Be One of the Helpers

 

Mr. Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” 

 

These are scary times for a lot of people. Government workers are trying to survive without paychecks, and many SNAP recipients are wondering where their next meal is coming from. I live in Springfield, MA. It is a gateway city where, even on a good day, many people suffer from food insecurity. Right now, people are desperate. The Republican, our local newspaper, reported on Tuesday, November 4^th, that “In Springfield alone, 47.4% of residents receive SNAP benefits. Most of the recipients are working families that don’t make enough to scrape by. Others are retirees, children and the disabled.” The lines at food pantries and long and getting longer every day. It is no doubt a scene being played out across America.

Churches, civic associations, and stores are all stepping up to do what they can. There are collections everywhere. This is one of those times when everyone with the ability to give needs to be a helper.

So, how can you help?

1)       Help your neighbor – Do you know someone personally impacted by the government shutdown or loss of SNAP benefits? Do what you can to help that person/family. Maybe leave a bag of groceries on their front step. Make “extra” of a meal and bring it over or invite the family over for dinner. Give gift cards to your local grocery store. You can send them anonymously if you don’t want to get the credit or make the person feel bad for needing help.

 

2)       Donate to pantry food collections -  Whether it is through your local church, school, library, or directly to a food pantry, every nonperishable item helps. If you aren’t in a position to purchase items, look through your pantry (be sure to check expiration dates) and donate items that you have on hand. Donating money to a local food pantry is always appreciated as well.  

 

3)       Donate to Food Banks – Food banks provide food to the food pantries that directly serve people in need. They are able to purchase food at a discount and make your donation dollars stretch farther. The Foodbank of Western Massachusetts states that every $1 of donation provides two meals.

 

4)       Volunteer – Many local pantries are straining under the weight of both increased need and increased donations. They are looking for people to help out.

 

5)       Pray – The people in need and the people serving them through food pantries need help in the form of loaves and fishes kinds of miracles. All the efforts can’t make up for the loss of SNAP benefits, but we can pray that somehow the food stretches and that people get what they need.

 

Matthew 25:34-5 tells us, “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Helping the poor is part of the Christian mandate. God rewards generosity. Please do what you can.

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/offer-give-share-provide-5022188/

#OpenBook for November 2025

 

Welcome to #OpenBook. I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

 10-3-25 The Doctor's Convenient Marriage - Lauralyn Keller - This is the third book in the Second Chances at Harmony Springs series, but it can be read alone. It features two doctors who enter a marriage of convenience. Tori wants to practice medicine, which her father will not allow her to do. Harrison needs to marry to claim his inheritance to set up a hospital out west. They move from Boston to Harmony Springs, where Tori's sister Ella lives, and put their plan into action, but what began as a practical arrangement may turn into more. (Read for a book review publication). 

 10-4-25 OSV Kids Discover: The Pope - Colleen Pressprich - This is designed to appeal to children, but adults can learn a great deal from it as well. Readers will come away with a greater appreciation of the papacy, the men who have held the office, what papal life is like, and the duties of the office. In these pages, you will learn about symbols of the popes, the history of the Papal States, important places in Vatican City, papal writings, ecumenical councils, papal apartments, papal pets, what happens when a pope dies, the most notable popes in history, and much more. It is colorful, full of illustrations and photographs, combined with informative text. There is something to catch one’s attention on every page.

10-4-25 How Edith Found Jesus - Caitlin E. Bootsma / illustrated by Ann Kissane Engelhart - This is a lovely picture book to introduce young people to Edith Stein, also known as St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. It shows how Edith grew up loving learning as the youngest child in a large Jewish family, became a teacher, was introduced to Christianity and became Catholic, entered a Carmelite monastery, and was taken prisoner in World War II. She kept sharing God's love even in prison. After she was sent to Auschwitz to die, she went home to Jesus. Obviously, Edith's life was greatly impacted by the horrors of the Holocaust. The book handles the subject delicately, although parents may wish to provide age-appropriate background. The last image is a beautiful portrait of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross being welcomed by Jesus into heaven. 

10-8-25 The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur: The Woman Whose Goodness Changed Her Husband from Atheist to Priest - This book was recommended to me by a fellow writer in reference to praying for those away from the Catholic faith. I purchased it back in April. It has been my "waiting" book - a book to pull up on my Kindle app on my phone whenever I find myself waiting somewhere. I'm so glad that I read it. Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur (October 16, 1866 - May 3, 1914) was devoted to her Catholic faith, but her husband was against it as were many in the social circle she inhabited. But she continued to practice her faith and offer prayers and sacrifices for their conversion. After her death, her husband found her diary, began practicing the faith, and ultimately became a priest. 

10-9-25 Mists over the Channel Islands - Sarah Sundin - This story takes place on the Channel Island of Jersey (the original Jersey that New Jersey was named after) during World War II. Dr. Ivy Picot struggles to keep her family's medical practice going, a challenge made harder after her older sister begins dating a German soldier and working for the German headquarters. Meanwhile, her younger brother is aiding two Dutchmen who volunteered to work with the Germans in order to send information to the Allies. Ivy is attracted to one of them, but she could never associate with someone who is helping the enemy, especially since Ivy is part of an underground ring helping to care for those who have escaped from the German prisons and work details. (Read for a book review publication)
 

 10-12-25 Under the Tulip Tree - Michelle Shocklee - This is an excellent book about a young southern woman whose family lost everything in the stock market crash, who was then hired to work for the Works Progress Administration to interview former slaves and record their stories. Her first interview is with Mrs. Frances Washington, whose painful story soon captivates her and leads her to some difficult realizations about her own life. 

10-16-25 Snowbound at Christmas - Lacy Williams, Wendy Klepfenstein, Wendy Galinetti, and Traci Summeril - I was excited to get assigned a Christmas book to review this late in the year for the book review publication I work for. Usually, Christmas books are assigned in June/July! This is a trio of clean Western romances set around the theme of couples being stranded in a fierce snowstorm in Wyoming. An independent livery owner, a determined widow, and a desperate heiress all find love and new beginnings in this sweet set of tales. (Read for a book review publication)

10-17-25 Song after Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews - Julie Hedlund - I knew little about Julie Andrews' life. When I saw this picture book advertised, I was intrigued. It is a lovely introduction to the life of this famous singer/actress/writer that follows her from when she was a little girl first learning to sing and appearing on stage to her adult roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, with a page about her life outside of the stage. It also has a two-page timeline of important events in her life. 
 

 10-18-25 Just Making: A Guide for Compassionate Creatives - Mitali Perkins - I had seen this book advertised in a secular publication and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was written from a rather Catholic perspective. Perkins explores the question of whether it is worthwhile to pursue creative activities in a world in which so many people are hurting. (Spoiler alert: the answer is yes). If you are a creative person in need of some encouragement, I highly recommend this book. 

10-21-25 Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling - Kerry McDonald - This is a book aimed at both parents and educational entrepreneurs (with some overlap) who are looking for alternative methods of education. This is less about traditional homeschooling and more about education in institutions, whether that be homeschool co-ops, microschools, homeschool resource centers, or traditional schools with innovative approaches. It offers parents information on things that they may wish to look for in nontraditional schools and entrepreneurs a guidebook for establishing these types of institutions. 
 

10-22-25 The Heirloom Garden - Viola Shipman - Set in 2003, this is the story of a World War II widow whose young daughter died of polio. She spent her life hybridizing flowers and locking herself away from the world, at least until a hurting Iraq vet and his family move next door. Together, with the help of their commitment to gardening, they all will all experience healing. This was an enjoyable leisure read. 

10-23-25 Taming Lady Temperance - Karen Witemeyer - Because she grew up with an abusive alcoholic father, Noreen O'Sullivan is passionate about the temperance cause and determined to shut down the saloon in Albany, TX. She is also a new member of the Secret Society of Spinsters, established to help unmarried women support each other. Deputy James Paxton is charged with keeping the peace in the small town, but that may be easier said than done when Noreen is determined to make life difficult for the saloon owner, and James can't help falling in love with the fiery woman. (Read for a book review publication) 

10-27-25 The World's Fair Quilt - Jennifer Chiaverini - I was browsing the library shelves and came across this new book by one of my favorite authors. It was like Christmas! The Elms Creek Quilt Series was written in the 1990s and early 2000s, but Chiaverini started writing new books for it last year, picking up the characters' lives in 2004. This story takes place then and in 1933, when Claudia and Sylvia Bergstrom were teenagers, creating a quilt to take part in the competition for the World's Fair held in Chicago. If you enjoy quilting or historical women's fiction, you will love this story, and you don't need to read the other books in the series to appreciate it. 

10-29-25 The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse -Charlie Mackesy - I had seen images from this book used as memes, but I didn't realize it was an actual book until I saw an ad for the sequel. It's a charming book, but I think some people may have difficulty reading the handwritten text. I'm not sure how to describe the book, so here is the Amazon description: "Charlie Mackesy offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times in this beautiful book based on his famous quartet of characters. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse explores their unlikely friendship and the poignant, universal lessons they learn together."

10-30-25 The Bird of Bedford Manor - Michelle Griep - In 1820 England, Juliet Finch resorts to poaching on Bedford Manor's land to feed herself and her aunt. When the heir to the property catches her, she could be sentenced to death or banishment, but instead, he hires her to help find the person who has been tormenting his younger sister with threatening notes. Part mystery, part romance, this book kept me interested. (Read for a book review publication) 
 

 10-30-25 Eucharistic Fire: A Retreat with St. Carlo Acutis - Fr. Rich Conlin with Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo - One of the beautiful things about St. Carlo Acutis is that he is an inspiration to both young people and adults. This short book is designed to be used as a three-day retreat to help you increase your love for the Eucharist and share that love with others. It is a lovely book to reflect on and share with your family. 

 10-31-25 Hooked on the Heart - Maddie Evans - This was my waiting-in-line Kindle book for the past month or so. It is a feel-good clean rom-com about the owner of a yarn shop who offers to give her handsome new neighbor cooking lessons, not realizing that he owns a restaurant! What will happen when she finds out the truth?

11-2-25 Once Upon a Christmas Carol - Melody Carlson - I enjoy reading Carlson's Christmas stories each year. This one was about a 40-year-old woman, Carol, who ends up hanging out with her long estranged aunt in Michigan when the flight she was supposed to be taking to the Bahamas got cancelled due to snow. It featured family drama and a touch of romance. It was a feel-good story to relax with.  
 

 

Since the spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for junior year). 

Still in progress - I'm in Volume 6! The end is in sight! - The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon -  Gibbon was an English essayist, historian, and politician who wrote this epic six-volume work between 1776 and 1789. It's incredibly long, and I have little interest in the Roman Empire. 

 

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Does Writing or Making Art Matter in a Hurting World?

 

In a world with so many problems, does writing or making art matter? Is it a worthy use of our time, or should we be using our gift of time to do something, anything else that has a more direct impact on improving the plight of those who are suffering?  That is one of the questions that Mitali Perkins ponders in Just Making: A Guide for Compassionate Creatives. 

I had seen Just Making advertised in a secular publication. I am always interested in reading books about creativity, especially creativity as a vocation, and so I requested it from the library. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is a rather Catholic book. I tried to find out if Perkins is Catholic. I honestly don’t know. She was raised Hindu, converted to Christianity in college, and is married to a minister. However, she has taught at a Catholic college and her work is clearly informed by Catholic thought. A whole lot of saints are quoted in this book.

Perkins shares that she “wrote this book as a guide for creative people who are concerned about justice . . . Many of us want our labors to matter in the world—to create healing, repair, and goodness. We want our making to be just” (2).

She begins by discussing quilting and sewing, art forms that have traditionally been practiced by women for many years. I quilt as a hobby and was touched by her comment, that “while it may not be obvious to the viewer, a quilter is very much responding to the call to ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ By creating a quilt that keeps someone warm, a quilter is serving others” (17). Cooking (something I do often but am not especially good at) is another creative gift. “Cooking for others is a divine art because it offers tenderness to frail and needy bodies” (33).

But sewing and cooking create practical items that provide tangible benefits. What about writing a story, painting a picture, or singing a song? How are those creative acts helping the world? “Art created by others builds our courage to live the just life. We read a hero’s journey in fiction, and it fortifies us to face our own all-is-lost moments. A song like Sara Bareilles’s ‘Brave’ can get us out of bed to face a tough day. Visual art can inspire us to innovate and attempt big, new things” (36). Perkins quotes fine artist Carol Aust, “Art is vital because the world needs beauty, community, truth telling, and joy” (54).

In the second and third parts of Just Making, Perkins explores the forces that work against us when we try to practice our creative gifts and how to keep making in spite of them. Yes, our art does matter, especially when we are called by God to do it. If you need some encouragement or inspiration to keep creating in spite of the challenges, I highly recommend reading Just Making.

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