Year: 2016

By Barb Arland-Fye
Editor

Their Christmas memories moved me deeply: a dying mom’s gift to her daughter, a memorable “Silent Night” sung by troops 10,000 miles away from home, an orphan’s introduction to baby Jesus. The Catholic Mess­en­ger’s request for readers to share Christmas memories generated poignant stories of the incarnation of love, hope and peace (see Pages 6-8).

Pop singer Faith Hill sings longingly, “Where are you Christmas?” The answer can be found in stories like these, that readers shared and that reaffirm the meaning of Christmas, a love generous in self-giving and ultimately focused on our relationship with God.

A lump forms in my throat when I read Lou Ann Montgomery’s description of walking into her mother’s home and finding the nativity set that the dying woman had managed to get for her daughter. It is the first decoration that goes up every year at Christmas in the Montgomery household, a wonderful reminder of a mother’s sacrificial love.

Dale Banowetz writes of singing “Silent Night” with thousands of troops far from home, knowing that they would not be home for Christmas and would more likely sleep in heavenly peace only in their dreams. “I am still moved every time I sing Silent Night,” the veteran says.

He asks us to remember all of the troops who are away from home this Christmas. I would like to add that we also remember the millions of children, women and men around the world who will not sleep in heavenly peace because of war, animosity and intolerance.

Teresa Mottet recalls her first Christmas as a widow missing Francis, her husband of 61 years. He died in August 2009 and that December she had a crazy dream in which she could hear “our song” being played. Francis purchased the recording of “Have I told you lately that I love you?” the Christmas before they were married. What a wonderful moment of experiencing God’s love and reassurance!

Bonnie Goedken recalled a long ago Christmas when she got to sneak up to her mother’s hospital room in the obstetrics ward. Her mother had given birth after midnight on Christmas and 4-year-old Bonnie was delighted to be able to see her mom on that doubly special day.

Interspersed with the Christmas memories are winning entries from our annual Christmas Card Contest. My staff leaves me out of the selection process until the very end because I think every entry is a winner.

Unfortunately, we can’t squeeze 700-plus entries into the newspaper or reproduce each one for the website. I would like to express my gratitude to each and every artist who submitted an entry, including the one who wrote “CHRISTmas” on his drawing. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to place the emphasis on Christ when we say or write the word “Christmas.”

The artwork that the students created and the memories that adults shared with The Catholic Messenger provide inspiration for me in celebrating anew the gift of God’s son, entering into our humanity. Jesus’ arrival as a fragile infant reminds us that all gifts of love require nurturing relationships on which to grow and build. We continue to unwrap this gift, the promise of our salvation, only when we share love with one another.

(Contact Editor Barb Arland-Fye@arland-fye@davenportdiocese.org)

By Lindsay Steele
The Catholic Messenger

KEOTA — In a few weeks, new college graduate Maggie VanRoekel will head to Bolivia to help provide educational opportunities to marginalized citizens. As a volunteer with Franciscan Mission Services, she will spend two years living in solidarity with students at Unidad Academica Campesina in Carmen Pampa, teaching English and participating in ministerial work.

Through her missionary work, she hopes to help students learn skills they can take back to their rural communities to help those communities flourish. “The biggest thing is that there is an (emphasis) on living simply in solidarity with people living on the margins,” said VanRoekel, 22.

A member of Holy Trinity Parish in Keota, she said she felt the mission bug early on in life. She saw family members, including her grandfather, Deacon David Reha, serve the church. VanRoekel took advantage of opportunities to do short-term mission work, which further solidified her desire to serve in a missionary role.

Faith, however, was the biggest inspiration. “Christ provided us with the ultimate example of what it means to live among those experiencing poverty, homelessness, sickness and with those who are marginalized for any reason.”

Feeling a call to serve internationally, she began looking into different programs as an undergrad at the University of Iowa, and spent time in prayer. She realized she wanted to serve in a faith-based program and decided that Franciscan Mission Services (FMS) would be a great fit.

“It’s a smaller program, meaning that I have more of a sense of connection with the people here and will have a lot of support in the U.S. when I am overseas,” she said.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health science in May and began her training in Washington, D.C., at the end of August. Formation class topics include Franciscan tradition, cross-cultural living, spiritual development and community living. “So far, we have learned about different forms of prayer, Franciscan spirituality, liturgy, Catholic social teaching and much more.”

In mid-January, VanRoekel will leave for Bolivia, a South American country which has struggled with political and economic instability and a high incidence of disease and lower life expectancy, according to the Library of Congress. At Carmen Pampa, she will join another FMS missioner and live in community with a few volunteers from other programs. She doesn’t know what her specific ministries will entail, but she will be able to practice “a ministry of presence. I will be able to listen to the struggles and joys of the students and embrace them as they work toward their futures.”

VanRoekel said the Unidad Academica Campesina students are mostly first-generation college students from rural communities with limited economic resources. Students can study areas such as agriculture, education or nursing.

To pay for her training and expenses, VanRoekel is in the process of raising $16,000. She’s received about half of the donations she needs; the Diocese of Davenport’s Volunteer Program helped by offering a grant. Persons interested in donating or becoming prayer partners can visit franciscanmissionservice.org/
profile/mvanroekel.

VanRoekel feels fortunate to have the opportunity to head to Bolivia. “The Catholic Church teaches the dignity and value of the human life; the opportunity to work for social justice on mission is a blessing.”