Mission to
Magadan
Preaching the Gospel in Far East Russia
October 2009 Newsletter
Mission to Magadan Counsels Pregnant Women
A great victory comes as the Parish of the Nativity of Jesus is, for the first time, allowed to send counselors to the Magadan Women's Center to encourage life-giving alternatives for pregnant women.
Pro-Life work in Russia is especially challenging where abortion as birth control is a cultural norm. Women who are unmarried, desperate and poor often seek abortion because there is very little education offered about the life they carry. Mistrust of the Church and others offering pro-life counseling kept us out of places like the Magadan Women’s Center. Now we have a new opportunity to save lives.
Praise be to God to provide us this victory! Thanks to you and your prayers and support, we can help these women keep their babies and offer them help to be successful mothers.
Father Michael Shields Invites You to Join Him in Prayer & Fasting
It is the year of the priest and I especially thank you, the friends of the Mission to Magadan. The Holy Father sent a message to the priests on retreat and encouraged all priests to contemplate the grandeur of their vocation. The Holy Father said “A priest is a man of the divine Word and of all things holy and, today more than ever, he must be a man of joy and hope. To those who cannot conceive that God is pure Love, he will affirm that life is worthy to be lived and that Christ gives it its full meaning because He loves all humankind.” Pope Benedict asked priests to reflect upon “the large number of Masses you celebrate or will celebrate, each time making Christ truly present at the altar. Think of the numerous absolutions you have given and will give, freeing sinners from their burdens. Thus you may perceive the infinite fruitfulness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Your hands and lips become, for a single instant, the hands and lips of God.”
I have joined my Jesu Caritas brothers to offer Fridays, the day of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for the redemption of the world, as a fast day for priests to be healed, renewed and to know the grandeur of their vocation. I am privileged to find this truth here in Magadan. I have found a priesthood that rejects clericalism and secularism. I have found a priesthood where the Eucharist is central and spiritual fatherhood is a daily joy. I am a priest for life to understand the phrase-forever a priest and battling for life to be respected in all stages. Mostly I have found that the suffering of the people here in Russia has given me deeper prayer, greater hope, and greater surrender as a priest. I know that I can do nothing apart from Him.
Let’s pray together for your priests in your parishes and communities. Often they are overworked and under “prayed”. If all the friends of the Mission to Magadan would join me on Fridays during this year, and fast if you can, but mostly offer Fridays as a day for priests it would be a great gift to me personally. I really appreciate your letters and your requests for prayers. Let’s pray this year for a great renewal in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. If we can worship Jesus Christ here in the midst of the former prison camps, then there can be hope and life anywhere. Bless you and thank you for your kind support and prayers.
REFLECTIONS WHILE PLANTING POTATOES IN MAGADAN
By Sister Jean Marie Williams
June is potato planting time in Magadan. The snow has melted and the ground is dry enough for planting the seed potatoes. Like others in Magadan, the staff from the Parish of the Nativity headed to the field by Fr. Michael’s dacha to plant potatoes for the use of the parish and the needs of others.
I had the opportunity to participate in this spring ritual. Through it I learned much about the special needs of the potato. This got me to thinking about God special care for us. Here are some of my “potato” reflections.
June is potato planting time in Magadan so the staff from the Parish of the Nativity headed to the field to plant potatoes for the parish and the needs of others. Here are some of my “potato” reflections.
- It only takes a small potato or piece of one, when properly planted, to grow 2 to 20 new potatoes.
I am just one person, Lord. Use me as you see fit to work your will in my life and in the life of others.
- Soil must be loosened and free of weeds.
Jesus, you opened your hands to receive the nails of the cross, trusting that your “Abba” will bring life from death. Take away my fear of failure and open my heart to your action in my life.
- Don’t clear all the stones from the soil. Small to medium size stones heat up during the day and keep the growing potatoes warm if the nights turn suddenly cold.
Almighty and Holy One, I want to run away from obstacles, fears and failures in my life. Help me to embrace them and learn from them knowing your Spirit will always be my light and strength.
- Harvest when the plants are yellow but before the first hard frost, usually in mid-September.
Lord of the harvest, you have established a time for everything under Heaven. I trust that you will bring to fruition that which you have begun in me. Help me to be faithful to the path you have laid out for me.
- If you have potatoes, you will not be hungry in winter.
If I have a relationship with you God, I can weather any storm on my way to my eternal home.
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Thank you for your continuing prayer and support of the Mission to Magadan. Through your prayers and generosity, Fr. Mike and the people of the parish work with you to provide vital ministries to the people of Far East Russia.
