New Opportunities

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

I pray that you are blessed and excited as I to have some genuine Spring weather. For as long as I can remember, St. Louis simply goes from Winter to Summer. T’is also the season for graduations and commencement speeches. I have heard more than my share over the years, and well... well let us just leave it at that. I do want to congratulate all of our graduates, whether they are graduating from kindergarten (something I didn’t get to do since I didn’t go to kindergarten) or high school or college or other type of educational program. The one thing they all share is that they are moving onto a new phase in their lives with new possibilities. I pray that your transitions go well and that you make the most of the opportunities you are given.

I realize that college is not for everyone. And if the pandemic has shown us one thing, it is that not all of us are cut out for the standard 9 to 5. Some people have learned to be very creative. Even we are using our circumstances to experiment a bit with our office staff. Hiring two part-time employees gives us a lot more flexibility with how we use our resources in trying to best meet your needs.

For those of you who like to travel and try new things, and also have some flexibility, I might have something for you. The daughter of some friends of mine, who grew up at The Rock, came across a very interesting organization just as she was in between jobs. The agency organizes groups (her’s began with 50 people) and they travel throughout the world, spending about a month in different cities, as well as, offering side trips to various locations. The agency organizes housing in apartments, condos and houses. They can even find employment in most cities. My friend had family and friends visit her in several locations. She even extended her travel for an additional six months. There are probably other companies that do similar things, she traveled with Remote Year

It is one of those things that I wish I had known about when I was younger and was available for such an adventure. In 1983 & ‘84, I spent 3 weeks each summer working for peace with an international group in Northern Ireland and then 1-week touring. Those experiences truly changed my life in so many ways. I was convinced that every American should travel to another country, especially young adults. Since then I have had the privilege to travel to Haiti, Mexico, the Philippines, and Palestine. Each has been an eye-opening experience that has made the world a smaller place. My advice, if you have the opportunity, seize it and experience as much of the world as you can.

In the Redeemer, Fr. Rick