Together Magazine

Dr. Christina McShane accompanies men discerning priesthood. A perfect example of how God’s divine providence works in the lives of His faithful can be seen in the life of Catholic psychologist, Dr. Christina McShane, who serves the Office of Vocations. A native of the Diocese of Phoenix, she accompanies seminarians of the diocese as they discern their vocation during their time of formation at Nazareth Seminary. McShane has traveled a providential route of joy, sadness, and self-discovery to arrive at her current destination as she guides men along the path to the priesthood.

Things did not go as planned the first Christmas. Probably right around the time Mary and Joseph were settling in to wait for the arrival of their newborn baby, Ceasar Augustus announced that a census was taking place, and Joseph took Mary to the city of Bethlehem for their family to be enrolled. As we know, while they were there Mary went into labor and gave birth to the King of kings in a stable because there wasn’t room for them anywhere else.

I am embarrassed to say I approach Christmas with a bit of dread. It is NOT my favorite season. As a mom with kids at home, Christmas means there is so much more to do. Kids are home from school. The schedule is discombobulated. My life seems out of balance. I strive to do more (baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, entertaining -- oh my) and yet seem to have less time to do it. My son’s words and the orientation of his heart are what I want this year. I want to be excited about Christmas - just because of Jesus.

Miranda Maciel was a senior at Bourgade Catholic High School when the opportunity to be interviewed on The Bishop’s Hour popped up. The Diocese of Phoenix’s weekly podcast producers were looking for students who could attest to the many benefits of Catholic education.“ And I actually wanted to say no at first because I thought, well, I’m not super Catholic,” Maciel says. Then she found out she’d miss math class if she agreed

Silvia Starrs is a prison ministry volunteer and knows the incarcerated and their families by name. She accompanies them, meeting their spiritual, physical and emotional needs. “In prison, there's lots of broken hearts. Not just the prisoners, but also their families. We love meeting their needs, helping to build bridges back to the families.” One child that Starrs mentored through prison ministry really touched her heart. At the time, she didn’t know how she’d mentor Angelina while working and raising her children, but the Lord had a different plan. “God put her there. I knew that was love at first sight. When you say ‘yes’ to our Lord, He works all things out.”

In the Gospel of Luke, we’re introduced to a man who we only know a few things about – he’s short in stature, he’s publicly recognized as a sinner, he’s good at climbing trees and he’s personally sought out by Jesus. His name is Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a Jewish tax collector who worked for the Roman officials and was seen as a traitor and sinner by his own people. Scripture tells us he was rich, which indicates he may have cheated others out of their money. He likely lived a life where others regularly looked upon him with disdain.

The Lord heals the brokenhearted is not only the theme for this year’s Charity and Development Appeal (CDA), it could be the motto of First Way Pregnancy Center, says Glynnis Weston, who is the head peer counselor. The center accompanies women in their pregnancies, providing spiritual and emotional support. The center offers educational classes to mothers and fathers, medical grade pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, diapers, clothing and more.

Rebecca Regnier has seen God’s plan as she’s worked for Catholic Charities for 17 years. As the program supervisor for the Foster Care Program, she acts as ongoing support for existing foster families. She credits her husband for getting them involved in foster care. While monitoring the on-call phone, it rang in the middle of the night. It was a worker with the Department of Child Safety (DCS) who explained there was a child in need of a placement. Regnier’s husband, Jason, overheard his wife say there wasn’t a home available. The DCS officer would have to keep the child safe in her office that night. That conversation had a profound impact on Jason. It was the spark that ignited their foster care journey.

“It was spectacular.” That was the assessment of Kim Ruggiero, a Phoenix Catholic who, along with 13 other women, had the adventure of a lifetime this year while hiking an 89-mile trail along the Camino de Santiago through Spain and Portugal. The journey lasted eight days. “There were streams and forests and vineyards,” Ruggiero said. They passed through hamlets, observed wildlife and gazed at rugged shorelines. Some prayed the rosary or meditated on the beauty and significance of their journey.

When we share stories of loved ones or historical figures we usually start with their birthday. We include significant events in their life and if they have died, we include that too. The summary of a human life- birth, life, death. But as Christians, every Easter, we get to glimpse the mysterious and holy experience of a do-over. We get a chance to be reborn into the life that God has imagined for us but that every year we fall short of living. This is both beautifully unique and blessedly communal.