December Retreat 2007 - NET Teams

We bring the NET teams back for 3 days in December to give them some time to rest, so they don't return to their families looking like zombies from doing retreats for the last 4 months. When they are at the NET center - we have a good ol' time - no business, just resting, prayer and FUN!



Please pray for the NET teams as they are home with their families for 2 weeks. They are getting a much needed and deserved break! The NET teams return on January 2nd for one more week of training, and head out to their new diocese on January 9th - not returning until May 10th.


Here are some pictures and video clips.

Rob, Jessica and Matt (Team 5) competing in the"Egg Bake" eat off -

They were VICTORIOUS!! 1st place in Crazy Olympics!

Mary, Monica, Sarah, Anna, Kathy, Lynn -

The wonderful, beautiful women I live with.

Team 6 women and Team 2 men singing "country" Christmas carols.

Team 1 women and Team 6 men singing "heavy metal" Christmas carols.

Hallelujah Chorus - one of the best moments of December Retreat. Chad and Joe pulled off a practically perfect rendition of this NET holiday tradition. Enjoy!

More to come...

Sorry for the lack of posts, November was crazy wild busy, December will get batter.

More posts to come.

Enjoy Advent! Prepare the Way!

All Saints .... Pray for us!

On All Saints Day, we take a moment to remember all of those up in heaven who have gone before us to where we hope to go. Most of us have at least a nodding acquaintance with the famous saints – people like St. Peter and St. Paul, St. Patrick, and St. Francis, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Therese of the Child Jesus, to name just a few. Yet heaven is populated with “everyday” saints. Some may be people we were privileged to know here on earth: loved ones who passed on before us; teachers who opened our eyes to the mysteries of the world; doctors; good priests and religious; storekeepers and accountants; indeed people from all walks of life.

There are many others whose names we may never know, but we can rest assured that they too offer models of holiness. The doctrine of the Communion of Saints is one of the most comforting in the Church. We are all in this together. We are all part of the Body of Christ. Whether one walked alongside Jesus in 1st century Palestine or toiled in the Middle Ages or is trying to make his way amidst the challenges of 21st century America, we are all connected. We are here to support each other both in this life and the next. The saints up in heaven have achieved the summit and stand ready to help us climb the mountain. Just as we pray for each other here on earth, they are eager to pray for us up in heaven. We can lean on them for support and encouragement. And so, on this day we celebrate the “everyday” saints, the ones who have no feast day on the liturgical calendar.

We think of the people who lived their lives in relative anonymity, the way most of us do. We remember the mothers and fathers who raised their children to the best of their abilities, the people who went to work every day and did an honest day’s labor, the women and men who practiced works of mercy whenever they could, and the people who prayed for others on a daily basis. We may look at the lives of the famous saints and think that we could never be like them, but there are as many paths to holiness as there are people on earth. We can look to these unknown saints for inspiration when the days get hard. God calls each of us in our own way. Whether we are doing the dishes, helping our children learn to read, doing data-entry in an office, managing a staff of hundreds, caring for a sick parent, or sitting in a Church praying, if we are doing what God wants of us, we can be sure we are on the right path.

God is found in the details of our daily life, just as God was found in the details of the lives in the saints that went before us. They are waiting for us with outstretched arms, eager to welcome us to the promise of eternal life.

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

God Moments

Vito and I arrived safely back from Bismarck ND and Toledo OH. Now all of the supervisors have the rest of the week off! You will be able to find me watching a few episodes of 24 and sleeping in!

This was taken at the Badlands in ND - We pulled over at a "scenic view" with the team and took pictures. After we "posed" for this photo - our team members came in between us to get a shot with their supes - it was CUTE

I want to share a few "glory stories" from our travels to visit the teams ... being with our teams was wonderful, and a very blessed time, but it was the times of traveling in between and the people we met that amazed me the most.



While we were in Bismarck, I was able to stay in the host family of 3 of the ladies i supervise. I had gotten there late (8:00 pm) and they had already finished dinner and were sitting around chatting. As soon as i walked in, in true host family style - they offered me more food that i could ever eat and sat around the table to get to know me. This family is amazing! They had 4 children ranging from 12 - 20 (Luke, Mary, Virginia, Molly - they wanted to name all of their girls after our Blessed Mother Mary!) and over the last 15 years they have had 52 foster children! If that isn't selfless love, i don't know what is. The host parents (Todd and Deb) shared about how they met and how much they love one another, and said "We have so much love between the 2 of us, it seemed wrong not to share it with children who don't have that." My heart was so overwhelmed with joy after listening to the stories of this family, and all of the trials the Lord has brought them through, that i couldn't help but cry. They have total trust and faith that God will take care of them - because he hasn't let them down yet ..... i pray i can imitate their virtues.

Catherine, Amy, Deb (Host mom), Maria, and myself saying goodbye in the Church parking lot.

Then, to make a long weekend full of stories as short as possible - on the flight back to St. Paul from ND - Vito and i sat next to a nice woman from Denver who was traveling back for her grandmother funeral. She was about 40 years old, and he father had also recently passed away a few months prior. Vito (who is really into Christian rap and spoken word) was trying to teach me how to "flow" when the woman sitting next to him said, "that sounds like music my husband would listen to."


The rap i was learning went like this, "You say that Jesus Christ just ain't your type of flavor - He never claimed to be, He came to be your type of Savior!"


That gave Vito and I an open door to evangelize. She shared a lot with us - and after the trip, as we were landing, Vito leaned over to me and said, "Make sure i pray over her before we land." And with that, he asked if she would liked to be prayed over, she said OF COURSE, and the Lord worked! It was beautiful. She was so grateful for how the Lord worked through her trip home, and i am glad we were there to be able to witness the power of God and be His vessels.

Team 6 sisters at the park across the street from the church - St. Josephs, ND

I am learning so much this year, most importantly, i am learning to not be afraid to share the Gospel always - even when you are weak - God uses you!


I will also post a few pictures below of Team 5 and 6's team building activity. We use "the tent pole" on the 1st Supe visit to help them work as a team and lower the tent pole to the ground. As simple as lowering a tent pole to the ground may sound - it is actually very difficult and i have only seen 1 team ever do it. The tent pole has to rest between the second knuckle and the tip of your pointer finger - if your finger comes off of the pole at all, you have to start over. Because the pole is so light and has no resistance, it magically moves up when you want it to go down. If you ever need a team building activity - i will be glad to give you all the details! Just let me know.

Team 6 attempting to lower the pole

Team 5 skipping off after trying to lower the pole. We didn't even tell them to do this, they just got in the field and started skipping together!

Team 6 on the slide together

NET TEAMS 5 and 6!

It's official - Vito (my co-supervisor) and I are off to Bismarck, ND, and Toledo, OH, this weekend and the next for our 1st Supervisor Visit to teams 5 and 6. Team 6 gets the first visit - we leave Friday the 12th to fly to ND and spend a fun and long weekend with the team.

Our visits serve a few purposes - to observe the team in action now that we sent them on the road all alone, to lead them in team building activities, to care for their needs (as best we can with God's grace) and to love and serve them. We have a very fun team building activity (more on that in another post) and lots of other tricks up our sleeves that will help the team unite and work together as one cohesive unit.

Please keep Vito and me in your prayers and also the teams as they continue to pour themselves out ministering to young people across the country!

Team 5 on team picture day

Team 6 on team announcement night at Wapo

Monica and Chris Bader!

Last weekend Monica and Chris celebrated their wedding. I was so thankful to be able to break away from NET training for a few days in order to stand next to Monica and Chris as part of their bridal party. The day was so bless and Monica and Chris were so relaxed.

Some of the best parts were seeing her family from Mexico and Hawaii all together celebrating together. There is so much love between them all and it was a joy to witness.

Cutting the cake

Monica's side of the bridal party

Exchanging vows

Monica and me right before the ceremony

I am so thankful for the friendship i have with Monica. We became friends when i was in high school through another family that we were part of. Though our relationships with that family are no longer as close, Monica and i have stayed friends, and grown even closer.

Monica, i love you!

Fall Training

Fall Training is half way completed: here are a few pictures of what we have been doing so far. Continue to keep all of the Netters in your prayers as they prepare for their mission!

Small group at Camp Wapo

Team 5!!!

Team 6!!!!

The wonderful women i live with! Sarah, Lynn, Mary, Monica and Kathy

Very holy people ... 2 CFR brothers from New Mexico who came to serve at camp, and 3 sisters from the Franciscan Sisters of the Martyr of St. George.

Pray

I probably wont be posting again until October. We are in the process of training all of the new NET teams, which is a 5 week process.

Please keep of the Netters and all of the staff in your prayers. The Lord is working powerfully and is using all of us to fulfil His ultimate plan.

"Each day be conscious of your duty to become a saint. A SAINT! And that doesn't mean doing strange things. It means a daily struggle in the interior life and in heroically fulfilling your duty right through the end." St. Josemaria Escriva - The Forge 60

We will keep all of you in our prayers as well.

it's amazing how one hat can bring you so much joy...

Last weekend most of the people on Mission Staff @ NET headed out to a Minnesota Twins game. We had a great time watching the game but my most favorite part was the woman sitting in front of me with the most fantastic hat i have ever seen. (scroll down for a picture). This hat was beautiful, multi-colored sparkles - i couldn't take my eyes off of it. Infact, i couldn't stop touching it either. Thank goodness for Megan, Joe and BP who pulled my hand away whenever i would try to steal it. I did manage to lay my fingers on the hat a few times, but not nearly long enough to enjoy it fully. We tried to do a quick trade, but there is no way she would have traded her beautfil "bedazzled" hat for my navy blue Old Navy hat. That would have been a totally unfair trade - but i would have enjoyed it.

Enjoy the photos - especially of the hat!

Kathy and Lynn

Mikey, Sarah and BP @ Twins game


BP being cool

Joe and Anna

Anna and Megan (Megan is moving to MN!)

Anna and a BEAUTIFUL hat!

Here is a shout out to the woman in the wonderful hat! Thank you Hat Lady - you made my day.

Profound Wisdom

A message from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen...

"If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world; in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hates. My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in any one of the churches in the world today, He must still be hated as He was when He was on earth in the flesh. If you would find Christ today, then find the Church that does not get along with the world. Look for the Church which is hated by the world, as Christ was hated by the world. Look for the Church which is accused of being behind the times, as Our Lord was accused of being ignorant and of never having learned. Look for the Church which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord because He came from Nazareth. Look for the Church which is accused of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils. Look for the Church which, in seasons of bigotry, men say must be destroyed in the name of GOD as men crucified Christ and thought they had done a service to GOD. Look for the Church which the world rejects because it claims it is infallible, as Pilate rejected Christ because He called Himself The Truth. Look for the Church which is rejected by the world as Our Lord was rejected by men. Look for the Church which amid the confusion of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ, and respect its Voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world, then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly, it is other-worldly. Since it is other-worldly it is infinitely loved and infinitely hated as was Christ Himself. But only that which is Divine can be infinitely hated and infinitely loved. Therefore the Church is Divine."

24 hours to practice patience

Team picture after the wedding

Mikey, Paul, (Carlos - honorary member), Linda, Anna, Laurie and Megan

After a usual Friday at work, Corinne took me to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport for my 7 pm flight to Chicago-O’Hare, and then from Chicago to Newark for Linda and Chris Allen-Poole’s wedding. I quickly made it through security in less than 10 minutes, and then sat and read until my flight. However, when I arrived in Chicago, all plans were off – due to a computer glitch with Air Traffic Control and the FAA, coupled with bad weather on the East coast – ALL FLIGHTS out of Chicago to the East Coast were CANCELED!!!!!

I proceeded to get in a line of approx. 300 + very angry people who all needed to get on a plane to the East Coast tonight –this was going to be a problem. As I was standing in line, I also tried calling the rebooking number – and the soonest they could get me to Jersey for the 3 pm Sunday wedding was 10:30 am on Sunday. That wasn’t going to work! After many phone calls and waiting in the rebooking line until almost midnight – I was able to get a confirmed seat on a flight to St. Louis for 5 pm Saturday night, and then be routed to Newark at 10:30 pm to arrive in Newark at 12 Midnight – just in time for the Sunday afternoon wedding. Because the flight that didn’t leave Chicago until dinner the next day – I was required to sleep somewhere - - - and of course, all of the area hotels were totally booked from all of the canceled flights that had arrived sometime in the afternoon. So the city of Chicago provided us wayward travelers with military cots and blankets all lined up in the K Terminal. As we walked down the airport – I thought to myself – “this is quite the adventure, I wonder what else will happen?” I spoke too soon.

We arrived to the cot area, and I found something you might picture in a refugee movie, hundreds of cots lined up with people scattered everywhere. I grabbed my blanket and pillow and proceed to find the safest resting place. I parked myself between a young women talking anxiously on her phone and a sleeping elderly couple with their cots pushed together. I figured this would be safe. To ensure none of my belongings would be stolen, I put my backpack on my back, and used my purse as a 2nd pillow. Needless to say I didn’t get much sleep. 1 am came and went, 2 am came and went, I think I fell asleep for a moment, and then it was 4 am – all of a sudden, whistles were blowing and men were yelling that it was time to get up. The airport opens officially at 4 am and Chicago doesn’t want a bunch of wayward travelers sleeping in their terminals during business hours. And so we were up. Hundreds of travelers wandering around looking for somewhere to sit or lay until their flight. I found an outlet, charged my phone and laid on the ground for a little nap. This time I fell asleep. I managed to get myself on stand by to get into St. Louis sooner, in hopes on getting on a standby flight from St. Louis to Newark sooner – and I got on! I was into St. Louis by 12 – only to wait there until my 10:30 pm flight to Newark. Stand by was totally booked, and the earlier flight was overbooked – so I kept my original ticket and submitted to God’s perfect will – practicing patience in the airport, and being joyful about it.

I arrived safely in Newark around 11:30 pm Saturday night – exactly 24 hours after my originally scheduled travel. Megan and Mikey picked me up promptly, not wanting me to wait one more second in the airport, and my bag was not lost! It was fully intact sitting at the top of a very large pile of luggage.

We got to the hotel, visited with one another for a while – hung out with Linda on her last night as a single woman – listened to Mikey play the guitar, and prayed together just like the good ol’ days. Linda and Chris’ wedding went smoothly, and was so beautiful! Chris even composed all of the Mass parts! That’s talent!

It was such a blessing to be with some of my team mates that I would so it all over again in a heart beat – even knowing ahead of time what was to come. Though a year has gone by since many of us had seen each other – the bonds are so strong. The Lord has kept us together through the beautiful body of Christ – brothers and sisters.

Team Dance Off!

Pretty flowers!

Pretty Ladies!

Home Team 05- 06 - - - I LOVE YOU!

Let your love for one another be intense

"Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. "

1 Peter 4:8

As this year come to an end for the 06-07 NET teams I supervise, I want to honor them for their outstanding service. These 18-25 year olds have dedicated 10 months of their life to put on retreats for 6th-12th graders all over the United States. They have put their lives on hold in order to spread the Gospel and challenge young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church. They have traveled in a van every day, sometimes for hundreds of miles, stayed over with different host family every night, exhausted themselves putting on high energy retreats 6 days a week, and managed to love one another very well in the process, being a witness of love to people all across the country.




To Sarah K., Jonathan F., Jenna, Sarah G., Gineal, Emily, Melinda, Robbie, Andy, Jonathan S., Juan, Sara, Nathan, Lindsey, Matthew, Alissa, Andrew, Kaylene, Danielle, Nick, and Meaghan - I am blessed to know you, and honored to be your supervisor. Thank you for all of you hard work and dedication!

Team 5 in Ohio on our 1st Supervisor visit

Team 6 on our 3rd Supervisor visit in Kentucky

Posh sunglasses

Kathy, Lala, and Anna - trying on sunglasses outside the Cheesecake Factory in Minneapolis. We thought we looked pretty cool - clearly!

For the beauty of the earth

Sara, Corinne, Anna, Chad, Kyle, and Brian - Covenant Heights Retreat Center - Estes Park, CO

After Easter, a few other supervisors and i were able to go to Colorado to put on an interview weekend for people interested in serving on NET next year. After the interview weekend, we headed up to the mountains to get back to our roots and put on an overnight retreat for 30 8th graders. The young people were so open to the Lord working, and because they had gone to school together since 1st grade, they were all very open and willing to share. The retreat center in the mountains made all of us, and the young people appreciate how wonderful our God is to us! How blessed are we to have a God who created all of this for US! Alleluia!

To be thankful, and faithful

Recently i have been doing a novena of thanksgiving, and it has shown me how ungrateful i have been...simply because i think i am too busy to thank God, or i just forget about it, move on with my blessings and assume God will continue to provide. The Novena end with the story of ten lepers who were healed by Jesus, and only one - the Samaritan - came back to thank the Lord.

Let us always remember to thank the Lord for everything he has given and taken away - all comes from the hand of the Lord.

Luke 17:11-19

Continue to Move

As i was on a retreat this weekend in Southern Minnesota, the best advice i received was to keep moving. The Lord can't steer a parked car - so continue to move. I find that especially helpful at this point in my life, and during the season of LENT - Move closer to the Lord, in all you do. He will put up road blocks if you are going the wrong way, but as long as you are moving, seeking His DIVINE WILL and growing in virtue, you are on the right path.

I pray the Lord will continue to guide you on the path directly to HIM!

Supervisor Visits to Team 5 and 6

Life in MN is busy as always, Kyle (my co-supervisor) and i just got back from visiting team 5 in San Bernardino California. Their ministry is going very well - but they are being attacked, so please pray for them. Lindsey has a bad knee, Andrew just got diagnosed with an enlarged heart that needs medical attention, and Danielle will be going home on Monday to being surgery on both of her shoulders - the rotator cuffs need to be replaced. They are down to 5 men and 5 women who love one another and are willing to persevere through this tough transition. It is never easy to lose a teammate, but they will get through this with God's grace.

We are headed to Kentucky this weekend to visit team 6. As far as i know they are all alive and healthy - but keep them in your prayers as well. With only a few months left of team life, individuals can become complacent and forget the mission. Pray for zeal and strength.