Greetings Friends,
It gives me immense joy to welcome you to the St. Bakhita Catholic Worker Community. In reflecting on our journey to the verge of opening our home–planned for February 8, St. Bakhita’s feast day–I realize how much we all need reasons to hope. We’ve certainly had our share!
We draw immense hope from the abundant blessings we have received in order to take our first steps toward opening a Catholic Worker community centered on the needs of the trafficked women who are victims of sexual exploitation. Ultimately, the gift of this beautiful home from the Franciscan Capuchins has made our journey possible. We have also been blessed with some generous start-up donations from people who believe in our work. Additionally, we are so joyful about our partnership with the Franciscan Peacemakers. Living in community with their Clare Community members is a blessing indeed and a promise of greater hopes to come.
No doubt the Holy Spirit is gracing us with Her presence, but prayer and work raise our hopes, too! We feel called to live a life of work as we nourish our minds and souls with ample opportunities for prayer, education and retreat. This is the vision of Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin as they both ascribed to the Benedictine call to Ora et Labora (prayer and work).
I hope you will join us often either in person on this blog as we chronicle the doings of our community as we strive to put faith into action. We are all called to be saints—no exceptions! Jesus pretty simply outlined the “how” of this call in the Beatitudes. We can create a much better society if we just take Jesus on his word and live in the hope he promises. Would you agree we really need this right now?
In love and hope,
