Newsletter
September 1, 1998 Vol. 12, No. 3 [p. 2]Round 'n About
In between our week-long directed retreats this summer, August 18-19, we welcomed the leadership team of the Catholic Student Association from Mississippi State. Oh, that all the Church had such faith and such commitment for Christ! Come again! Your spirit is catching!
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Ray Troyer, a local carpenter, began laying the foundation the last week of August. Stay tuned. Our next newsletter will have some photos of the real thing!
"San Damiano"
In keeping with the Franciscan orientation of this Dwelling Place, each building has been named after people or places significant to that tradition. With that in mind it is fitting that the building that houses The Community would follow that pattern and will be named San Damiano.
San Damiano is the name of the famous church and convent in Assisi, Italy. In the 12th century, it was the home of St. Clare's first community of Poor Ladies. Clare was the first woman to pattern her commitment to Christ after that of Francis of Assisi.
R C I A team meeting
St. Joseph's R C I A Team Meet
Now this is serious business!
Meeting here August 21-22, Frances Hairston [second from right] and team members plan their year of preparation for those interested in becoming Catholics of St. Joseph in Starkville. God's blessings on your efforts!
Phillip Pepper and Mary Horrell
No, Phillip Pepper and Mary Horrell are not just cutting down any tree [see photo]. This little maple has been loved, nurtured, fertilized, and pruned for 9 years. It is now making the supreme sacrifice of its life by giving up its growing space to the foundation of San Damiano.
Our Living Room Retreat participants gathered for a barbecue and faith sharing here August 27. We were fed-- body and spirit! What a feast!
If any group would be interested in a Living Room Retreat during the coming months, let me know. I would be most happy to give an explanation to your group.
Corpus Christi Church in Macon is sponsoring a chicken dinner September 27 from 12-1:00 pm as a benefit for our new building. Come! Have a delicious dinner and help The Dwelling Place.
Staff Members suffer loss
We grieve with Mary Horrell at the death of her father, Paul. We and your students welcome you home to Mississippi, Mary.
We also grieve with Morag Burgess, her husband, Cliff, and their children as they put their lives together after a fire destroyed their Hattiesburg home in mid-August. We will forward any donations you may wish to send them in their need.
Hog Farms come to Noxubee County
As more hog farms are coming into northeast MS, this summer Noxubee County supervisors took a stronger stand in legislation concerning the proliferation of hog farms in our county. They increased the buffer zone around public gathering places [which includes churches] to 1.5 miles.
As one of our neighbors said to the supervisors at a meeting dealing with the issue, "Most churches hold services on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. At The Dwelling Place all seventeen acres are a Church and it is active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." Now that is a friend-- and he understands what we are about! Praise God for our good Southern neighbors!
