CALENDAR

Grandparents Apostolate Feast Day and anniversary celebration — July 26: 8:45–10:30 a.m. at Nativity of Our Lord, 1938 Stanford Ave., St. Paul. The Grandparents Apostolate of Sts. Joachim and Anne will be celebrating the feast of its patron saints as well as its 12th anniversary. Chaplain and Parochial Vicar Father Bill Duffert will give a presentation. Mass at 8:15 a.m. Handicap accessible on Prior Ave. More information available on website. nativityStpaul org/eventS/grandparentS-feaSt-day-Celebrationwith-fr-bill

Help for struggling couples — Aug. 4-6 at Best Western Dakota Ridge Hotel, 3450 Washington Drive, Eagan. Retrouvaille is a lifeline for troubled marriages. Learn the tools to rediscover each other and heal marriage.100% confidential. Next weekend: Oct. 6-8. helpourmarriage org

Catholic Social Difference speaker series — Aug. 31, Sept. 7, 14, 21: 7–8:15 p.m. at Assumption, 51 7th St. W., St. Paul. The Catholic Social Difference is a four-week series (Aug. 3, Sept. 7, Sept. 14, Sept. 21) of conversations with local Catholic leaders (see website for speakers) introducing Catholic Social Teaching and imagining how to practice it in real life. Talks are free and open to the public. For more information and to register please visit CatholiCSoCialthought org CatholiCSoCialthought org/2023-CatholiC-SoCial-differenCe-Conf

Garden Party — July 9: 1–3 p.m. at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake.

The friars will share refreshments and fellowship as visitors stroll the assorted garden and prairie areas and visit with the gardeners themselves. Retreat Center tours are available. franCiSCanretreatS net/eventS/garden-party

Elevate Life Golf Classic — July 31: 10 a.m.–7 p.m. at Crystal Lake Golf Course, 16725 Innsbrook Drive, Lakeville. Open to individual golfers and foursomes. Cost per golfer: $150. Elevate Life has been helping pregnancy centers and clinics thrive since 1974, assisting 38 centers and clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Not a golfer? Support the work of Elevate Life as a sponsor or donor. elevatelifeuSa org/golf

Bridge Club — Last Saturdays: 7–8:30 p.m. year-round at St. Joseph, 13015 Rockford Road, Plymouth. From veteran to new, all are invited. For additional information, contact Mike or Janet Malinowski 952-525-8708.

Calix Society — First and third Sundays: 9–10:30 a.m. First Sunday via Zoom, third Sunday in person hosted by the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. In Assembly Hall, lower level. Calix is a group of men, women, family or friends supporting the spiritual needs of recovering Catholics with alcohol or other addictions. Zoom meeting link, call Jim at 612-383-8232 or Steve at 612-327-4370.

Career Transition Group — Third Thursdays:

7:30–8:30 a.m. at Holy Name of Jesus, 155 County Road 24, Wayzata. Hosts speakers on various topics geared toward helping people look for a job, change careers or enhance job skills. Networking and opportunities for resume review. hnoj org/Career-tranSition-group

Caregivers Support Group — Third Thursdays: 6:30 p.m. at Guardian Angels, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. For anyone juggling the challenges of life, health, career and caring for an aging parent, grandparent, or spouse. guardianangelS org/event/1392201-2019-09-19-CaregiverS-Support-group

items worth saving, the waste pile quickly outgrows it. Kenyans have no more desire to wear torn, stained clothing than you or I do.

And what are “plastic clothes”? Many items in our closets fit this category. Amazingly, 342 million barrels of petroleum are used annually to produce plastic-based fibers such as polyester, nylon or acrylic. These fibers are cheap materials, but are not biodegradable and will be around, polluting rivers and oceans with microfiber, for centuries. Fashion is a surprisingly large contributor to our environmental crisis.

A man in the documentary shows us the nearby Nairobi River, clogged with garbage clothing. We see discarded remnants burning as fuel on an open cooking

Healing Hope grief support — Second and fourth Thursdays: 6 p.m. at St. Timothy, 707 89th Ave. NE, Blaine. Facilitated by Bob Bartlett, licensed therapist. No fees or required registration. ChurChofSttimothy Com

Job transitions and networking group — Tuesdays: 7–8:30 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker, 7180 Hemlock Lane, Maple Grove. Network, share ideas and learn about searching for a job at this faith-based meeting every Tuesday. Email Bob at bob Sjtw@gmail Com or visit Sjtw net/job-tranSition-networking-group

Natural Family Planning (NFP) — Find a class at arChSpm org/family or call 651-291-4489.

Dunrovin Sunset Benefit Cruise — July 19: 5:30–9 p.m. at St. Croix Boat and Packet Company, 525 S. Main St., Stillwater. Please join us for Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center’s casual evening of fun, food and fundraising! Proceeds provide funds for underserved students who would otherwise not be able to afford a leadership retreat experience. Cost: $50 for individual tickets. To register: SeCure qgiv Com/for/dCbrC/event/867890/

For additional information, please visit: tinyurl Com/2ar88zff fire, spewing microfibers into the environment.

Restorative Support for Victims-Survivors — Monthly: 6:30–8 p.m. via Zoom. Open to all victimssurvivors. Victim-survivor support group for those abused by clergy as adults — first Mondays. Support group for relatives or friends of victims of clergy sexual abuse — second Mondays. Victim-survivor support group — third Mondays. Survivor Peace Circle — third Tuesdays. Support group for men who have been sexually abused by clergy/ religious — fourth Wednesdays. Support group for present and former employees of faith-based institutions who have experienced abuse in any of its many forms — second Thursdays. Visit arChSpm org/healing or contact Paula Kaempffer, outreach coordinator for Restorative Justice and Abuse Prevention, kaempfferp@arChSpm org or 651-291-4429.

Some African nations — Zimbabwe, for example — have banned the import of secondhand clothing. But other nations endure the same problems as Kenya. Many of these nations have a poor capacity to manage landfills and process waste.

Here’s another statistic that’s mind-blowing: yearly, 8 billion plastic hangers end up in landfills.

What does this have to do with Catholicism?

Well, I love clothes as much as the next person and I’ve been guilty of “retail therapy” — that idle shopping which often results in the purchase of clothes I don’t need and wasted money which could have gone to a better cause. Filling our closets with things we don’t need won’t fill up any holes in our lives, or our spirits. For items we do need, there are lovely consignment shops. There are also upscale thrift stores, like the one I

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Look shop at frequently that supports a home for unsheltered pregnant moms.

Shopping in a more environmental fashion is an option. But when I am merely filling my own emptiness with more stuff, I need to stop and ask why. And how do I resist the pull of the void that is our consumer culture? How do I honor the environment and my faith by living more simply?

Caldarola is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Seattle University. She is a columnist for OSV.

Editor’s Note: “Faith at Home” by Laura Kelly Fanucci is not available this month. More information as to when the column will resume will be provided at a later date.

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