The time of waiting is now upon us with Advent and Christmas. At Sanctuary of Hope we
await the glorious coming of the Lord. One of our community members says that we will
all go up to Heaven together from this Mount on which we reside. But before we meet Jesus
and all His friends in the Kingdom, we have work to do.
It is our desire that people who come to visit our prayer center will be healed of any wounds
and bondages that prevent them from knowing deep peace and love in their being.
As Bernadine Asher says: “If I really know that I’m loved, I can do anything.”
This, to me, is why Jesus came to earth, became flesh and dwelt among us.
I also read in a comic strip that men and women have no problem trying
to be God, but find it difficult to believe that God became man. Wow!
The whole healing process by which wounds are healed and bondage is destroyed by the truth,
is governed by knowing one is loved. Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is not to love,
but rather to let another love me. At Sanctuary of Hope our work is to provide a place for
anyone who needs to discover that another loves them. God does! And it could also be
themselves, or someone very significant to them in life. Even more important, the other
who loves them needs to be someone by whom they want to be loved. This is where a
person’s freedom is involved. We may think we know the right lover for someone but our
opinion may be far from the truth for another individual.
So we encourage people to take time and spend it with the Lord. The Holy Spirit, who
overshadowed Mary at the Incarnation of Jesus, will reveal this Lover to them. There is
no greater joy than when one sees for oneself who it is that truly holds them dear.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him...it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them
in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one
who raises an infant to his cheeks; Yet, though I stooped to feed my child, they did not
know that I was their healer.” (Hosea 11: 1-4)
May this healer, who is always able, touch each one of you at this holy Christmas time.
Be assured of the prayers and loving actions from all of us at Sanctuary of Hope Family.
We, the Live-ins, Sr. Mary Eugenia Floersch, SCL, Bernadine Asher and myself thank each
one of you for loving us and for all your generosity to us and the people who come to SOH.
Love and Prayers, Fr. Dennis Wait, your brother.
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s we begin to prepare for the great feast of Christmas, we wish to thank
our Associates for their many hours of loving service and prayer given
to our community of Sanctuary of Hope.
Being an Associate of Sanctuary of Hope requires one to pray
for the community, contribute time, talent and treasure to
Sanctuary of Hope and to help the Brothers and Sisters of Peace
(the live-ins) fulfill their ministry. By promising to do this, we become
the Brothers and Sisters of Hope for Sanctuary of Hope.
Therefore, we wish to set aside Saturday, December 19, 1998 for a
Commissioning Ceremony of all who have taken these vows. Attending
Associates will be presented with the Franciscan Cross of the Brothers
and Sisters of Hope. They will be asked to live the spirituality of
Saint Francis of Assisi: “to walk humbly with Jesus.” The ceremony
will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel.
We ask that, at future gatherings, you wear your Cross as a symbol of
unity with Christ and our brothers and sisters of Sanctuary of Hope.
God bless you!
Gratefully,
Willie Etta Jennings and Donna Cermak
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Sanctuary of Hope Sponsors Numerous Events in 1998
-- by Bernadine Asher
Beginning very early in life, all of us suffer some hurts and rejections from our families, peers,
teachers, spouses, church or society in general. The Lord wants us freed from these hurts so
we can live life fully and happily. Unresolved hurts, while seemingly buried, affect everything
we think, do and say. We cannot remain a prisoner of the past and still be happy. Through
prayer God can heal our hurts and a deep peace can be achieved and forgiveness
can be a reality.
Pope John II said recently that people need a healing of memories so that past hurts cannot
come back. “Peace and forgiveness go together as an inseparable pair,” he said. The
Sanctuary of Hope mission statement commits to the healing of the whole person and
continues the tradition of healing started in 1896 at the Grand View Sanitarium and
continued in the 1940’s at Mt. Joseph Home for the elderly.
A Healing of Memories retreat will be conducted on Saturday, December 5th.
Registration begins at 9:30 AM and a light lunch will be served at 11:30 AM.
A free will offering will be taken to support the SOH ministries.
Other events conducted during the year:
1. HIV/AIDS retreat for sufferers and families and a monthly prayer support group.
2. DAY AWAY for KCKS emergency assistance personnel.
3. CURE’ of ARS elementary school faculty retreat.
4. BI-POLAR illness retreat and prayer group.
5. CAMPFIRE VESPERS for Boy Scouts and high school youth retreats and work days.
6. SENIORS day of reflection.
7. YATES CENTER battered women and children field day.
8. SOH PRAYER day each Tuesday morning is open to all.
9. RECOVERY PLUS monthly prayer group.
10. DECEASED loved ones masses.
11. ANNIVERSARY vespers services
12. R&R overnight service for individuals
13. FAITH AWARENESS small group faith sharing.
Beginning in November we hold monthly luncheons with inner-city pastors.
By these meetings we encourage them to refer those of their flock who can
benefit from visiting us by giving them reasons to be confident in using our services.
Perhaps God is drawing you to participate in the December 5th Healing of Memories
or another of these regular meetings and/or retreats.
Call us anytime at 321-HOPE (4673).
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>
Dan Haake says:
“Don’t be reluctant to take income tax deductions
for your charitable gifts. Congress wanted to
encourage your giving when it wrote the law.
Giving to charity is the American way.”
When you make a pledge to Sanctuary of Hope
try to visualize what your money will accomplish.
For example: $25 dollars a month would make
you the person who is paying for the printing
of one issue of this newsletter.
A $20 dollar a month pledge is enough to pay
for its mailing. For $15 a month you would
have paid this year’s legal fees and for $10
almost 5 people could have overnight retreats.
Whatever the level of your capability
to give, there are benefits that translate
directly into services for the people
of the inner city.
Your generosity is important to us!
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Sanctuary of Hope
