and agreeable. I am there to serve God and the priests, not myself. I ask questions, get answers, do my duties and try to be helpful without being intrusive or in the way. Additionally, I ensure the linen drawer is properly maintained by having communication with the linens teams and altering them if we are short or missing a load. I train the D.O.V.E.S. to be future sacristans (they are sacristans in training!). One of our graduates from last year is now one of my sacristans. She felt called to serve God in the sacristy and
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I am so blessed that she has taken on that role! I assist the altar server coordinator with trainings and schedules. I manage the database for scheduling of sacristans, D.O.V.E.S., and altar servers. I make sure the key to the tabernacle is either in the tabernacle or on the chalice before Mass begins. I check the candles to see if they need to be replaced before and/or after each Mass. It is very important to have a team of amazing people and I am blessed with 4 other sacristans who in normal times help with the Masses, and in the current circumstances are helping in other ways with ushering, counting people, etc. Our roles evolve and change sometimes in the short term, sometimes for the long haul. After I’ve set the sacristy, I work with the ushers to find a family to carry the gifts during the presentation (currently suspended due to COVID-19 protocols), get the baskets and money bags ready for the collection, check to see if any parishioner needs communion brought to them because they are unable to walk down the aisle to receive, etc. The work of a sacristan does not stop once Mass has started. During the Mass we are responsible for assisting with the collection, safely getting the money from the church into the counter room and secured in the safe. After Mass, we are responsible for resetting the chalice, refilling the ciboria and cruets, etc. We also check the holy wa-
ter and clean the bowls as necessary. I also serve as the liaison to many other ministries as I am the person who has the most direct contact with the priests throughout the Masses (before and after) and whose many instructions are filtered through to be passed along to others. Often I have to also coordinate the ushers for the Masses if our regular ushers are unavailable. As we transitioned to new priests over the last month I’ve had additional tasks added to my routine including counting people to ensure we are in compliance with the state and diocese COVID-19 protocols, timing the celebrant’s homily, hanging the priest’s vestments for the day out so they can easily prepare for Mass, and spraying the priests hands with sanitizer during distribution of Communion. Everything I do centers around Christ and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. While I would prefer to be unseen and unknown, the role that God chose for me often puts me right in the middle of things and I cannot hide or be anonymous. I accept this role from God and do my best to fulfill His Will. I absolutely love every minute of the time I assist in the sacristy and throughout the Mass, but I also always remember to set aside time before Mass for my own silent prayer. The joy of serving God by helping the priests of the parish is something that I am not sure I
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Paten
Chalice
Ciborium
Chalice Veil
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can even put into words. Knowing that God has called me in this special way to ensure that everything is prepared for the Mass and that the priests have everything they need in place when Mass starts is a blessing that is indescribable. I never knew exactly what I would be doing for God in the church, but I always knew, even at a young age, that I belong in the church as much as possible and that God has plans for me to help others. I help our priests before, during, and after Mass. Everything is connected through the Eucharist. I would not be who I am today if I did not have that initial love for God through the Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I hope and pray that we have raised my daughter to have that same love as I do for our Lord. While she does not intend to become a sacristan, she does feel called to be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (which I am also), so I do believe she has a love for our Lord in the Eucharist, because distributing communion either in Mass or to the Homebound is another feeling of pure Joy that I have experienced.
Through the friendships I’ve made in my roles at the parish, I help my friends whenever I can, often with just being a prayer warrior but sometimes in other ways. I take all my prayers to the adoration chapel and sometimes I sit for hours with our Lord praying for our priests and all my friends and family. Through these prayers I am constantly reminded of my calling to serve in the sacristy and to always help everyone I can. The sacristy connects me to and through Jesus, to my family, friends, parishioners, and those in the community that I am called to serve.
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i Fo o s n d Kate r a n o tt u eS by Natali
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Editor’s note: We are very grateful for the previous Teen Corner articles written by Mackenzie Howard and Mary Marcell who recently graduated high school and will be moving on to college. Please welcome our new Teen Corner writers Kateri Foos and Natalie Sutton Kateri Foos and I, Natalie Sutton, have been life-long friends and, to be fair, living 2-doors down from each other has made this very easy to be possible. Kateri comes from a beautiful family that has been blessed with 11 children including her. I am my parents’ only living child, (2 in heaven), yet Kateri and her 10 siblings have become like my siblings and I cherish them every day. Kateri is 16 and I am 17 years old and we both have been parishioners of Our Lady of Angels (OLA) Catholic Church in Woodbridge since the day we were born. Both of us heard about Diocesan Work Camp long before we were even eligible to attend. When the time for Work Camp rolled around the teenagers that would be attending camp that year from OLA would line up in front of the altar after Mass for a special announcement promoting Work Camp. Kateri and I were exposed to this announcement every year, long before we could even attend.
When both of us were finally eligible to attend Work Camp, it was an experience we both would never forget. It was a time like no other, with amazing guest speakers and music each night. Meeting new people has also been something the both of us loved doing and Work Camp was a perfect place to do that since the work crews each of us would be assigned to would be filled with people we had never met before. It was just one of those experiences that you wanted to keep enjoying. I have participated in Work Camp for three years now, and Kateri has participated the past two years. We both love attending Work Camp because we each look forward to helping others in need. Work Camp is all about going out into communities in need, and we help them repair the homes there and care for the people who live in these communities. It gives us a sense of accomplishment when we help people who need it the most . The joy on these peoples’ faces means everything, and their gratitude is abundant. This is what keeps drawing us to Work Camp each year. Work Camp is definitely one of the ways that someone can be involved with their parish. Kateri helps her family change the linens on the altar at OLA, helps decorate the church for
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all Liturgical holidays, and changes out the misselettes in the pews. Kateri notes that being involved with your parish “makes you feel closer to God when you do things for the Church.” I am part of the Daughters of Veronica in Eucharistic Stewardship (D.O.V.E.S). ministry at OLA. We help prepare the chalices before Mass and assist with clean-up afterwards. I also am a Lector at late-afternoon Sunday Masses. I believe that when I am involved in my parish, that I am going that extra mile to serve the Lord and after I do my duty of serving in the parish, I feel extremely accomplished. I know that I did something good. Kateri and I both urge all teens who want to participate in their parishes to go for it! “Doing things for the Lord gives you such great joy!” says Kateri. Since participating in Work Camp is such a big way to be involved with our parish, Kateri and I had to return for yet another year. However, we knew this year was going to be much different. Covid-19 had hit and was in full swing. What would become of Work Camp? The Diocese of Arlington was quick on their feet with producing a new plan for this year’s Work Camp. They called it “Work Camp Reboot.” The plan would be for participants to help perform community service and work in regional areas local to each parish. While this was still a very fun, different program, there were many challenges presented. For one, Kateri and I were
unable to meet new teens, our favorite part of Work Camp. We also would not be able to work on bigger projects, such as building a deck or working on the roof of a house. The nightly activities after each work day also would change.. Kateri and I always looked forward to hearing the talks they would have at the program and we would also enjoy singing with Steve Agrasano, who was a very famous attendee of Work Camp. While there were still talks and singing, it was all done virtually, which is not quite as fun as doing it in person. Technical difficulties were also a worry, and on the first night there was a technical problem. However, despite all these variances and adjustments, we both made the best of Work Camp. We were able to connect on a deeper level with the teens in our own parish. Another great thing that came out of this was we are now able to see the great work we all did because it was done locally, such as the new sign that was put up in front of the St. Vincent de Paul building at OLA. It is something that will always be there as a memory. Kateri and I both hope your families stay safe during the ongoing pandemic, and we urge you all to pray for strength and perseverance and to remember that something good always comes out of a setback.
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by Nancy M. Lutz
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“We need you.” I couldn’t shake the feeling. It was as if God were speaking to me directly through the words in the church bulletin. After all these years I still remember it. Usually, attending Mass at Our Lady of Angels (where my family and I have been parishioners since 1993) left me with a wonderful sense of serenity. Not so this Sunday afternoon. I knew I had to act—to call the number at Birthright of Woodbridge and become more than a spectator in the pro-life movement. Yes, I had gone on the March for Life and participated in the Life Chain, and it was exhilarating to be part of such beautiful displays of prayerful activism. They are more than important. They are absolutely vital to having the Truth communicated to our political leaders and the public on a grand scale. But now, I believed God was calling me to go small and personal—to meet and console His daughters who felt desperate and alone, to talk with them and listen to their heartache. I wanted to help them to see that every human being has the spark of God’s grace, worthy to be loved and cherished. The timing was right. My son, a longtime altar server at OLA, was by then in high school, and he no longer needed my undivided attention. I had stopped working as a museum editor when he was born, believing motherhood to be my vocation. My husband supported
my conviction that our son be cared for by at least one full-time parent, and it was not the first time that I thanked God for sending me a spouse who shared my values. That we met at Catholic University was, I believe, an answer to my prayers! My faith has been central to my life, and I am certain God prompted me to attend a Catholic college after four years of public high school left me hungry for the Word proclaimed unabashedly and without scorn. But I felt that same scorn multiplied tenfold upon entering the art world, where it was assumed that every woman is joyously “pro-choice.” I was considered a bit of an oddity, and it did no good to voice my beliefs to an audience almost hard-wired to view Catholicism in general and the pro-life movement in particular as ignorant and extreme. I was tired of being shut out. Now I wanted to speak my faith and be heard. When I went to the Birthright training session, I admit I was nervous. I was much more comfortable reading and writing about ideas than communicating them in person. And when Celeste Hufford, who was Director of Birthright at the time, gently explained that we volunteers could counsel clients against abortion but not judge them on their decisions, I wasn’t sure I could comply. But I recalled how Jesus went out to people. He spoke to them and touched them. Could I do
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that? Could I truly love my neighbor enough to look at her and see Jesus? And what if I couldn’t dissuade a woman from her decision to abort her baby? What if she rejected the truth? Would I still be able to love as Jesus loves? At that moment it struck me that not all truths are self-evident, and that pregnancy centers like Birthright of Woodbridge have a divine but breathtakingly simple mission: to love, unconditionally. Here was a way for me to try to put my Catholic faith into action, to live God’s Word of loving my neighbor as myself. That was almost ten years ago, and I have been with Birthright ever since, witnessing ordinary people—volunteers and clients alike— sharing God’s extraordinary love. Tucked away in an unassuming strip shopping center in Dale City, Birthright of Woodbridge has been answering Christ’s call to unconditional love for more than 40 years. First incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia as Birthright of Prince William County in 1974, the center brings together people of all faiths and backgrounds dedicated to helping expectant mothers facing crisis pregnancies. Today, there are 226 Birthright centers across the U.S., staffed by volunteers and supported by generous donors. They are affiliated with Birthright International, a global volunteer organization founded in Canada in 1969 by a housewife
and mother, Louise Summerhill. Encapsulating Birthright’s mission with the motto, “It is the right of every mother to give birth, and the right of every child to be born,” she understood that all human life is a miracle. The origin of Birthright was something of a miracle itself. With the unwavering belief that love really could conquer all, Summerhill started Birthright with only a $300 donation from three Catholic priests. Wondering how she would ever afford to rent an office, her answer came in the person of a landlord who inquired if she believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. When she responded in the affirmative, he told her she could have the office space free of charge! Louise Summerhill was convinced that if pregnant women in crisis could find compassionate support, they would find the strength to reject abortion and choose life for their babies. At a time when the stigma against being pregnant out of wedlock was severe, Summerhill called for her Birthright volunteers to express empathy, not judgment; mother and baby would need equal care and concern. Thus, “Love Them Both” became another Birthright tenet. We at Birthright of Woodbridge have found that it is this personal touch that makes a world of difference to a woman whose spouse, partner or family has turned away from her. When the world says, “No,” Birthright says, “Yes.” And
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not only “yes,” but “bless you for your courage and your love.” Sometimes a young woman just needs a soft voice and a friendly face to help calm her fears. Other times, she needs urgent medical attention or a trusted ally to help her navigate the path to appropriate social services. Whether providing maternity clothing, a trip to the emergency room, or even assistance paying for OB/GYN visits, Birthright endeavors to help its clients bring their babies to term. Sadly, not all our encounters are successful. But then there are the triumphs. Birthright Co-Director Mary Hovey would say that is the fuel that keeps us all going. Always ready with a wink and a joke, she gives our clients hope, and the courage some didn’t know they possessed. She recalls the brave young woman from Africa whose partner was pressuring her to abort her child, but who would not give in. Neither did Mary. “She thought she was all alone until she found us online. I told her we would help her. Birthright paid for her entire prenatal care, and she gave birth to a healthy son!” Ann Smith, a longtime volunteer, is a retired nurse whose experience and optimism almost immediately put clients at ease. One young woman was so happy to have changed her mind and had her baby that she came into the office especially to give Ann flowers. Her joy was palpable. Another client was seeking asylum from persecution in her home country. She became pregnant, and had no job, nowhere to turn. With Birthright’s aid
she received medical as well as dental care and was able to have her child and find employment. Co-Director Carine Brito, who drove her to doctor appointments and job interviews, still stays in touch to give moral support. Carine’s voice is soothing, and her Haitian accent is lyrical. Her knowledge of languages is a God-send, as she is able to converse with clients in Spanish and French, as well as in English. “I’m happy to see my clients moving forward with their lives, and that I’ve been able to help them,” she says. “I feel so blessed, and I want to share those blessings with my community.” Perhaps one of the most heroic women to walk through Birthright’s door had been diagnosed with cancer but was determined to forgo treatment until her baby could be born. Then-Director Celeste Hufford, who accompanied this beautiful woman on her end-of-life journey, arranged to have a family portrait taken. “I will never forget this young, courageous woman who’d had such a hard life, but whose children meant everything to her,” says Celeste. At Birthright our clients teach us not only how to love one another, but what love truly is. Our band of volunteers, mostly wonderful women, but some wonderful men, too, feels like a family. People from every walk of life and of all ages and faiths are bound by a common respect for life and love of neighbor. Birthright’s need for bilingual volunteers continues to grow, and we are especially reliant on our Spanish-speak-
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ers to communicate effectively as the demographics change in Northern Virginia. Increasingly, our clients are not so much teens seeking abortions but older mothers from Latin America and Africa struggling in an unfamiliar land to bring up their children. They want their babies to thrive in their new homes. We are here to serve them. That the community values Birthright’s presence in Woodbridge is undeniable. In 2017, a generous gift from the Knights of Columbus Council 5750, in addition to donations from a host
of charitable donors, enabled us to purchase our office condominium at 4207 Dale Boulevard, thus ensuring Birthright of Woodbridge a permanent home and our clients a reliable haven. And indeed, a cozy atmosphere pervades. From Monday through Saturday, volunteers greet visitors with a welcoming smile and bid them farewell with an encouraging hug. The office walls, painted a cheery canary, are dotted with pictures of babies, while on the shelf books on child care are free for the taking. An apprehensive young wom-
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an, accompanied by a friend or relative, as well as older children, comes in for a pregnancy test. After a while she relaxes; she realizes she has options, having this baby is not impossible. Relieved, she lingers to chat while siblings-to-be play with the toys on hand. “I’ll give you a proof-of-pregnancy form that you can take to social services. Do you need a referral for a doctor?” In another room, a woman is trying on maternity clothes. “It’s so hot this afternoon! Would you like a bottle of water? Don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins.” Clients who have recently given birth stop by to proudly show off their new bundles of joy. We volunteers cluster around to admire and hold these beautiful children,these miracles. “Is Miss Mary here today? I know she wanted to see my baby!” The happiness is infectious. The community connection is real. And Birthright’s community is expanding all the time. Its personal touch is extending to the virtual world, as more and more young women prefer to reach out to us online. Connecting with clients online and early—especially now, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic—is crucial, because though the surgical abortion rate has dropped since 1980, medication abortions are on the rise. . So while the overall number of abortions has declined, the number of medication abortions has increased, from 5 percent in 2001 to 39 percent in 2017—an alarming trend. And since most women seek medication abortions before eight weeks gestation, it is vital that Birthright volunteers make contact with abortion-mind-
ed clients early in their pregnancies. Sharing our message online through Facebook and other social media allows us to continue Louise Summerhill’s mission to women and their babies—to “love them both.” Birthright’s newly configured website now provides a live-chat feature, an important offering, according to clients surveyed. It’s absolutely essential, says Brittney Mellema, Birthright USA National Director, who notes that one of the main concerns common to Birthright centers nationwide is a drop in the number of clients seen in office. “We are seeing less clients coming in, due to the availability of birth control and morning-after pills such as Plan B.” She is optimistic, though, because while times and technologies have changed since Birthright started its mission, we are still very much needed today. “Our welcoming approach is exactly what clients want,“ she says. “Some women never hear: ‘I’m so glad you had this baby!’ except from a Birthright volunteer.” One small seed of faith can change everything. My beautiful Catholic faith teaches that the way to holiness is through corporal and spiritual acts of mercy. I can think of no better way to follow Jesus’ exhortation to “love one another as I have loved you” than to help a mother in need give the gift of life to her child. I am so very proud that the Catholic Church has since its inception proclaimed it is the right of every child to be born. It’s my privilege to be part of a pro-life ministry like Birthright that joyfully shares God’s unconditional love.
Prince William County Catholic
To learn more about Birthright of Woodbridge call 703-583-1178 and visit www.birthrightofwoodbridge.org
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Prince William County Catholic
Prince William County Catholic
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MISHIIMIN WISHKOBIBAKWEZHIGAN
APPLE COBBLER FEAST OF ST. KATERI TEKAKWITHA by Colleen Rooney
INGREDIENTS 4 Mishiimin/tart apples like Granny Smith ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup of All-purpose flour ½ teaspoon cinnamon For Topping: ½ cup oatmeal ½ cup All-purpose flour ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup chilled butter EQUIPMENT 2 Mixing Bowls Measuring cups Measuring spoons 8 or 9 inch Baking Dish Pastry Cutter or Sharp Knife
www.celebratecatholiclife.
PREP 25 minutes
BAKE 40 minutes
YIELD 1 Cobbler
DIRECTIONS (HEAT OIL TO 375-DEGREE FAHRENHEIT) 1. Butter or use baking spray on the bottom and sides of the pie plate or fluted baking dish. 2. Peel and slice the apples. Place them in the mixing bowl and add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well. Put the filling in the baking dish and spread evenly. 3. In the second bowl, add the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar. Mix well. 4. Cut the chilled butter into pea size pieces with a pastry cutter or sharp knife and add to the topping mixture. Mix throughout. 5. Cover the top of the apple filling with the oatmeal mixture. 6. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. 7. Let cool. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream if you like. Enjoy!
ENJOY!
COUNTY PARISH DIRECTORY
OUR LADY OF ANGELS 13752 Marys Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191 (703) 494-2444 Online Bulletin Here
ST. FRANCIS 18825 Fuller Heights Rd, Triangle, VA 22172 (703) 221-4044 Online Bulletin Here
SACRED HEART 12975 Purcell Rd, Manassas, VA 20112 (703) 590-0030 Online Bulletin Here
HOLY FAMILY 14160 Ferndale Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22193 (703) 670-8161 Online Bulletin Here
ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON 12805 Valleywood Dr, Lake Ridge, VA 22192 (703) 494-4008 Online Bulletin Here
HOLY TRINITY 8213 Linton Hall Rd, Gainesville, VA 20155 (703) 753-6700 Online Here Bulletin
ALL SAINTS 9300 Stonewall Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 (703) 368-4500 Online Bulletin Here
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