MY THREE NEW YEAR GIFTS FOR YOU

A LIST, A PRAYER AND A WISH

THE LIST

THE PRAYER

Saint Francis de Sales 

(1567-1622)

Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life with fear. Rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God to whom you belong will in his love enable you to profit by them. He has guided you thus far in life. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all trials. Whenever you cannot stand, He will carry you lovingly in his arms. 

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. The same Eternal Father who takes care of you today will take care of you tomorrow, and every day of your life. Either He will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. 

Be at peace then, and put aside all useless thoughts, all vain dreads and all anxious imaginations.

THE WISH

MAKE THAT A HAPPY AND HOLY 2016!

MY ANNUAL NEW YEAR'S EVE PERSONAL RETREAT...

...ONLY AN INTROVERT WOULD UNDERSTAND.

LUCY, THE EXTROVERT, TRYING TO HELP LINUS, THE INTROVERT. 

I am really looking forward to another New Year's Eve! After fighting off more than a few invitations to "party hardy," I will again stay home by myself, put on some soft music, turn on my fake fireplace, fix myself some nice hot chocolate, take out my old 2015 journal and read through it with amazement, open my new 2016 journal and begin to imagine with great enthusiasm where I want to take myself (with God's guidance and help) over the next twelve months, probably sleep through the "dropping of the ball"  

....and enjoy it all immensely. 

It occurred to me as I was writing this post  that I probably lie more during the week after Christmas than any other time of the year.  What do I lie about and why do I lie? I lie to get out of going to loud, noisy celebrations to greet the New Year. 
I lie because it is just too much work trying to get extroverts to understand why introverts would choose to be alone at such a time because they enjoy being alone at such a time. 




Before you start pitying me or calling the men in the white coats from Our Lady of Peace, this might be a good time to offer a short course on the difference between an introvert and an extrovert for those who are not familiar with the terms. Warning! Understanding the terms will not necessarily help you understand the people the terms describe! Extroverts and introverts will probably never really understand each other!


NOT ALL APPLY, BUT A PRETTY GOOD TEST






EXTROVERTS and INTROVERTS

A BETTER TEST 

What do you see when you look at this scene?

Does it look like hell or heaven to you? 
If it looks like heaven, you may be an introvert! 

AN INTROVERT'S RESPONSE TO THE MAN ON THE BENCH!






What do you see when you look at this crowd? 
Does it look like heaven or hell to you? 
If it looks like heaven, you may be an extrovert!




AN INTROVERTS RESPONSE TO BEING PART OF SUCH A CROWD!













One amazing fact: introverts and extroverts tend to pity each other so before you extroverts start pitying an introvert like me, let me say this to you: I am happily introverted and so are (were) a lot of pretty famous people.

...and if you think you have to be married to be happy, it might surprise you that.......

Andy, Barney, Aunt Bea, Helen, Ellie, Thelma Lou, Gomer, Goober, Howard Sprague and Ernest T. Bass were all single ..... and happy!

Only introverts probably think this commercial is hilarious!

 
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO US ALL!

All you extroverts*, enjoy your party! 
All you introverts*, enjoy your quiet! 



As the great Roman poet Martial put it, 
"May you want to be who you are!"




*extroverts will probably not understand the humor in this post!
*introverts will probably be laughing their heads off!

A NEW BISHOP - ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT - THE SHOW GOES ON!

A SAD GOODBYE AND A HOPEFUL WELCOME

Over the last year, I have gotten to know Bishop Jason Gordon and have just become comfortable volunteering in his Diocese of Kingstown down in the small island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, off the coast of South America.

In fact, I just returned from my second trip down there on December 15, 2015. For that reason, it was a shock to get an early morning e-mail from Bishop Gordon on December 22, 2015 announcing that Pope Francis had separated his two dioceses and named a new bishop for the Diocese of Kingstown. Bishop Gordon will be staying in Bridgetown, Barbados, as bishop while Bishop-Elect Gerard County will be coming to Kingstown, SVG.

It is a good move for Bishop Jason Gordon because he will no longer have to maintain the untenable position of trying to serve two dioceses in two different countries. For those of us who have come to respect and love him, it is going to be an adjustment, but for the good of the Church, we welcome Bishop Elect County and look forward to working with him as well.

A BISHOP'S PECTORAL CROSS (LEFT), MITRE (MIDDLE) AND RING (RIGHT)

A BISHOP'S CROZIER

Bishop Elect County's Episcopal ordination will be held in the Cathedral of the Assumption, 

in Kingstown, on February 22, 2016.

GOD'S MYSTERIOUS WAYS

I will be attending the episcopal ordination of Bishop-Elect County since I had already purchased a ticket to go back at that time anyway. In any regard, Louisville would have had a visible presence anyway since a good friend of mine (through our R J Mission Projects fund) accidentally purchased a full set of vestments and a matching white mitre that Bishop-Elect County will wear at his episcopal ordination. We originally ordered the set of vestments for Bishop Gordon and his Cathedral, but the mitre was delayed because we did not have Bishop Gordon's head size. Because of this fortunate delay, instead of measuring Bishop Gordon's head, we were able to measure Bishop Elect County's head just in time! He will be wearing the new vestments and mitre at his ordination as a bishop.

"My Christmas Miracle"

Be Careful What You Pray For! 

On my November 11 post, I wrote these words:

"I will continue to do as many priest convocations and retreats as I can, but that won't be enough because I use much of that to pay my own travel and expenses when I go down. I am hoping for a $47,752 miracle so I can order van #2 soon and help bless it when I go down in February. "

THROUGH THE HELP OF A GENEROUS FRIEND, WE RECEIVED THAT CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

"R J MISSION PROJECTS"

IS HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT HAS SECURED 

THAT SECOND VAN WE DREAMED OF FOR THE MISSIONS

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you."  

Matthew 7:7

The second van will be similar to this first one. Miraculously, both vans are now fully paid for! 
One went to St. Benedict Parish and the other will go to Corpus Christi Parish. 

The Sunday I handed over the keys to van number one, I spoke to Father Boniface, a wonderfully warm and personable priest from Nigeria, who is the pastor of Corpus Christi Parish on the north end of the island of St. Vincent about the possibility of his parish receiving a van. I met him last Holy Week as well. I told him that he needed to pray that we could get it with a final push. Bishop Gordon selected his parish for this second van. He was so excited about the possibility of solving some of his parish transportation problems. I believe it is the most isolated of all the parishes on the island.

Congratulations, Father Boniface and the good people of Corpus Christi Parish! Your prayers are answered!

          

        I AM ATTACHING HIS RESPONSE

Today at 9:40 AM

Dearest Fr Ron, Holy Priest 

What a sweet breaking news this morning.  Yes, our parish was promised one van by the Bishop. 

The news of your great support to have the van procured is like a dawn of a new day to our parish.  

We really appreciate all your passionate will to assist our diocese and the parish.  We continue to  

pray for you and your friend.

On behalf of the  Parish we wish you  merry Christmas. 

Fr Boniface

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED WITH SECURING BOTH VANS!
YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING! 

OUR NEXT PROJECT

R J Mission Projects hopes to come up with three or more scholarships to send some very deserving kids from the islands to a life-changing experience at WORLD YOUTH DAY in Krakow, Poland, this July.  Some have probably never been off the island on which they were born. Pope Francis will be there. Three friends have already sent the first $1,000 as a deposit for the first scholarship. I will add the stipends from my speaking trips in the next several months.   

I am confident that some of the readers of this blog will be moved to help me meet my

goal of 

$2600 EACH

 for passports, cheap flights, simple meals, minimal lodging, some sightseeing and a souvenir tee shirt.   

GET ON BOARD. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO HELP US HELP THEM. 

                   

One of the great discoveries about my retirement is that I can now do jobs and make money just to give away to deserving people and sound projects - and have great satisfaction doing it! 

Another of the great discoveries about my retirement is that I have the ability to pull other compassionate people into my circle to share the satisfaction of showing in small ways that compassion and kindness are stronger forces than indifference and hate.
We might not be able to change THE WORLD, but we can change SOMEBODY'S WORLD.  

R J MISSION PROJECTS FUND

We do small projects in our spare time! 

We make money! 

We give it away!

- we support international seminarians at St. Meinrad Seminary

- we sponsor the Blue Christmas Mass for the grieving each year at the Bellarmine Chapel

- we support our mission ministry in the poor country of St. Vincent and the Geranadines 

JOIN US IN OUR WORK - KEEP THE MIRACLES COMING




Do small projects in your spare time!

Make money!

Give it away!

St. Bartholomew Church - SVG Mission Fund

%Rev. Ronald Knott

1271 Parkway Gardens Court

#106

Louisville, KY 40217

1-502-303-4571 

STAY TUNED


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