Topics: compassionate heart, God's blessings, God's grace, gratitude, prayer, RENEW International, pandemic, covid-19, Corona virus, Thanksgiving Day
A Message of Hope from Sr. Terry
Online Resources, Webinars and
Faith-Sharing Sessions to Help Parishes
through the Pandemic
Visit our EVENTS & WEBINARS page to learn about our upcoming free webinars and online faith-sharing experiences in English and Spanish to help parishes, small groups, and individuals at this difficult time.
If you missed one of our webinars or just want to watch again, we will add links after the events you can stream the videos at your convenience:
"Becoming the Saint Next Door":
A Conversation with Sr. Terry Rickard and Chris Lowney
In this recording of an April 23 online conversation, RENEW's Sr. Terry Rickard and best-selling author Chris Lowney share their personal insights on everyday holiness and what it means to be the "Saint Next Door" during this time of pandemic.
"Till We Meet Again" Series
NEW Online Faith-Sharing Sessions
Easter Message 2020: Hope will not be cancelled
Almost everything is cancelled—even Easter Sunday Masses. But hope refuses to be cancelled. So many people are rising above the fear and turning to help their neighbors: delivering groceries for the elderly and infirm, making masks for health-care workers, and checking in on friends and family. Our technology-challenged Church has come alive by offering live-streamed Masses, retreats, and Stations of the Cross. Priests are hearing confessions in parking lots and small faith-sharing groups are meeting via Zoom and conference calls. Some neighbors turn to chalk art to share messages of hope. One of my favorites is “Hope will not be cancelled.”
We will not gather for Eucharist at our parishes nor enjoy our usual Easter dinner gatherings with family, but Easter comes nevertheless, reminding us again that Jesus has defeated death and revealed his merciful love to us. Our Christian faith assures us of the final victory of good over evil, health over sickness, and life over death. During the pandemic, love is not cancelled, faith is not cancelled, charity is not cancelled, and hope sustains us all. Hope is not just something that happens; it is something we choose. Hope is something we must nurture and share. Our hope lies in our faith in Jesus Christ and his power to redeem us. This Easter we affirm our belief in Jesus, our healer and redeemer. He is with us and for us during this pandemic. And because we believe, we have hope even in this dark time.
Jesus is alive and among us. Amen. Alleluia!
Wishing you and your family a Blessed Easter!
—Sr. Terry Rickard, President and Executive Director of RENEW International
Lord Jesus Christ, we pray for your healing touch during this pandemic. We ask you to accompany those in our small groups,
our parishes, our communities, our nation,
and throughout the world who are impacted
by the virus through infection, economic loss,
or anxiety.
Renew our faith in your promise to be with us always.
Keep us mindful, Lord, that we share in this crisis as a family and that whatever we are asked to do to prevent the spread of infection, we do for the good of all.
May we be patient and generous with each other, following your example, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Copyright © 2020, RENEW International. All rights reserved. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration for nonprofit educational use, provided such reprints are not sold and include this notice.
*Click title to download prayer.
Oración en el tiempo del coronavirus – RENEW*
Señor, Jesucristo, te pedimos impongas tus manos sanadoras sobre este virus. Te pedimos que acompañes a las pequeñas comunidades de fe, nuestras parroquias, comunidades, nación y a todos los que han sido afectados por este virus en el mundo, ya sea por infección, pérdida económica, o ansiedad.
Renueva nuestra fe en tu promesa de estar siempre con nosotros. Recuérdanos, Señor, que estamos juntos en esta crisis como familia y que todo lo que se nos pide para prevenir la diseminación de la infección, lo hacemos por el bien de todos.
Siguiendo tu ejemplo, que seamos pacientes y generosos el uno con el otro, Tú que vives y reinas con el Padre y con el Espíritu Santo, por los siglos de los siglos. Amen.
Copyright © 2020, RENEW International. All rights reserved. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration for nonprofit educational use, provided such reprints are not sold and include this notice.
*Haga clic en el título para descargar la oración.
NCR Online Cites RENEW as a Leading Promoter of Small Groups
In a recent article in National Catholic Reporter Online, NCR news editor Peter Feuerherd names RENEW's contribution to small-group faith communities for both Latino and non-Latino Catholics. Feuerherd predicts that the small-group model of "human connection with faith life" will help fill a need for US Catholics during the pandemic. Given that gathering even in small groups poses risk at this time, RENEW is offering online options for faith-sharing and other opportunities. Please check our EVENTS & WORKSHOPS page for the latest offerings.
Topics: small groups, Announcements, pandemic, COVID, webinar
Social distancing and the sacraments: How the coronavirus pandemic has changed our sense of communion
America Magazine's Kerry Weber recently interviewed RENEW's president, Sr. Terry Rickard, and other Catholic thought-leaders about the spiritual, emotional and logistical challenges the pandemic and physical separation have brought us, but also about the opportunities it presents for the Church as we move forward.
Topics: sacraments, pandemic, COVID, social distancing
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