Enhancing our Catholic Home: On the Inside



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FREE Evangelization Inserts for Bulletins, Newsletters & Websites

23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

September 3-4, 2016

Note that these reflections can be found in Word and pdf at inserts

Questions, Comments Suggestions?

Contact Kristina kdeneve@ or

808-230-6767

Living Catholic in the 808:

Evangelization for “Typical” Catholics

By: Kristina M. DeNeve

Evangelization Coordinator

Diocese of Honolulu

Let’s face it: Catholic Christians tend to have an aversion to the term “evangelization.” It evokes images of knocking on doors, of being asked uncomfortable questions. Even those of us who do acts of evangelization tend not to use the term, as Matthew Kelly found in his research on what makes for a Dynamic Catholic.

Yet, there is no denying that the Gospel emphatically demands that we must share the Good News with others. We cannot simply read our Bible at home or go to Mass on Sunday and call ourselves followers of Jesus. We are called to serve others, to engage in works of mercy, to show a preferential option for the poor, to work for justice, and, yes, to use words to tell others about Jesus Christ.

Deep down, we Catholics KNOW we are supposed to share our faith with others. And, deep down, we WANT to do better about sharing our faith. But how?

This weekly column, “Living Catholic in the 808” will provide one, small answer to this question. Week by week, join us for practical tips on what evangelization can look like for “typical” Catholics. C’mon! We can do this!!

Living Catholic in the 808:

The “Easy” Command to Love One Another

By: Clarissa M. Emayo

“Love One Another” Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

Holy Cross Parish, Kalaheo, Kauai

Love one another, sounds so easy but yet almost every one of us can say that we have not always loved those around us and at times we have even hated those around us. So Jesus’ command to “Love one another” can be a big order for most and yet is the purpose of our lives here on earth.

To truly love someone is to will the good of that person. In willing the good of that person, we do for them, we serve them, we give to them when they are in need, we are there for them when they need a shoulder, we are with them when they are sick or in despair and we pray for them when they need God’s graces to get through.

When we serve people, the mere act of serving people is the essence of who Jesus is. He is love, He is the servant and He is who we see in the faces of all we minister to in Social Ministry. When we serve His people in the corporal works of mercy, we are serving Him. When a person involved in Social Ministry has this understanding, the experience is very profound and brings a joy like no other.

FREE Evangelization Inserts for Bulletins, Newsletters & Websites

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time

September 10-11, 2016

Note that these reflections can be found in Word and pdf at inserts

Questions, Comments Suggestions?

Contact Kristina kdeneve@ or

808-230-6767

FREE Evangelization Inserts for Bulletins, Newsletters & Websites

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time

September 17-18, 2016

Note that these reflections can be found in Word and pdf at inserts

Questions, Comments Suggestions?

Contact Kristina kdeneve@ or

808-230-6767

Living Catholic in the 808:

Serving is a Gift From God

By: Clarissa M. Emayo

“Love One Another” Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

Holy Cross Parish, Kalaheo, Kauai

As faith is a gift from God, those we serve are also gifts from God.  The less fortunate help us to grow in faith and to grow closer to our Lord Jesus Christ.  Whether we choose to see them or not, they are companions on our faith journey.  They are always there as reminders for us to love and to serve and by doing so, we are loving Him above all else.

How many times have we passed someone on the street only to have that feeling inside that we should've stopped and offered something?  Sometimes we just look the other way.  Imagine that was Jesus we ignored and walked past without helping.

Social Ministry, serving others, is in itself, evangelizing. 

When we serve, it is the Bible in action, the Word of God in motion, our faith in action.  Serving needs no words, it is simple gestures.  A smile, giving something, hugging someone, a loving look or even just a small touch on the shoulder, it can also be a prayer for someone.  Something that tells them, you are special, you are loved.  When we share our blessings with others in a way we are saying, "God is good, His love is overflowing and abundant and we want to share it with you because you are loved."

Living Catholic in the 808:

Some Benefits of Serving Others

By: Clarissa M. Emayo

“Love One Another” Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

Holy Cross Parish, Kalaheo, Kauai

Serving others is part of our faith and the more we serve others the stronger our faith will become. The more we will want to pray and build a relationship with the Lord. We will seek the Lord often and listen for His voice. We will try to make the world around us a better place and treat people with love and care.

Serving others helps us to get out of ourselves, to die to ourselves and to see the world arounds us in a better light. We realize that we are here for others and not for ourselves and that God will take care of us if we only take care of others. We begin to understand and experience why Jesus wants us to love one another and why we should give if we are asked and why we should not judge.

When we serve others we fall deeper in love with Jesus and our relationship with Him becomes the most important thing.

FREE Evangelization Inserts for Bulletins, Newsletters & Websites

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time

September 24-25, 2016

Note that these reflections can be found in Word and pdf at inserts

Questions, Comments Suggestions?

Contact Kristina kdeneve@ or

808-230-6767

FREE Evangelization Inserts for Bulletins, Newsletters & Websites

27th Sunday of Ordinary Time

October 1-2, 2016

Note that these reflections can be found in Word and pdf at inserts

Questions, Comments Suggestions?

Contact Kristina kdeneve@ or

808-230-6767

Living Catholic in the 808:

Social Ministry IS Evangelization!

By: Clarissa M. Emayo

“Love One Another” Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry

Holy Cross Parish, Kalaheo, Kauai Diocese of Honolulu

Last week I shared that when we serve others, we fall deeper in love with Jesus. Our relationship with Him becomes the most important thing and we want to nurture it.

We also want to share it with others and sometimes they can tell just by looking at us that we are Christians. The songs says, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love”, that is very true. Jesus is love and so if we call ourselves Christians, we have to love.

Social Ministry is a great gift to us from the Lord so that we may go out to the world and share food, drink, clothing, shelter, comfort with those less fortunate and it is a way for us to grow in faith, to grow in our love for the Lord and the Church and a way to live the Gospel. So the next time you see someone in need, go to them, help them, see Jesus in them, grow your faith and deepen your joy!

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