Developing
friendships through the Council of Catholic Women
by Mary Karnitz
Who are your friends? What
makes a good friend? Can you remember your best friend from your youth? Can you still put a face on your best friend
from your high school or college years? Perhaps those people are still part of
your life. Perhaps friends have come and
gone, each new one bringing something to your life that is completely
unexpected.
Good friends are a blessing
from God; there is no doubt about that.
To have someone with whom you can share your apprehensions, joys, and
difficulties in life is priceless. To
have someone listen to you, who is also someone you enjoy listening to is a
gift from God. Friends will receive
without taking and will give without demanding.
We love our friends, not because we have to but because we want to.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spoke about our friendship with Jesus, during his
homily at the opening Mass of the conclave that eventually elected him our Holy
Father, Benedict XVI:
"A faith which is deeply
rooted in friendship with Jesus is adult and mature. It is this friendship
which opens us up to all that is good and gives us the knowledge to judge true
from false and deceit from truth…The Lord addresses to us these wonderful
words: "I no longer call you
slaves…I have called you friends."
Friendship is fundamental to
the Council of Catholic Women. Sustained
by this friendship in our lives with each other, our
bishop, pastors, and pastoral administrators - who we support and who support
us - we have the opportunity to bring to one another the gift of friendship
with Jesus.
During the month of March,
let us unite ourselves in friendship at the Council of Catholic Women Spring
Gatherings to be held throughout the six regions in the diocese. We will be
nourished spiritually as well as physically with the holy sacrifice of the Mass
and an appetizing meal. The common topic of the Gatherings is dedicated to
promoting an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The film
Fishers of Men will be viewed and participants will have the opportunity to
listen to an inspiring guest speaker on said topic. All are encouraged to
attend.
Mary Karnitz is a member of St. Mary parish in New