Newman Catholic Community @ RIT
Third Sunday of Lent + March 8, 2015
RIT NATION
Lent 2015
We are at the midpoint of Lent. When I was younger, I often wondered what my giving up for 40 days really had to do with my understanding of God's love for me. I hung onto that question for many, many Lents. I have since learned and grown in understanding of what Lent is and is not, but I occasionally think back to how confusing Lent seemed to be for me for such a long time.
This year, I am participating in the Busy Person's Retreat along with three students from our community. (We have over 20 people participating in this retreat this Lent.) In the introduction to the retreat is a great explanation of Lent, "The test of Lent in the end is not what we have done for Lent, rather, what Lent has done for others through us..." We put a lot of emphasis on not doing this or doing that, sometimes forgetting that Lent is really about giving God space in our hearts...softening our sometimes hard hearts. It's about remembering that because God is our father, you and I are brothers and sisters to one another. We sometimes forget this important piece.
St. Irenaeus, who lived in the second century offers us an image that we might find helpful.
It is not you that shapes God
it is God that shapes you.
If you are the work of God
await the hand of the artist
who does all things in due season.
Offer God your heart
soft and tractable,
and keep the form
in which the artist has fashioned you.
Let your clay be moist
let you grow hard
and lose the imprint of God's fingers.
- St. Irenaeus
A Jesuit, Philip Chircop has come up with a few questions you might find helpful as you reflect on how Lent is going so far. You can find them below.
- Are you soft, moist clay or a hardened clump?
- What practices can you indulge in that can keep you soft, moist, flexible, open, and fresh?
- What is it in your life that can inadvertently be closing your heart, hardening your points of view, limiting your vision, and numbing your feelings?
- How do you experience the potter’s touch, the artist’s touch, the creator’s touch?
- If you had to make a quick pencil drawing of the present “work of art” that is you what would it look like?
(Philip Chircop, SJ)
Have a great week. Hang in there with Lent...and remember, Lent is More... It's all about know God's love and compassion, forgiveness and grace more and more and more.
Peace friends.
Alice MN
An on campus Retreat Opportunity...again, for busy people
A Lenten Experience of the Sacred and The Mysteries of Life
· What gives us hope?
· What saps the life out of us?
· How does kinship with others help us
do more than survive?
Three Mondays in March 2015
March 2 @ RIT - Jones Chapel
March 9 @ RIT – Jones Chapel
March 16 @ RIT – Jones Chapel
Noon – 1 p.m.
will be the facilitators for the retreat.
RIT RELAY FOR LIFE - Newman Catholic Community Team!
Join the fun...
We have had three generous people offer to help us put this team together. Two are offering help with the $10. registration fees, one is offering matching monies for what we raise! Come along, it will be a great time!
The Relay for Life is an all night event 6 pm - 6 am to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Games, activities and food for participants. Team members will walk around the field house throughout the night (but you don't have to walk all night...you walk as long as you want to walk) while at the same time participating in activities and games and other such nonsense! It's fun! It's big (hundreds of people) and it is for a good cause!
Relay for Life is a global event sponsoredby the American Cancer Society. Cities all over the world host a Relay for Life event during the Spring and Summer. This fundraiser is an organized walk that can last up 24 hours. Members of the team walk around the track during the fundraiser, in addition, there are activities, food, and a great atmosphere to make it fun-filled and entertaining event. The RIT Relay this year is a 12 hour event from 6 pm- 6 am on April 11th in the Gordon Field House. The goal of RIT Relay is 50,000 dollars and this money goes to American Cancer Society for research on cancer and to support cancer patients in many ways.
To sign up and find out more information, go to:
If you are hesitant to join the team, no worries...the Newman community will sponsor some fund raising events to raise money for our team. We can work on this one together! Join the fun and bring a friend.
Do you know anything about marketing? Are you looking for a short term project?
Sr. Jackie called a few weeks ago looking for someone to help put together a brochure for the wood shop. Erin Gabreski offered and met with Sr. Jackie. They determined they need someone to help with marketing. This brochure will be used to advertise the wood shop as well as be used with potential donors to the organization.
Might you be interested in a short term project? You can find out more by emailing Alice amncpm@rit.edu or Erin exg4697@rit.edu
Thanks for considering this project!
Communion Service - Tuesday, March 10th at noon in the Jones Chapel
Looking for another way to slow down a bit during the season of Lent? Deacon Phil offers a communion service once a month at noon. It lasts about 20 minutes and offers a chance in the middle of the day to stop and focus on our relationship with God. Take a few moments and breathe in God's love!
Do you know anything about marketing? Are you looking for a short term volunteer project?
The wood shop is looking to put together a brochure and a marketing plan to share with potential donors to the wood shop. Erin Gabreski has offered to help with the brochure and after a meeting with Sr. Jackie it was determined that we need someone who might know something about marketing. ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Email Alice amncpm@rit.edu or Erin exg4697@rit.edu for more information.
Scripture Reflection continues!
Interested in praying the Rosary?
Don't know how to pray the rosary? That is ok, we will have some rosaries and booklets for those who need a refresher or would like to start from the beginning.
Think about stopping by for a few minutes of quiet before the evening gets underway.