By Denise Seibert Townsend
Catholic Charities
In this season of thanksgiving, we are reminded of the importance of expressing gratitude for the many blessings God has bestowed on us. However, thankfulness can be complicated at times. When life is good and going as planned, it is easy to express our gratitude. When life is difficult and it seems as though nothing is going as planned, it can be challenging to be thankful. James 1:2-3 tells us to remain faithful during these trying times as he wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
As I reflect on this scripture, I am reminded of the many reasons why a person may seek support from Catholic Charities. Each person’s story is different, but often there is something troubling the person. One person may seek counseling to help them with grief and depression following the death of a family member. A person may face financial challenges following the loss of a job. Another person may seek support to care for a child with a serious medical condition.
While we do not want individuals to experience these difficult times, I am grateful that Catholic Charities can be a source of support on a person’s journey. Our programs are designed to accompany those served by supporting them through the challenges they face, giving them the tools they need to thrive, and instilling hope and confidence. Catholic Charities strives to provide hope to these individuals and remind them that there are things to be thankful for even in difficult times.
One of my favorite aspects of Catholic Charities’ Neighbor To Neighbor program is the blessings-and-concerns portion that occurs at the beginning of each class. As a group, participants share their blessings — those aspects of their lives they are grateful and thankful for. They also share their concerns — those things that worry and trouble them. I appreciate the opportunity to witness how this process can unite the participants and help them understand that we can find blessings even in some of our most challenging moments.
During a recent class, concerns shared by participants included worries about a child struggling in school, an overdue bill, a challenging health issue and costly car repairs. Even with these concerns, participants shared many blessings such as starting a new job, spending time with family, a beautiful fall day and a favorable health report. As the program progressed, the participants recognized that they were sharing more blessings than concerns. They realized that approaching each day with a spirit of gratitude provided them strength.
Most, if not all, of us have concerns at some point in our lives — and others in our community may be facing concerns that are difficult for us to imagine as they are challenged by poverty, mental health needs and more. Through our work at Catholic Charities, we strive to provide hope and support to those facing these challenges. I hope that when individuals experiencing challenges work with our team at Catholic Charities, they see our support and assistance to be blessings during difficult times in their lives.
During this season of thanksgiving, may you be inspired by this quote from St. John of Ávila, “A single ‘Blessed be God’ in adversity is worth more than a thousand acts of thanksgiving in prosperity.”
Catholic Charities offers a variety of services including mental health counseling, life skills training, immigration legal services, and emergency financial assistance programs. For services or more information, contact Catholic Charities by calling 812-423-5456 or visit our website at www.ccevansville.org.