FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT NEWSLETTER Volume 1: Issue 9 October 2019 Another meditation I saw re- cently put forth this same practical approach to the command to love. “ What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sor- rows of humankind. That is what love looks like. ” I think that the Evangelist would be happy with us if we strive to “ abide in His love ” in our day to day life. Msg Al Monsignors Corner This story is told about St. John the Evangelist and his congregation. Someone questioned the Evangelist about his epistles always speaking about love and asked when he would write about something else. He is pur- ported to have said that he would change the topic when they learned how to live the command to love. Sometimes this might seem to wear us down as we maybe strive to live this ideal of perfect love. Jesus loved per- fectly and He has in one sense set the bar. But striving for perfect love can sometimes make us feel like we are failing in this command and this is when I take great comfort in this quote. Pope John Paul I: “ Commonplace love, often it is the only kind possi- ble. To help others as best you can, to avoid losing your temper, to be un- derstanding, is loving your neighbor in a practical way. ” One doesn ’ t have to be a martyr to love as a disciple.
Transcript
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT NEWSLETTER
Volume 1: Issue 9 October 2019
Another meditation I saw re-
cently put forth this same practical
approach to the command to love.
“What does love look like? It has
hands to help others. It has the feet
to hasten to the poor and needy. It
has eyes to see misery and want. It
has ears to hear the sighs and sor-
rows of humankind. That is what
love looks like.”
I think that the Evangelist would be
happy with us if we strive to “abide
in His love” in our day to day life.
Msg Al
Monsignors Corner
This story is told about St. John
the Evangelist and his congregation.
Someone questioned the Evangelist
about his epistles always speaking
about love and asked when he would
write about something else. He is pur-
ported to have said that he would
change the topic when they learned
how to live the command to love.
Sometimes this might seem to wear
us down as we maybe strive to live this
ideal of perfect love. Jesus loved per-
fectly and He has in one sense set the
bar. But striving for perfect love can
sometimes make us feel like we are
failing in this command and this is
when I take great comfort in this
quote.
Pope John Paul I: “Commonplace
love, often it is the only kind possi-
ble. To help others as best you can,
to avoid losing your temper, to be un-
derstanding, is loving your neighbor
in a practical way.” One doesn’t have
to be a martyr to love as a disciple.
2
Ministry of the Month
The October ministry in our corner of the
world is a fun one. I say it is fun, but it is so
much more than fun The Blue Knights/
Little Flowers are both kids and parents
working together to learn more about their
faith, as well as working to benefit our com-
munity.
Main pooh bah JJ Salts informs me the idea
was generated in a group meeting at the
downtown Basilica. JJ, along with Renee
Webster, and Lori Cunningham adapted
the downtown version as Holy Spirit Cath-
olic Church’s very own. The whole idea is
to supplement the CCD program with em-
phasis on learning such important topics as
the Virtues, the Saints, and also doing com-
munity service. Throw in some good fel-
lowship time, too.
The Blue Knights are the male version of
this ministry- engaging boys from 5 up to
11 years of age along with their parents.
These gallant knights have fun while mak-
ing craft items and learning about male
saints. Remember that Lenten Cross in our
narthex awhile back? Turns out the Blue
Knights turned our old Christmas trees into
the Cross for the Lenten season.
Thank you, Blue Knights.
The Little Flowers part of this ministry
encompasses girls from 5 years of age up
to high school seniors.
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Continued….
Those 12 and up are like Little Women – remember that book? The girls learn basic
tasks like cooking with a cup of virtues like Fortitude and with a dash of lives of female
saints.
Both groups are learning the value of community service with special emphasis on
the Home Place, their adopted charity. The Blue Knights/Little Flowers collect money by
selling candy to benefit the Home Place.
Also, the group loves to help out at the Soddy Daisy Health Care facility. The in-
teraction starts with the young people delivering Valentines provided by the Knights of
Columbus and Easter Baskets put together by St Vincent de Paul. The health care resi-
dents love interacting with the Blue Knights/ Little Flowers.
The benefits are a mutual: the appreciation of the residents for their gifts and espe-
cially their couriers, and the kids learn the benefit of serving others. It’s truly a win-win
for all.
Coordinator J J Salts tells me that presently 9 families along with helpers Dave and Wen-
dy Laudone make up the group. They meet once a month, and are always looking for
more folks, too. So, if you are a parent of a boy or girl 5 years or older, give JJ Salts a call
at (808) 927-4478. She would love to hear from you. cd
More Pictures next page!!
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Blue Knights and Little
Flowers
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Spotlight On Bob and Anh Greuter
Okay folks, batten down your hatches if ya got ‘em, and prepare for some-
thing different from this cub newsletter reporter. You know my mission is to
highlight people in our parish and talk about backgrounds, kids, grandkids,
and the like. Yeah verily, times are a changing. This month’s report is about
two of our favorite people, yes, two. Think of it as a double-header.
Would like you to meet Bob and Anh Greuter: married forty-eight years
come January, it started for them in Saigon, Vietnam, yeah that Vietnam, where
a Spec. 4 guy running the military Post Office, took notice of the beautiful Viet-
namese lass running the PX next door. Bob soon found he did not understand
the meaning of the “no” part of Anh’s “no dating GIs” mantra and finally wore
her down. The rest is history.
A brief view of that history is Bob mustered out back to New Jersey,
all alone, except for his family of 2 brothers, a sister, and parents. Joy
abounded when Anh, bless her intelligent soul, garnered a scholarship to War-
ren Wilson college in North Carolina where they generated a successful travel
and meet whenever they could. College behind them, Bob, was a Sales Engi-
neer, and Anh, a Social Worker and interpreter working for Catholic Charities
in the US when Vietnam fell. We all remember that. Daughter Kim arrived,
and yadda yadda work goes on then they both retired about ten years back.
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Continued the Grueters…….
But along the way, Anh has helped nearly one -thousand Vietnamese,
Cambodian, and Laotian legal immigrants gain meaningful jobs, education,
and a relatively seamless entry into the American way of life. She has help
people from ages 92 to infants as well as ten family members who now live
in 5 different states. (one of them is a doctor).
Her greatest joy has been to help others assimilate into our culture
and follow them as their children become doctors, lawyers, and other as-
sets to country. She also has great pride in bringing her sisters here, so
that the family is within reach. Incidentally, Bob was National Sales Di-
rector for U.S. Pipe at one point before working for Mueller Company.
Can you imagine having the huge cultural and language issues piled
on top of ordinary day-to-day marriage problems we have all had to
work our way through? Wow. Bob and Anh follow their dreams traveling
almost incessantly, and they are not even close to being finished. If
you happen to see them in New Zealand, Alaska, or Vietnam, they are ei-
ther coming or going to help others as they have done all their lives. jd
Refugees
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GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS
The good news is:
Cecy Dunning is retiring from her position as Liturgical Scheduler .
The bad news is:
Cecy Dunning is retiring from her position as Liturgical Scheduler.
More good news is that anyone interested in becoming Liturgical Scheduler can get in-
volved. Want information on becoming the Liturgical Scheduler?
Please contact either Cecy at (423) 332- 3520 or Parish Council member,
Dr. Jim O’Connell at (423) 304-8271.
The perks are great – helping our terrific parish, meeting wonderful people, comfortably
working from home at computer and phone.
Hours are flexible – whatever and whenever you want.
Inspiration provided by the Holy Spirit.
*Training also provided.
Our Purpose: to foster communication and connectedness in a close, inviting spiritual community at HSCC.
