On the edge of my property a lone peach tree grows between the woods and the gravel drive. Years ago, someone probably finished eating a peach and carelessly tossed the pit out of their car window. With the dense undergrowth, the pit overcame insurmountable odds to sprout into a sapling and grow into a small tree. 
Tom Holland’s magnificent book “Dominion” develops in detail what amounts to a very simple proposition – namely, that Christianity is responsible for many of the central values we take for granted and assume to be universal. In point of fact, he says, our insistence on the dignity of the individual, fundamental human rights, the principle of equality and, perhaps above all, that the poor, the marginalized and the victimized ought to be specially cherished, flows from basic Christian convictions. 
Nearly 40 years ago, on a Tuesday, my sister Erin ran into the house with the excitement and enthusiasm that only a 7-year-old girl with a story to tell could muster. Immediately, she began to tell my mother about the wonderful adventure that she and her older brother had been having outside. Now she described in great detail the clouds and the birds and the sunshine and the neighbors who walked by all as we were engaged in the challenging project of getting a kite to fly on a Tuesday afternoon.
As a small child, I was a bit of a religious nerd. I’m not sure why, but I was the oldest child, the only daughter, and our little Catholic mission parish in farm country was central to our lives. From a young age, faith intrigued me.
There are so many things clamoring for our attention these days, in all different kinds of ways. We are assaulted by advertisements, which are practically unavoidable on every video we watch, on billboards, on the radio and on our social media feeds. 
We began the season of Lent this past Feb. 14, precisely on Valentine’s Day, a day of love and friendship. What better time to begin this season with the true love of Jesus in His self-giving for us!
In Roman Catholic parishes, the rituals of Lent begin with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. But many Eastern Christians – both Catholic and Orthodox – set the tone for the penitential season of Lent by observing another tradition: Forgiveness Sunday.
Shhhh.
FOREST CITY — Sometimes there’s nothing more comforting than a warm blanket or shawl – especially one crafted by hand with love for someone in need. Members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry Team at Immaculate Conception Parish have become experts at providing this comfort to our brothers and sisters in need – particularly the sick, the homebound and other people in vulnerable situations.
Over the course of 10 months during the Diocese of Charlotte’s 50th anniversary year, the prayer shawl team has made and delivered 50 prayer shawls to members of the parish community who are homebound, bereaved or in adult-care facilities, hospitals, hospice care and residents at a local pregnancy resource center.
On Oct. 17, the ribbon was tied on the last of their 50 prayer shawls, and the shawls were blessed by the church’s pastor, Father Herbert Burke, and Deacon Andy Cilone. During the time they were working on the prayer shawls, the team prayed for each recipient, remembering all those in the parish who were sick or lonely, or who just needed a pick-me-up.
This project came together as a suggestion from one of the members of the Ladies Guild at Immaculate Conception Parish, Betsy Jackson. The team is a small one, but the purpose was pure, so the fingers were nimble.
Occasionally a parishioner not able to come to meetings would send in a finished product for the team to pass along.
— Penny Watkins. Photos provided by Father Herbert Burke.
