Dear Saints,
One of the reasons we chose the Chanticleer as our school mascot is because of its famous role in Jesus’s darkest - and finest - hour. Overwhelmed by the tortured and chaotic events of the night, Peter uttered one last betrayal…and immediately a rooster crowed. Yet it did not call out in condemnation, but rather to announce the dawning of a brand new day. In the end, Peter’s fear was overpowered by Jesus’s love, and the Chanticleer was the first to mark the triumph.
Though it is ultimately destined for defeat, fear continues to prove itself a formidable enemy. Often flanked by panic and isolation, it is especially adept at preying on the most vulnerable among us. One of its favorite victims is a young, expectant mother with nowhere to turn. And no wonder: she’s an obvious two-for-one target. If fear can get to her, it can destroy multiple lives with one blow.
And yet, as powerful as fear is, love remains more powerful still.
For more than 40 years, Several Sources Shelters has made that love manifest in the lives of more than 34,000 women. Where fear tormented them with shame, Several Sources welcomed them with warmth and hope. Where fear threatened them with visions of abandonment and loneliness, Several Sources offered friendship and a home. And where fear whispered that they were unfit for the road ahead, Several Sources equipped them with parenting training, spiritual support, and material resources.
The world has not gotten easier, and it’s a safe guess that the next 40 years will bring 34,000 more women (at least) to the doorstep. They will have endured tortured and chaotic nights of their own, often riddled with abuse and neglect. They will come in great need, and it’s no secret that it will require financial backing to serve them well. During this season of Lent we are called to give alms - that is, to show mercy through material gift. It is fitting to offer that gift to an organization dedicated not only to protecting innocent life, but also to shepherding it into full flourishing.
During this final week of the Lenten season, I ask you to join me in making a contribution to Several Sources Shelters. It’s a reputable organization that has been thoroughly vetted by everyone from the federal government to Mother Teresa. Time and again, it has proven itself a light in the darkness: an indomitable force for love over fear. In fact, its impact has been so undeniable, Hollywood was compelled to make a star-studded movie about its work: Gimme Shelter (well worth the watch!).
Our goal is $20,000 and so far we have raised just about $13,000 from 52 donors. Please consider joining us: 100% of your gift will go straight to Several Sources and the mothers it serves. Together, we can help herald the dawn of a new day for them and their babies. Please visit www.olmc.church/lent/#btt to give.
Christ’s Peace,
Father Daniel
δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ