January 4, 2013 A.D.
Passing from the old year to the New Year is a holy event for the Caritas Community and is full of traditional activities that have evolved over the years in the “way of life” of Our Lady as She has taught us through Her messages. Many beautiful poignant moments and reflections are interlaced with the fun of just being together in the days between Christmas and New Year’s when we break from our normal routine, and rest from our normal vigorous schedule that the mission always entails.
While many throughout the world ring in the New Year without a thought of God, our founder from the beginning of the community, placed our thoughts upon Our Lady in remembering the blessings from the previous year, and in looking towards the New Year asking for Our Lady’s help and guidance for whatever is heading our way. An altar is created anew each year for the moment of midnight, when we pray our first Rosary of the New Year in a peace that fills not only the room, but each heart. It is a treasured moment for all.
In order to remember our most recent blessings, photo albums of the past year’s events are placed on tables that are visited frequently throughout not only during New Year’s eve and day, but also for several weeks, to give everyone the opportunity of reflection on the goodness of God and Our Lady in the life of our community. It is a joy to remember back on so many special moments, to remember them together, sharing memories and being reminded of events that had “escaped” our memories. We are often humbled at seeing before us so many blessings from Our Lady’s hand. It fosters in us all deep gratitude to our Heavenly Father.
The activities of the community are full of interaction between the adults, the youth and children of the community. If adults do not involve themselves in the lives of their children, children and the youth will separate themselves from the influence of the adults becoming cliques among themselves that destroy “community.” Whatever we do in community, our children are always made a part of it, and though they separately play with each other at times together, it is always within the vicinity of watching adults who will often join in on their fun. There is nothing like a spontaneous rousing game of musical chairs to bring joy.
The antics of the Caritas kids bring ready smiles from community members who take a momentary break from sifting through a few hundred pictures picked out of thousands that were taken last year. Simple joys, simple fun, simple life.
Most of the time, we do not plan the events of our gatherings. They more or less evolve or spontaneously happen on the spur of the moment. When the adults get involved it can become pretty cow-boyish and cow-girlish. In other words—pretty tough. Going to see who the last to be standing, what could you expect from guys and gals who handle cows, hogs and horses?
Here are three community girls from three different families working out a problem together, as they see daily examples of in our community life. What happens when you can’t quite reach? Call an adult? Call 911?
No….you think out your problem and the possibilities in what will bring about a solution. In our community, our founder has always cautioned the adults not to jump in too quickly with a helping hand for their children’s dilemmas. The satisfaction of solving their own problems brings joy to the heart. Much of today’s youth have lost the kind of life that teaches common sense. Hands-on experience is a constant teacher.
On New Year’s Day, every individual goes before the community and presents their greatest lesson and joy of the previous years. Young Luke is helped by his father in sharing his greatest lesson of 2012: Learning not to hit his baby brother, James. Luke has an amazing gift of words for such a small age and we often break up in laughter by what he says.
Always so hard to pin down “just one” joy and lesson, many of the community will come with a written list scribbled on a napkin. Though we share many of the same joys, from different perspectives, there are always a few that escape our collective memory that one community member will remind us of.
And as far as lessons go, hearing of how Our Lady and the Holy Spirit are working on each of our hearts, hearing of the various spiritual victories—or at least improvement, is a great strengthening for the whole community in our daily walk as we carry our own crosses.
Little Lucy has no iota what she is doing nor why. But children learn from the witness of adults and also, babies learn from children. A trickle-down theory? What parents tolerate, children embrace. “It’s your witness, it’s your witness, it’s your witness.”
The year 2012 marked the deaths of three beloved souls of the community: 27-year-old Andrea Pipp who was a young community wife and mother of three small children, her little four month old baby who died in her womb, and Papa Tony, the father of our founder, and much loved grandfather of not only his children, but all the children of the community. Their pictures graced our altar this year, along with our other beloved souls who are laid to rest in the community cemetery. Their pictures and their spiritual presence brought home to our hearts the meaning of our lives, and our ultimate goal of leaving this world to live eternally in Heaven with God. They are our community saints that we pray to daily for their intercession. The message accompanying their pictures on the altar was from Our Lady’s “Christmas Day” December 25, 2012, message given to Medjugorje visionary Jakov:
Above Baby Jesus are three special relics with Vatican papers of authenticity that were given to the community many years ago in which a piece of Our Lady’s veil, a thread of St. Joseph’s cloak, and a splinter of the manger Jesus laid in are all contained within the single reliquary. These relics are brought out only during our annual 5-day retreat in December and during the week of Christmas. During the New Year Eve Rosary that was prayed before this nativity, which has been blessed in the presence of Our Lady’s apparitions at Caritas, a message is picked at random before each decade and recorded. Doing this year after year, it evolved into a novena that we begin on New Year’s Day each year. The community begins a Rosary novena meditating on the messages picked between each decade from the night before. Our Lady’s intentions for the Caritas Community and mission for the New Year are offered each day of the novena. This first rosary of the novena is prayed at the end of New Year’s Day, after the joys and lessons of the community are completed, going until January 9. We are spiritually “full” by the end of New Year’s Day.
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18 thoughts on “Ringing in the New Year with the Caritas Community 2013”
I’m a little late wishing ya’ll a Happy New Year, but you know my wishes are always there in spirit and prayer. Just catching up with behind the scenes at Caritas. I really like the updated pictures and news. Please do more!!! Missing ya’ll lots. The kids are all so beautiful and getting so big! Praying for ya’ll everyday.
I’m a little late wishing ya’ll a Happy New Year, but you know my wishes are always there in spirit and prayer. Just catching up with behind the scenes at Caritas. I really like the updated pictures and news. Please do more!!! Missing ya’ll lots. The kids are all so beautiful and getting so big! Praying for ya’ll everyday.
It is so wonderful when family’s gathered together as a community. God bless you all for the mission Our Lady has called you. I will pray that my niece which just had her first baby would find a community she could share. But she can’t share faith yet with her husband and so its very hard for her. May I ask you to help pray for this intention? Your sister in the Lord Maria
The photo’s are a great way to express yourselves! Now Caritas looks more like a “naturally human” community dedicated to propagating Our Lady’s messages as opposed to the communist like image some of your enemies try to portray. I just have one question . . . what took you so long? Good work! Jeff G.
The picture of the adults playing musical chairs looked like something that my family and I would do, haha. Thanks for the photos. It made my day to see them!
To watch each of you at rest and enjoying the faithful life you lead gives me great hope for our future. Our Lady has blessed me with the gift of knowing you and loving you as my family. May Our Lady wrap Her mantle around each of you as you live and pray for us. God Bless each of you as if named.
Beautiful. But what else could one expect with a Mother like ours? This is the kind of life I pray for, for our world…it is what the human heart longs for, even if one doesn’t know it. Thank you Mother for being here for us. Thank you Caritas for the record of Her words that you have provided and that sustains us in our journey in this world so troubled. Thank you Father for the gift of her presence all these years.
I see the pictures; I can feel your joy!
It always warms my heart to read how you do things, both little and big things, in such a beautiful way and it makes me wish I could live among you. I pray for the day when many more of us will live this way. You are in my prayers at daily Mass.
I am blessed everytime I read of the Caritas community. I still listen to the music of Christmas 2010. I am constantly trying to apply Mary’s messages to my life, sometimes it is hard but I will never stop trying as it always makes me feel better when I do! I love Jesus and Mary with all my heart! I will keep you in my prayers forever. I am a field angel and I thank you for all your daily prayers, I know they are helping. New Years must be wonderful for you all. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication! MIR
We wish we lived there now because its the most fullfilling way to live. Our dream is to accomplish a community the same as this one and to follow it only as our Mother Mary desires. thank you so much for being there for us. We love you all, God willing see you soon!!!!
I love the holy joy and the practial weaving of your lives into the fabric of Our Lady’s request to live her messages. As our secular society grows more and more hostile to any honoring of God, the world feels harsh and doomed. It is wonderful to see the blessings in full view of offering your lives in creative holiness to Our Lady and the resultant vitality of spirit that emanates and pervades the community. Love given, love received, love sown and abundant fruit grows. Love to all of you as you stay in my heart always. Thank you for showing us the way of joy.
Thank you for all your prayers to Our Lady, Queen of the World! May all of our prayers be answered, that we may rejoice in His glory! I wish you all a blessed and joyous New Year!
Beautiful Community-Beautiful People-Lots of Prayers-Lots of Hard Work- Lots of Love-Lots of Fun-God Bless you All- Looking Forward to spending time at Caritas sometime soon. Much Love to ya’ll. Marybeth
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! and more blessings from Our Lady. Keep us my family in your prayers and me as well, to spread Our Lady’s messages to her children…..
I always look forward to reading of your New Year’s Eve event every year, and this was my favorite. Did you know you posted 13 pictures for 2013? I can’t wait for 2113, 100 more pictures might be enough. Thank you for letting us into your way of life – I really needed my heart to smile today. Know that you all are loved and prayed for!! MIR
Mary Christmas and Happy New Year! We had no idea of your Novena in the New Year when we decided with another Medj pilgrim to offer a Novena of Masses to start the year…and include you intentions. Keep us in your prayers, as well!
It’s so nice to see the way you celebrate Christmas! I can remember how we prayed for Andrea. It is sure that she is in Heaven and look upon her family and all of you. Please give my love and Blessings to her loved ones! Merry Christmas and meaningful Happy 2013! May you all have more blessings from our Lady! May God Almighty Bless You all!