Fr. Stan Kolasa, ss.cc., Director of Development

My father’s hands were stained and marked from work, even when they were cleaned.  He worked so hard in the “olden days”, straightening out dented fenders and car bodies - before it became easier to just replace the car part.  He worked hard at our little home too, always fixing something or growing a small but productive garden.  He even made our first two-wheel bicycles.

 I asked him, “Dad, how come you DO everything?”  He responded, “I don’t do everything or even as much as I want to, but I do what one pair of hands can do.”  I have never forgotten that, especially when I see what people like Blessed Mother Teresa and Blessed Father Damien have done.  They had so little, and they had so much.  They had real Faith in the Lord and one pair of hands, and they used them often, and they used them well.  I believe that and try to live that way, too.

 I was recently asked by a news reporter why I don’t get discouraged with how little I can do to change so many things.  My response, from the heart, was “I do what one pair of hands can do.”  AND, I invite other people who also can’t do everything to do something with their pair of hands; AND we will work together and more is done—and done better.  Can any of us do everything?  No, but each of us can do something, and if we do something together, we can do more and better.

So, we need more people to share what their pair of hands can do.  We seek others to join us in a number of ways.  One way is in new vocations to the religious life and priesthood.  We need to call them forth and invite them.  Each of us has one voice, but together our voices can be heard, better and louder and with more life… and we can invite more vocations to come forth.  AND, if the voice is heard often enough and strongly enough and with enough love, hearts will have the courage to respond with a “YES, I’ll try.”

We share our spirituality with lay people, both in our ministering and in calling them to share a way of life in our Secular Branch as people living, sharing and proclaiming the great love of our God in their daily lives.

But, as we hear so often, we are all getting older and we need help.  Can you help?  Will you help?  You do have one pair of hands too, and, although you can’t do everything either, you can do something.

Pease be a missionary with us and do what your pair of hands can do… and together we can do more and better!