From the Director

I usually read the articles that will be appearing in the Uplift before I sit down and write mine. It helps me to have a sense of the theme this newsletter is focusing on and how my contribution can connect with the other articles.

This times the words – “We feel that as individuals we can spread Christ’s love to others” – seemed to jump out at me. That is really what is happening in the lives of many Victorious Missionaries!

Too often we see the good things that we do as nothing more than just being ourselves and helping others when we can. The reality is that we are able to share love with others because we have experienced a loving presence in our own life – both socially and spiritually.

Our coming to an awareness of the loving presence in our lives through friends and family is an open doorway to entering into a greater awareness of how God has been lovingly present to us. After that, doing good for others is not only being who we are, but it is also an expression of that loving presence we have come to know and experience in our relationship with God.

Our ability to do good for others is really a gift from God that we are all called to share. Just read the articles in this newsletter and you’ll see what I mean.

Br. Tom Ruhmann, O.M.I.
National Director of the VMs
truhmann@snows.org

Springtime is coming
Old Man Winter’s gone
A new Earth’s beginning
Only God could have done.

Fragile buds sprouting
Fragrant flowers blooming
Bare branches once naked
Sharing shades very soon.

Birds chirping happy tunes
All mankind joyful souls
Mother Earth’s announcing
Forever, God loving us all.

Poem written by:
Florida T. Banawa
VM-San Antonio Chapter

Victorious Missionaries
NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS
442 S. DeMazenod Dr.        Belleville, IL 62223-1023
618-394-6281 (TDD)   FAX 618-397-1210
www.vmusa.org