Mary Morrell

“I just need a peaceful minute, Nanny.” The little voice spoke from a corner of the room amidst a spread of trucks, dinosaurs, and magnetic tiles, part of a fantasy land being built by my five-year-old grandson – a child who is in constant motion, constant thought, constant talk and with an endless supply of make-believe stories to share.

In caring for children, one thing becomes very apparent. They thrive with attention. Attention is a sacred gift. “The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself,” wrote Henry Miller.

“We are evangelizers of our Catholic faith, and we are missionaries. Our goal is to serve, and to bring our members and our church parishioners closer to God,” said Rod Justiniani, describing Missionary Families of Christ.

On Christmas Eve, the faithful of the Diocese attended Mass with expectant hearts in anticipation of the Birth of Christ. On that day, the date marked something else that was extraordinary.

The phone rang in my office last week and the caller made my day. “Hi, Mary. I’m so glad you are there. I’d like to order a gift subscription to The Catholic Spirit for my friend. She loves the paper but can’t always get to church to get it.”