ST LUKE'S IS GOING THROUGH AN ALMOST UNBEARABE TRIAL LATELY
FIRST WAS HEARTBEAKING NEWS OF OUR LONGEST AND MOST FAITHFUL BENEFACTOR LOSING HIS SON.
THEN OUR BELOVED ODELL STUART, A LONGTIME FRIEND AND FORMER RESIDENT PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY AND AT AN EARLY AGE.
THEN NORM PAOLINI SR. , OUR DIRECTOR'S DAD WAS TAKEN FROM US.
LAST SATURDAY WE CELEBRATED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FUNERAL MASS FOR BOB HARRIS , A FORMER RESIDENT AND DOOR KEEPER AT THE GOOD SHEPHARD HOUSE.
NOW THE TRAGIC DEATH OF CHARLENE'S ADORABLE, SWEET NIECE MIEKA. SHE LEAVES BEHIND HER 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. PRAY FOR US

I had a great day at the mission today

A day at St. Luke's is so intense and gratifying BUT the laughs are plenty

They say that the people who come to be helped

have fallen through the cracks of the SYSTEM

The SYSTEM being government assistance

They are in survival mode

It's a different way of living than we are used to

It seems very selfish or ungrateful to some people

It seems to me that their lives are so hard

everything is almost impossible

There are no drugstores

Grocery stores

They have no money no car

They are sick  mentally and physically

They get tired and angry but mostly there are smiles and laughter

Last week I was walking through the parking lot when I saw these two.

Brothers

Stuck in this old broken stroller outside the school

The little guy in the back is an adorable special needs child

He was trying to hold up his brother in the front because the back of the stroller won't stay up anymore

Charlene, who has a special child herself, walked by and was quite moved

She reached out and picked up the bigger one

He snuggled right in

She rubbed his back and gently told the other one to always be good

And look out for his brothers



Their Mom had gone in to get some diapers that people donate

and left the boys outside



They were very quiet

And we couldn't get them to smile at all

I wanted you to see them so I snapped their picture

Charlene said that was good

WOW!
What a day we had at the mission yesterday! About 40 of
Father Grochel's friars (CFRs) and nuns came to Mass.
It was a Mass of thanksgiving of a newly ordained priest of the order.
He requested to say it at St. Luke's.
As I went to Communion I noticed the friars didn't use the kneelers. They knelt on the floor!
After Mass they stayed in the church and said the Divine Office.
I saw Father Andrew Apostoli in the back all by himself saying his Office.
They were so humble.
The friars said they felt at home at the mission. Their superior said St. Luke's and the CFRs were "kindred spirits"

I'm not the only one who's impressed with the mission

THIS IS GOOD

CLICK ON THIS LINK

http://www.buffalorising.com/story/st_lukes_mission_when_faith_is

CHECK OUT THIS LINK

http://stlukesmissionofmercy.org/need_winter.html

AND ANOTHER THING

Do you know how to find and hook up phone lines?

The school has two lines that they can't locate

JUST COME DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK

ASK FOR PAT TITUS
OR
CALL 894-4476

It seems strange. Every year, at this time, we were frantically preparing for up coming fund raisers.

Chili Knights was always around Valentine's Day and right after that came the St. Joseph's Table.

It's not that they don't need the money...

but various factors has led them to believe

that constant fundraisers are not a good financial plan.

I beg anyone who is involved with a St. Joseph's Table to consider St. Luke's as the recipient for the proceeds.

Please look at the work being done at the Mission and see if it fits with your charitable cause philosophy

If you want to help the city and it's people ...

If you want to be able to see where your money went with your own eyes...

If you want to activly partisipate in the work and get your hands dirty...

If you want to talk to the recipients of your generosity ...

THIS IS THE PLACE

As MOTHER THERESA used to say, "COME AND SEE"

you are always welcome

POPE BENEDICT XVI SAYS:

GIVE TO ST LUKE'S AND GOD WILL FORGIVE YOUR SINS

Vatican , Jan. 29, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI 's message is taken from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "Christ made Himself poor for you."

in the practice of charity,

Christians combine "a specific way to assist those in need and, at the same time, an exercise in self-denial

to free us from attachment to worldly goods."


Lent begins unusually early this year, with Ash Wednesday on February 6.
The full text of the Pope's Lenten message is available in an official English translation on the Vatican web site.
During the penitential season of Lent, the Pope reminds his readers, "the Church makes it her duty to propose some specific tasks that accompany the faithful concretely in this process of interior renewal: these are prayer, fasting and almsgiving."
Christian teaching emphasizes that the world's goods are intended for the benefit of all mankind, and individual owners should see themselves as stewards, using their wealth to help others, the Pope says. Helping those in need, "is a duty of justice even prior to being an act of charity."

Moreover, the Pope reminds his readers, generosity is repeatedly praised in the Bible as an indication of righteousness.
"St. Peter includes among the spiritual fruits of almsgiving
the forgiveness of sins."
God's forgiveness is given to men as a gift, the Pope explains, and "sharing what we possess with the poor disposes us to receive the MERCY OF GOD on our souls

In conclusion,
if you have some big sins or lots of little ones or both...give to the poor
Give to St. Luke's because they are all about the poor

Buffalo is the second poorest city in the U.S.

You feel like you should do something

You want to help

BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Make a committment to support St. Luke's missionaries and the poor on a monthly basis (you write the check, they'll do all the heavy lifting)

let me say right here that THIS IS THE BEST CHARITY IN THE CITY

St Luke's never is in the black

Amy pays the bills...I've seen her

Let's say there's a fund raiser and they raise $15,000

the bills add up to $20,000

so it's gone in 24hours and she's still in the red

All your money goes to pay bills (electric, food, heat, gasoline, repairs, etc.) no one gets paid.

NO ONE

If you call there you hear,"St.Luke's, Barb speaking. How can I help you?" SHE IS THERE EVERYDAY

FOR FREE

They have a TOP NOTCH RCIA Program that is run by a guy that lives there

He has an exceptional orthodox Catholic education

I think he knows everything about the faith

You can ask him anything

He teaches and designs the Generations of Faith Program

( that thing is amazing ) He runs the Good Shephard House

HE DOES IT ALL FOR FREE EVERYDAY

The team that cooks in the kitchen work all day / everyday

FOR FREE

When you donate household items and they come to your house in the truck or you come to the mission and they unload your stuff

THEY DO IT FOR FREE

EVERYDAY

all this is just a small part ...dealing with the pain of the people , their needs

EVERYDAY

FOR FREE

I know first hand that they appreciate that you are not rich

they respect your money

They are frugal and stretch every penny

they are grateful and pray for your intentions at Mass and before the Blessed Sacrament

I'd like to make a pitch for this holy place that I am passionate about

I am going to put this out there and then pray

If you feel called to be an A.P.O.St.L.E. just do it

• Our missionaries vow commit themselves to live with and help the poor 24/7 for one year.
  
  APOStLE s are people who commit for one full year to help St. Luke's financially For all of you who are APOStLEs ...We are most grateful
  If you would like to be an APOStLE our address is

FRIENDS OF ST LUKES
POBOX 2332
BUFFALO NY 14219

When you make this commitment we send you 12 envelopes to use for the year and Amy and Norm can have the peace of mind to count on you for 12 months.

APOStLE is an acromyn for


A
Part
Of
St.
Lukes
Everyday



This APOStLE NEWS BLOG is a new way to keep in touch with everyone who cares about us.

WE would like to tell YOU whats going on here and YOU can talk to US.
WE promise to keep you posted on everything so check back often!!!


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