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BarbTherese

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St Vincent de Paul Society

...in my parish...

Just back from our parish SVP Monthly Meeting.  We are the practical hands-on outreach of the parish for assistance to those in need in our area, no matter creed, nor colour, nor anything else.  The St. Vincent de Paul Society is also a process of formation and is an integral and important part of parish life.

I've been a volunteer member for over 5 years now.  Initially in Head Office for over 2 years on the emergency assistance phone line and data entry -  and now in my parish with a more hands on face to face role with those in need.  I am the Minute Secretary besides other typing etc. needs for our Conference (the term for SVP parish volunteer groups).  Having given up ironing, I have also been given the role of research and submissions for formation in the Spiritual Reflection section of monthly meetings.  Also from now on every Tuesday and Friday I will be going out on visits to clients in need.  Through the year, we have "Badge Days" in local shopping centres where we hold St Vinnies tins for donations from the general public.  The general public are always astoundingly generous with St Vinnies as soon as they sight our banner near collection points.  Now and then other needs of our Conference may crop up.  Each of us goes wherever needed and wherever possible.

In 2016 for the first time, members of St Vinnies in our parish were given a special blessing and commissioning by our parish priest at a Sunday Mass immediately after the Feast of St Vincent de Paul on 27th September.

In Vocations Forum, I have rather often read of the sense of arriving home and being at Peace in a certain community.  That is the way I feel about St Vinnies in our parish.  I am where I belong just now.  What a wonderful bunch of people they are (10 - 12 each Meeting) - no airs or graces, the essence of simplicity and gentleness, genuine concern for those in need and always ready to go above and beyond any call of duty.  They have wonderful senses of humour - the funny and the absurd.  They are committed and faithful, very humble, people of great Joy.  They love to celebrate and have 'a drop' now and then.  St Vinnies and Bethany are partners in the spirit. They speak to each other.

Thank you, Lord, I am where I belong just now, please grant me faithfulness -

Laudate Dominum

............the unfolding journey.............

Edit: In the celibate lay vocation and in my case specifically under private vows to the evangelical counsels (Chastity, Poverty and Obedience as laid out in the Rule of Life for Bethany), one remains fully open to - and at the disposal of - The Divine Will of God to go and to be wherever and whenever one might be called by The Lord to go and to be.

Edited by BarbaraTherese
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IF

If there is a general call to holiness and if holiness is for everyone (with no "if" about it :rolleyes:) - it not only includes priests and those in the consecrated life, it includes the married and the lay celibate, it includes those disabled and those suffering mental illness.  It includes the addicted and the homeless, the criminal and the outcasts.  It includes the foreigner, the stranger and the familiar.  The call involves all no matter colour nor creed nor anything at all.   The urgent call to holiness includes all with absolutely no one excluded.  It includes me and it includes you .....

..... not so much no matter any and all circumstances in life, it is rather because of the great variety of human circumstances positive and negative in which we find ourselves situated in life. It is intrinsic to those many circumstances, a veritable kaleidoscope of human experience,  that the particular, unique and personal path to holiness even to great sanctity, will surely, gently and beckoningly unfold.

Deo Gratius - Laudate Dominum.

1 Kings Chapter 19: "Then the LORD said, "Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;  The LORD will be passing by."

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD - but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake - but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake there was fire - but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.

 

 

THE GALILEE SONG

Deep within my heart, I feel voices whispering to me.
Words that I can’t understand; Meanings I can’t clearly hear!
Calling me to follow close, lest I leave myself behind!
Calling me to walk into evening shadows one more time!

In my memories, I know how you send familiar rains
falling gently on my days, dancing patterns on my pain!
And I need to learn once more in the fortress of my mind,
to believe in falling rain as I travel deserts dry!

As I gaze into the night down the future of my years,
I’m not sure I want to walk past horizons that I know!
But I feel my spirit called like a stirring deep within,
restless, ’til I live again beyond the fears that close me in!

So I leave my boats behind!
Leave them on familiar shores!
Set my heart upon the deep!
Follow you again, my Lord!

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CHAT - TODAY'S PROBLEM

...IS ABSOLUTELY ENOUGH FOR TODAY...

Rather big problem here just now with government welfare authority.  I have put a request into the Prayer Forum - it pretty well sums up the problem at this point.  It is the question of travelling from... A= govt stuff up .......... to B= govt stuff up resolved.... 

 

It is the journey from A to B that is the challenge, the headache:rain:.

 

  I can't work out for the life of me how they have reduced my pension to $300 fortnight from $600 fortnight and increased my rent from $103week to $257week.  My foster son resided here for all of two weeks, but he had not a cent income in that period.  Can't get a straight answer to date with Australia Day here tomorrow and a public holiday.  I'll try again Friday - no way can I live and pay my bills on $300 fortnight age pension:lol4:especially with utilities due early February around $700 for the quarter!.........(can't correct bold formatting apologies)

Deo Gratius!

Laudate Dominum in all things.

......Australian Government, you give us below-poverty-level citizens mountains to climb sometimes........

 

 

Daily Reflection - FAMVIN - St Vincent de Paul Society

 
Jan 24, 2017

“It is from prayer that we must expect the light and strength that are indispensable for a veritable renewal;

it is in prayer that we shall discover the particular points toward which

we should direct our efforts.”
                              – Mother Suzanne Guillemin, D.C.

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THE NONVOWED FORM OF THE LAY STATE IN THE

LIFE OF THE CHURCH

http://cdn.theologicalstudies.net/68/68.2/68.2.5.pdf

(This site and the quotations from the above are theological musings or concepts only.  As such, they can be either spot on or the opposite.  In my own (armchair) thinking and fallibility the article is heading in the right direction)


Excerpts:

"The single non vowed Catholic who did not deliberately renounce marriage might examine whether or not Divine Providence placed him or her in the secular single life because his or her gifts could be employed in God’s service more completely there than elsewhere.".......................

_______________________

.........................“The single state lived joyfully for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is a witness confirmed by God that man is essentially more than a mere sexual being and that he is not primarily a sexual being. He is a person in a way that far surpasses the sexual, his personality develops in subordination to the Thou of God and to the Thou of his neighbor, whom he serves for the sake of God.75 For just as marital chastity receives its sincerity from the force of love, so too and still much more does unmarried chastity chosen for the sake of the kingdom of heavenlive out of the riches of an experienced and requited love, out of love of Christ. The person who has not married for the sake of the kingdom of heaven has realized that God is his only love. He is enraptured by the heavenly love which God has given us in Christ.

 

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On ‎25‎/‎01‎/‎2017 at 11:49 PM, BarbaraTherese said:

CHAT - TODAY'S PROBLEM

...IS ABSOLUTELY ENOUGH FOR TODAY...

Rather big problem here just now with government welfare authority.  I have put a request into the Prayer Forum - it pretty well sums up the problem at this point.  It is the question of travelling from... A= govt stuff up .......... to B= govt stuff up resolved.... 

 

It is the journey from A to B that is the challenge, the headache:rain:.

 

  I can't work out for the life of me how they have reduced my pension to $300 fortnight from $600 fortnight and increased my rent from $103week to $257week.  My foster son resided here for all of two weeks, but he had not a cent income in that period.  Can't get a straight answer to date with Australia Day here tomorrow and a public holiday.  I'll try again Friday - no way can I live and pay my bills on $300 fortnight age pension:lol4:especially with utilities due early February around $700 for the quarter!.........(can't correct bold formatting apologies)

Deo Gratius!

Laudate Dominum in all things.

......Australian Government, you give us below-poverty-level citizens mountains to climb sometimes........

 

Rang Housing SA today (government housing authority) Friday 27th January and despite being put through to another person a couple of times, I still do not know why my rent has been increased from $222 to $527 (actual amounts) per fortnight and from 4.2.17 (my foster son left here on 15.1.17 (arrived on 30.12.17) and did not earn one cent while here, and according to the HSA rules, he need only pay rent once he has an income).   Despite that rule, all along during his stay here, I kept Housing SA informed and on their correct form.   I have rung my state member parliament and her office will look into it for me and ring me back later today.  The interesting thing about it all at this point is that it seems I only have a certain number of days to make a complaint about the increase in rent.  And all this stalling around I am getting is lessening those days available to me.

The problem too in getting Mr Google to tell one about HSA Rules, is that you think you know, but are told at some later date that that rule has now been changed to whatever.  But the old rule is not taken off their site and for the life of me with all their sites on the net, I cannot see any date of relevance.  The same can apply to an almost myriad of forms on their sites.   Short of it all - one really has no idea whether one is coming or going not only with Housing SA but Centrelink as well.

Our government (federal and state) are completely paranoid in my book about the poor ripping off the welfare system.  I know that probably some are, but I am not!  If you compare the figures of how much the welfare system is being ripped off with how much big business is deliberately dropping through the loopholes and cracks in our taxation system etc. it is billions for big business lost to taxation etc., and a couple of million if that for welfare cheats.  Yet, it is the poor the government is pursuing with a will, not big business.  What a drag!

I have no argument at all with the government pursuing welfare cheats, but what is happening, we do know, is that many who have not cheated the government and welfare system at all are being sent accounts for money the government says that they owe, but they do not owe it at all.  One caller on talk back radio received a bill from the government (she is a nurse but lost her job and is doing casual work).  The bill was for $1800 and if she did not pay it, it would be put into the hands of debt collectors.  She challenged Centrelink that she owed anything at all.  Centrelink asks her to prove it by bringing in certain documents. She did this.  Centrelink would not accept and she must pay back $1800 that she does not owe at all.  She said she is currently paying the $1800 by fortnightly payments.  She has to really because if the Australian Government sends debt collectors after her, it will dramatically affect negatively her credit status.

Unjust!

(Centrelink is the Australian Government's welfare benefit department)

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum in all things

...........and on we go into the days..............

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I forgot.........

To add insult to injury.  I pay $15 fortnight more than my rent to cover my water bills.  There is always around $200 sitting in credit and if I ring Housing SA, fill out the form they send, I can have a refund of the credit balance either in full or part of it.

So I rang Admin at Housing SA to find out how much I was in credit.  The woman quoted a whole of figures and the result of all that was that Housing SA will be charging me $527 rent (usually $222) on the 4th Feb.  But because my pension for the fortnight will not be paid until the 8th February, Housing SA have confiscated my credit balance (payment to them from 4th Feb to 8th Feb in rent I do not owe!) and the woman tells me that in fact I now owe Housing SA $60 after they confiscate my credit balance.

I am starting to run out of money and my gas and electricity is due early February.  I usually pay them by the due date, meaning I get around $50 discount.  If Housing SA persist in this ridiculous story and how much I owe, I will need to plead poor with my electricity and gas supplier and repay them over a period.  That means that I have lost around $50 as well.

I urgently need more emergency medication.  My doctor will not be in until Monday and I can get an over the counter script for $10, plus taxi fare there and back.

I just rang my psychiatrist who is always encouraging and affirmative.  Her comment was: "It's bizarre!" I said that I agreed; however, my problem is getting from A=Bizarre to B+All resolved and my way(I hope!).  It is the journey between A and B for me that is my challenge.  I have appointments with my psychiatrist on 2nd Feb and also 16 Feb.

Associated with my bipolar condition is a major anxiety problem when under stress.

Oh Lord, we thank you for Your Goodness, Your Divine Providence. Alleluia Amen. :dance:

Please help the human part of me that is going through the ceiling with anxiety!:boink:

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

..........the ups and downs.........the journey of life..........one good thing about a downer is that there is only one place left to go....eventually........

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1 hour ago, NadaTeTurbe said:

When you have material needs like this (housing & co), don't forget to pray Saint Joseph ! 

Thank you very much, Nada.  I am having trouble praying just now other than 'on the run' as I go about whatever I need to go about.  I just can't settle down in one spot to give time to prayer - can't or won't.  I don't really know.  St Joseph is a favourite of mine, thank you very much for the nudge.  I will be praying to St Joseph tonight and making time to do so, no matter what I feel :flowers:

I rang earlier today our president of Vinnies in the parish.  He is also president of Rotary in our area.  I need this week off until this sorts itself out, I hope.  He gave me some great contacts in our state government.  State Government is that of which Housing SA is a department.  The result of that was that my state government contact listened to my story and said he would do some investigating and ring me back.  When he did, he told me he had spoken with the Ministerial Liaison Officer of Housing SA.  That officer will be doing his own investigations and ring me back on Monday.

Tonight, my brother and his wife took me out to dinner in a lovely Chinese Restaurant.

This whole fiasco with Housing SA has to sought itself out because I have done nothing at all wrong, nothing.  I have all my files on the subject in an envelope and have been keeping a journal as well.

What bee is in the bonnet of Housing SA that this has all come about, I have been totally unable to find out.  Now, very thankfully and gratefully, I have a senior staff member in Housing SA looking in to the matter for me.  And both my now contact in state government and the SA Housing Ministerial Liaison officer were easy to talk with and prepared to listen and actually hear my summary of the situation.  Not talk down to me, interrupting me, as if I was a criminal trying to rip off Housing SA.

The problem we poor are having just now with our Australian Government is that welfare clients are being sent bills for money stated as owing to the government.  There has been a big public disturbance about this and it has been made very public.  So the Australian Government has told people that receive these bills to ignore them.........."as there is a bit of a glitch that needs to be addressed" by the government.  The problem has been that with the bills sent out demanding payment there is a statement that if the bill is not paid within a certain time, the government would put the matter in the hands of debt collectors.  Many of those receiving these bills are stating that they do not owe any money at all.

I know from my time in my previous very poor parish and suburb, that most people on welfare benefits of one kind or another have no idea whatsoever how to address an issue they might have with a government department.  I am just blest and very fortunate that our Vinnies president gave me some excellent contacts that led me to the Ministerial Liaison Officer for Housing SA.  I know for a fact that most of those struggling on welfare for one reason or another would have no idea just how to address a demand for some kind of repayment from the government.  In fact, they probably would have no idea what on earth the demand for repayment was all about and simply make arrangements to repay without further questioning - especially probably the elderly in our midst on pensions.......but not only them.

Thank you again, Nada, for the nudge re St. Joseph...........really appreciated............Barb :) 

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum always

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19 hours ago, Lamb said:

I'm so glad you have people getting on your case. Prayers that it keeps working out! :pray:

Thank you, Lamb, especially for the prayers and the good wishes - took up Nada's advice and prayed to St Joseph last night.  What keeps me grounded (perhaps even sane) I think is the knowledge so many in our world suffer far more seriously than a potential injustice.

Still hanging in there, just really dragging my feet to the usual because my chin is down with my feet.  No chin up stoicism here!:sad2:

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum in all things

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Trying again this morning with Housing SA to find out why they are basing rent increase on an amount of $651 they claim Marc received in wages.  Marc received no wages whatsoever while here.  He is paid on 18.1.17 after leaving here. Also later today the government Ministerial Liaison Officer to Housing SA should ring me later today having looked into the matter.

Marc was here from 30.12.16 to 15.1.17 (2 weeks and 3 days) and I have plenty of evidence here of this.  Also according to HSA Regulations, one can have a visitor for 2 weeks before rent is applied according to what they are earning and that means wages actually paid, not anticipated.  Rent then applies after 2 weeks.  Not only that, but my credit balance with HSA has been confiscated and they tell me I owe them an additional $60.  According to what they have sent me, the increased rent does not apply until 4.2.17 - yet they confiscate my credit balance on around 23.1.17.  What I can't work out is if the rent to be taken out of my pay is for a fortnight commencing 8.2.17 or whether it is from 4.2.17and then a fortnight's rent from 8.2.17. 

I just can't get answers! No way can I sit down with a human being via appointment with all this evidence I have.  Only voices on the phone that tell me nothing really.  Other than that, forms to fill out.  Insofar as I know, I have filled out all the right forms at the right time.

Marc has also applied to his agency employer (casual work) for a statement of his hours and earnings between 30.12.16 and 15.1.17 with dates actually paid (not until after he has left here)- as well as his bank statements for the same period.  More evidence.

It is no wonder that people on welfare of some kind get so upset and angry with government departments.

I am seeing my GP this morning for another prescription for emergency PRN medication.  I rarely need this medication, but just now I need it desperately.

Just spoke to HOUSING SA RENT ASSESSMENT and they say they still can't tell me anything, not even where they got that $651 Wages for Marc - and I was advised that on 20.1.17.

If I cannot get justice this morning and neither can the Liaison Officer, I might need a lawyer.

The Lord has reasons and it all will unfold fully eventually; I am hoping my pension on the 8th Feb will be $623 as usual for the fortnight and not $300, my credit balance confiscated and I owe Housing SA $60.

After this is all done and dusted, I just might contact a Current Affair TV program and ask them if they are interested in my story.  Not for my sake, but for those out here floundering not at all understanding what is going on and why their rent is increased and their credit balance confiscated and they still owe money.  Come Holy Spirit.

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

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I register documents for Housing SA on 25.1.17.  I track it and then the Post Office tracks it just as a confirmation for me.  The Documents were delivered to Housing SA at 12.07pm on Friday 27.1.17.  I ring Housing SA around 3pm and they still haven't received them - because they tell me, mail is delivered by courier bag to the different departments and my registered envelope may have missed today's courier bag.  I need to ring back late tomorrow afternoon.

Another problem is that in phoning any government department, the wait is at least 30 mins, no less - never a minute ever less, sometimes more.

Since my mobile has to go in to Optus for repairs and is not working (I am waiting for a courier bag from Optus to pick it up).  I am unable to get into my MyGov account where Centrelink, Medicare and MyAgeCare records are kept because my mobile is a part of the login process and through my mobile I am given a security number which I then enter into my login from my mobile to get into my MyGov Account.  So I ring up (another half hour wait or more) on Saturday MyGov Help Desk.  They set up a new account for me but they cannot transfer MyAgeCare to the new account.  I have to ring up MyAgeCare today (Monday 30.1.17) ... another half hour wait........which I do at 2pm to get MyAgeCare transferred to my new account - I am told.  The HelpDesk tells me what to do and will send me a security code to my new alternative email address.  It is now 4pm and that security code has not arrived.  I can't get into my new MyAgeCare account because it keeps asking for my mobile number so they can send me a security code for login purposes.

MyAgeCare keeps sending me emails to my old email address with them that I have mail in my Inbox.  I can't access them.

I have now been waiting 32mins for the MyAgeCare HelpDesk to answer.  I get an answer, speak to the guy for about 2 mins and then he hangs up on me.

I have been all day since 8.30am on the phone trying to get through to state and federal departments (all asking a wait of at least 30 mins) and the result of it all is that I have got nowhere at all.

This is the absurd to put it mildly.

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum in all things

..........the only thing evil needs to thrive is for good people to do nothing..........

Edited by BarbaraTherese
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Just spoke on the phone with my son in another state - I feel heaps better!  He has summarised the problem with few words, logic and clarity......... and to the point.  He has advised me how to deal with it and to keep him informed.:dance:  The following is from The Divine Office Psalter every week:
 

Quote

 

http://usccb.org/bible/psalms/127

It is vain for you to rise early and put off your rest at night, To eat bread earned by hard toil—all this God gives to his beloved in sleep. Certainly sons are a gift from the LORD, the fruit of the womb, a reward.   Like arrows in the hand of a warriorare the sons born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them.He will never be shamed for he will destroy his foes at the gate.*

 

 

.........I messed up............yet again.......let everything get on top of me and get me down, my son sorted me out, thank You Lord for my son and all Your other Gifts...............  Alleluia Amen..............

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

..........I think I might have found (gifted) calm and serenity once more...........

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THE SAGA & FIASCO CONTINUES

Thanks be to God, I have now been able to get in contact with someone in HousingSA who carries some weight.  I had to drop off some documents at the Housing SA office for her so she can address the situation promptly.  Fortunately, my brother was able to take me there (I have no vehicle).

Also, Michael Butler, Ministerial (government) Liaison Officer to Housing SA rang me after my brother and I get back from dropping off the documents required so my Housing Manager (she had been on holidays) can address the situation promptly and find out what is going on.  Michael was able to access my computer file with Housing SA.  He had a read of my File while I waited - and then told me to ring tomorrow afternoon and he should have some knowledge of what on earth Housing SA were doing re my rent increase.

I feel even better still, knowing I have two important officials looking into things for me - and from what they could pick up from my HousingSA file, wanted to know themselves what on earth was going on. 

Quote

Edit: Since writing this post, the Housing Manager in HousingSA has rung me and the saga and fiasco is now all over.  My rent is now $99 week, not $257 HousingSA had demanded. I will be ringing Michael Butler, Ministerial Liaison Officer to HousingSA tomorrow afternoon even though the whole matter is now over and done with.  I would like to know how on earth it all came about in the first place.

What grieves me is that I know there are people out here, poor people, on some kind of welfare benefit (e.g. age pension, disability pension, unemployment benefits, singe parents etc.) who have no idea whatsoever how to 'put up a fight' when some kind of unjustifiable and completely inaccurate decision is being made against them.

I spoke to my doctor (GP) yesterday about when all is settled going on to one of our TV Current Affairs programs and telling my story to get it out into the public sphere.  She, however, wisely informed me that such a move could be absolutely stressful for me and I have to watch and monitor my bipolar condition if under stress.  She is right.  I am called to put my health first.  But its like I told my brother "If Plan A fails, there is Plan B and if that fails too, if one looks around for it, one will come across Plan C and so on and so forth".  A psychiatrist (Catholic Psychiatrist lectured in our Seminary then) once told me that a winner says that if this doesn't work, then I will try this or this, or that etc.  Whereas a looser will say that if this doesn't work, then nothing will.

When I was a student at Parawest Adult Campus over 7 years ago, I did receive an "Award of Merit for Outstanding Student in Journalism" and in the course of that, we learnt how to write letters to the editor.... what editors looked for in Letters to The Editor.  That will be my move when all this is over and I have settled down completely, back to the norm.  And not just to one newspaper, but a couple of them - but worded differently yet the same story.  Thanks to my studies, I know just how to go about it.

There is more I will eventually possibly, perhaps write here in this thread, but I need be very careful indeed.  As a private secretary to top executives in Adelaide, I knew what big business was up to - and I have many experiences in my past that give me more information on various sectors in our community and their 'doings'.  My girlfriend at one point in the past secured a position with a top ministerial government identity as his secretary.  On our regular lunch dates, we would exchange notes and both of us had a very active social conscience.  We both left our positions in protest.  Not that it did much good, but we did try.

I see my psychiatrist on 2nd Feb, this Thursday and I will be discussing all with her.  When I rang her about the emergency medication etc., I explained to her a summary of what was going on with HousingSA.  Her comment?  "This is bizarre" - and she is right.

All it does take for an evil to thrive is for good people to do nothing at all.

Deo Gratius

Laudate Dominum

.........thank you Lord for hearing the prayers of St Joseph and to @NadaTeTurbe too for suggesting St Joseph........thank You for those who have been my support..........to those officials who have investigated and got this whole saga and fiasco terminated completely.  Thank you Lord for the many channels of Your Graces..........sometimes the most unexpected and even unlikely channels too because neither Our Father, His Son, nor The Holy Spirit, One God, are bigoted snobs.........They know that gold is wherever it is found........

Thank you too, Lord, for @dUSt and Phatmass for tolerating me to be on the site and in this very long thread. 

............journeying on into the days and into the unfoldings...............

 

Edited by BarbaraTherese
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