We Believe in One

The one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church which has been given to us by the love of God the Father and Jesus the Son of God to call sinners to the healing mercy of the Father. We believe in the living Church, for the Holy Spirit guides our Church. Our role in the Church of today is to share the truth with those we have been trusted and to the poor, the homeless, the prisoner, the naked, the homeless, the sick, the poor in spirit and the sinner.

As I read over the chapter ‘The Church is Holy’ I ponder on the call to holiness. Being guided by the Holy Spirit we are always longing to be with God. During the past month I have viewed our Church working in our lives first hand. In my travels of the world I have visited our brother and sisters who have had to fight to be able to celebrate the mass on Sundays, risking their lives to be Catholic. How much we here in the United States have grown accustomed to our right of freedom of religion. During the month of August the people of the city of Memphis had debates on what they should name the Civil War parks downtown. The debate raised national attention to the white & black racial history of the south. As I left Memphis to come to St. Ben’s I was relieved to beable to leave the bickering. I was coming to a place where I saw shelter from all the troubles in the world.

Then in God’s own special way, Katrina hit the gulf coast. God showed us that he does not pick and choose who by race who the storm affects. All where affected with Katrina. We as a community here at St. Ben’s worked hand in hand to do what was asked or needed. When we where asked to leave and go home for the week it was hard on me. I knew that there was so much to do here at St. Ben’s. The next day I received a call about 9 am waking me from the first good nights sleep in days. I was asked to prepare a meal at the shelter which Catholic Charities was given permission to open. Now the shelter had been closed for two years. They spent a day cleaning and getting the rooms ready. I showed up around two to start cooking. The first problem I found was that I had nothing to cook with. The water had been cut off, there were no pots or pans so I left and started too get supplies for the kitchen. I returned and prepared the dinner.


All I went to do was cook one meal. I worked for 6 days helping open the shelter. I organized and cleared a room to come back and see the room full again. People opened their hearts and gave what was asked. As I went from place to place I found everyone working together, the people of Memphis forgot about the division created by the debates over the parks. Working for and with the people from New Orleans the city was healed and blessed. Some one asked the Ambrose family how they felt. They looked around and said, “We lost everything, but the love of God.”

How does this relate to our Church being Holy? God being the only Holy One has given us the challenge to be Holy. In the work at the shelter and here at the seminary, people have acknowledged the living Church in action. Through our work we have shown the compassion and the love which God has asked of us. With seeing how thankful and grateful our guest have been, our lives where blessed as much as theirs. The joy they see in us comes from the Holiness given to God and his Church. Through our prayer we are being converted to holiness in the Word of God, The sacraments, and work we are called to do. As my Bishop has told us over and over, we are One Body in Christ, and God is good all the time, all the time God is good.