Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Heart Gallery Philadelphia


Heart Gallery

Every child deserves a loving home...


In our city, hundreds of foster children long for nothing else. Heart Gallery Philadelphia, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Department of Human Services is working hard to brind these children closer to that dream. To achieve that goal, professional photographers have volunteered their time and talent to create beautiful and compelling portraits of the city's foster children. Our mission - to raise adoption awareness, and what better way than by giving "voice" to the many children in need of a "forever" family. Ultimately, our hope is that loving, prospective parents will be moved to make room in their hearts and their homes for these incredible children.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND AN EXHIBIT OF HEART GALLERY PHILADELPHIA AT

PLYMOUTH MEETING MALL
Lower Level - Boscov's Court
500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
Saturday, April 24th 2010 from 6:30-8:30pm
The Exhibit will be on display until June 4th, 2010


The opening reception features professional singer, Teresa Byrons performing selections from Broadway and Disney shows and keynote speaker Ron Sider, founder of Evangelicals for Social Action. The evening will include magic and entertainment for children and refreshments, provided by mall vendors, for all.

Sponsored by Epiphany House
For more information contact:
Regina Raiford 610-812-9242 - rraiford@yahoo.com
Donna Wyche 215-683-6086 - donna.l.wyche@phila.gov

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Peace and Pain

"Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” - John 20 "Peace be with you"... Peace is what we all long for, deep down. Often we imagine it lies on some white sandy shore or on the winning side of a Powerball ticket. But ironically, peace is often found not in the absence of sorrows and responsibilities but in the quiet acceptance of them. So often, it's in the still center, the eye of the storm, where there is peace. The story of Thomas above is a powerful reminder of this truth. Jesus returns. He is glorious, alive, healed. But he has scars. Good Friday cannot be separated from Easter Sunday. Incidentally, it's been said that there is only one man-made thing in Heaven: Christ's wounds. What a sobering thought. Christians are not living in a fantasy world. Dreaming up pipe dreams. Walks through rose gardens. In the immortal words of Guns 'n Roses, we know that "every rose has its thorn..." Unconditional Love, the force that Jesus unleashed upon the world by his life and death, is a curious mix of pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow. So even in the midst of that first Easter, that shockingly beautiful, scandalously incredible, dream of all dreams miracle of the Master's return from Death, there was death's reminder. Scarred hands. A pierced and open side. So let's not deceive ourselves. Love is pain. Love hurts. Peace has a price. Without this wound of Love could we ever peer in and behold the very real, beating and pleading Heart of our incarnate God?

Friday, April 09, 2010

The Coffee Song!

We had a little celebration a while back for our dear friend Fr. Kevin, who after several years as a diocesan priest in Philadelphia has heard the call within a call: he's joining the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal! Fr. Kevin's gifts are many, and this little ditty is just a taste of his talent for making the ordinary extraordinary.... the much loved "Coffee Song"!! ....But remember, you heard it here first!

Talking to Your Little Ones About the Big Topic of Sex

A much repeated sentence we hear at our Theology of the Body retreats and courses is "I wish I heard this when I was younger!" ...