January 6, 2026: Need to lift up Hermine in prayer and an invitation from Father John Dear: Light the candles, wherever you can, you who have them.

Dear Sisters and Brothers of our Emmaus Community and beyond: 

As we know, our sister Hermine Glaser is undergoing cancer treatment. In a couple of days she will start receiving a new chemo drug which could have some difficult side effects. Hermine is nervous (rightly so) and has asked for our prayers. Let's lift her up!


An announcement from our friend and mentor John Dear: It begins with a story from his next speaker Paula D'Arcy, founder of Red Bird Foundation: 

In 1975 Paula D’Arcy’s husband and daughter were killed in a drunken driving accident. She was twenty-seven years old and three months pregnant, yet survived unharmed. Six months later she gave birth to her second daughter, Beth, and began the long process of healing. Since that time she has authored ten books, worked as a therapist in private practice, and established a retreat and speaking ministry.

"When the darkness of grief lifted, I emerged deeply sensitized to all suffering. My life had been directly and forever altered by a great force of love that moved even in the midst of considerable heartache. Now I wanted to give back to the world in some way. I wanted others to know the full power and reach of love.

In creating a non-profit I was aware of the many organizations that beautifully and effectively tend society’s visible needs. But I dreamed of creating a foundation that would tend the invisible needs of the human heart. Red Bird Foundation was incorporated in 2001."

Since its founding, the guiding focus of Red Bird Foundation is to assist others in the transformation of pain and the restoration of hope.

"From the beginning, we have often been moved to help others when their needs were brought to our awareness because of the natural intersection of those lives and stories and my own work. As a result, Red Bird Foundation’s uniqueness is that rather than our searching for particular avenues and places where we might offer assistance, we let them find us. Because of this, our outreach is particularly diverse and always evolving. Yet our defining, unchanging dedication remains the same: To assist the movement of love in this world and at this time. This is our “why.” The “what” and the “how” follow."

The words of Alfred Delp, imprisoned and hung by the Nazis, are a perfect expression of our mission. While in the concentration camps he smuggled out scraps of paper in the laundry with these words: Light the candles, wherever you can, you who have them.

The question at the heart of Red Bird Foundation is: Who is life bringing to our door today and are we able to help? We light the candles wherever and however we can. A single human heart is of the highest value. The true work we support is love and the opening of hearts. As we are able, we hold open a door.

Our guiding focus is embedded in an intention to assist others in the opening of the heart and awakening to a greater love.”

Message from Father John Dear: 

We have an opportunity to listen to the founder of The Red Bird Foundation as I’ve invited the author and spiritual teacher Paula D’Arcy to lead us on Saturday January 24th in a zoom session. Our conversation focuses on the second Beatitude, on mourning the loss of relatives and friends, as well as humanity and creation. 

She is a writer, international retreat leader and founder and President of Red Bird Foundation which supports the growth and spiritual development of those in need throughout the world. Paula is a former psychotherapist whose personal tragedy led her to reach out to others encountering grief and loss. 

Visit:  www.redbirdfoundation.com

Among her best-selling books are Gift of the Red Bird, Waking up to This Day, Winter of the Heart, When People Grieve, Seeking with All My Heart, The Divine Spark, A New Set of Eyes, and Love that Beckons. Join us!

To register, visit www.beatitudescenter.org.

When: Saturday January 24th 

The program will begin 11am Pacific/ 12pm Mountain/ 1pm Central/ 2pm Eastern time. You will receive the zoom link a few days beforehand, and a recording link afterwards. 

If you have questions, email Kassandra at beatitudescentermb@gmail.com. Scholarships are available.

May the God of peace bless us all! See you then--Fr. John




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