April 16, 2025 “You going to work for the diocese changed both of our lives.” My son, Jake, shared that reflection with me over dinner recently. I didn’t have to ask what he meant. If I didn’t work for the diocese and wasn’t so familiar with the people involved, I’m not sure I would’ve felt comfortable sending 12-year-old Jake, a kid who didn’t advocate for himself well, to Camp Guggenheim. Jake found a home at camp. That experience gave him the confidence to participate in other youth ministry programs – youth rally, Diocesan Youth Council, leadership weekends. He’s made friends through camp and those programs. He’s developed the advocacy skills he lacked at age 12. He’s grown in his love of Christ. He’s found opportunities to develop his writing and photography skills (he’s written an article and submitted photos for this paper, and that gave him the experience and confidence to submit articles and photos to our local secular newspaper). And he sees where it changed my life, too. Since taking this job back in 2018, I’ve become much more comfortable talking about Jesus and talking about my faith. Because I write this column, I’m always on the lookout for where God is working in my life, and I see God in the world more than I ever have before. I’ve made friends who support and love when I’m struggling and who give me the gift of sharing their struggles with me and allowing me to support and love them. Every day, I’m excited to go work in a place where I am loved and valued not for what I contribute but because I’m a beloved child of God, complete with talents, experience, creativity, struggles and sinfulness. It really changed everything, and we’re grateful to God for that. It’s fitting that I’ve had Jake’s comment on my mind this week. The events we commemorate and celebrate this week changed everything for us. We celebrate and remember the gift of the Eucharist, the call to service, the suffering our Lord endured on our behalf and the time in the tomb. Then, the biggest celebration of all, we celebrate the resurrection and our Lord defeating sin and death to bring us all life eternal. We, the staff and contributors of the North Country Catholic, wish you all a blessed and happy Holy Week and Easter. It changed everything for us, and we’re grateful to God for that. |
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