Cozies 4 Chemo - Our Lady of Good Counsel

June 21, 2012 | Issue 3 | Vol. 4“My heart is restless untilit rests in you.”-St. Augustinewww.olgcnj.orgThe Good Counsel Courier | 11By Marienicole NowakThree years ago, Igraduated high schooland went off to thecollege of my dreams. Only afew weeks into the semester,I became restless. My life waswonderful, but my heart wasnot fulfilled, I wanted somethingmore.The feeling was so strong Ileft school after that year andstarted seriously searchingfor God’s will for my life. Icontacted religious orders withconvents in the area, not entirelycertain how discernmentworked. Apparently, all Godneeded was my open heart. InOctober, I went to a retreat atCatholic Familyland, a retreatcenter that my family and I have been attending since I was 3 years old.I spent time in adoration really begging God to make His will known tome. The restlessness had not gone away, but rather constantly ate at me.I listened and in the silence He spoke to my heart telling me I shouldconsider the consecrated community at Catholic Familyland. I can’t sayI immediately jumped to do it. It took a couple months for me to arrangeto visit them. But this past fall I went and lived with the community todiscern God’s will. Those six weeks I found the peace that I had beensearching for since graduating high school. In this life of poverty, chastity,obedience, community life, work, and prayer I felt perfectly at home.On March 19th, I joined this lay consecrated community, called theCatholic Corps, in Bloomingdale, Ohio. I will live with the other womenin community and I will make private promises of poverty, chastityand obedience. The community serves a larger organization calledthe Apostolate for Family Consecration. It is the mission of the AFC toevangelize families, encouraging them to learn the truths of the faith andconsecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. The consecrated womenhost retreats at Catholic Familyland and produce catechetical materials tofurther this mission.As I’ve attempted to explain this vocation to people I encounter a lot ofconfusion. “Eventually, you’ll become a nun, right?” No, this is a differentcalling. I will not wear a habit or take public vows. Instead, the womenin this community witness to the fact that every person in their ordinarylives is called to holiness. If you were to meet me in the food store, therewould be no outward sign that my life was given entirely to Christ. If I amtruly living as His bride, however, I will bring Christ to them by my wordsand actions.“So if you aren’t a nun, you can still get married?” The vow of chastitymeans I give my heart entirely to Christ, I am His bride and won’t marryanyone else.“After this, what will you do with your life?” This community is notmade up of people who come and go every couple years. I will continueto discern during the next several years, to assure that God is calling meto this life. If this peace stays, I will commit to this community for the restof my life.“This is really what you want to do?” This question I canwholeheartedly say yes to. This is what I was made for -- I can’t imaginedoing anything else.Usually the responses I get after this conversation are “good luck!” or“I hope you are happy.” My hope is that those reading this will instead dosomething for me. Please say a prayer for me after reading this. Pray that Iwill persevere in my vocation and become the saint God has called me tobe. Please also pray for all young people, that they would truly open theirhearts to consider God’s plan for their lives.For more information on the Apostolate for Family Consecration or theCatholic Corps, visit www.catholicfamilyland.org.Fred Baxter - Model & MentorBy Dr. Linda M. DixMr. Fred Baxter, football star and super bowl winner, will becoming to speak to the religious education children once again thisyear during the summer sessions. Mr. Baxter is the husband of LisaBaxter, parishioner and member of the Good Counsel JamaicanMission Team.Presently, Mr. Baxter promotes charitable organizations suchas Dooley House, Catholic Charities, and his foundation tohelp children in need. He grew up in a single parent home andremembers someone reaching out to help him through his parents’divorce. This “special mentor and neighbor” took an interest in himnavigating him through the ups and downs of life as he was raised inthe projects of Alabama. “That made all the difference in my life,”Fred Baxter said. “I hope to do that for children in need today.”He remembers being bullied on the way to school and the energyof negativity that built up inside him. His mentor “lifted him up out ofthe neighborhood” and taught him that you can be anything you wantto be as long as you put your best effort forward. Sports became thatincentive and safe haven for Fred Baxter. He enjoyed the comraderieof team playing and the positive energy that filled him. He playedon three professional football teams: the New York Jets, the ChicagoBears, and the New England Patriots. He won the Super Bowl withthe Patriots!Fred has begun his own foundation which mentors children foreducational scholarships that starts children on the path to theircareers. He believes that we need to do what God calls us to do.Life is filled with God’s gifts and blessings. We need to encouragechildren today to use their gifts and talents in the school curriculum.“Everything God made is good,” smiles Fred Baxter. We look forwardto hearing more about Mr. Baxter’s service to the community and hispositive attitude toward learning during the month of August!