{"id":7196,"date":"2023-09-15T05:12:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T05:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/?p=7196"},"modified":"2023-09-15T18:48:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T18:48:04","slug":"volunteer-brings-parishioners-closer-to-saints-and-each-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archden.org\/give\/volunteer-brings-parishioners-closer-to-saints-and-each-other\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteer Brings Parishioners Closer to Saints and Each Other"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”1%” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”right” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/4″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”7197″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][nectar_single_testimonial testimonial_style=”basic” text_color=”#008166″ quote=”She is the first to step up and ask what she can do to help.” name=”Kim Baillargeon” subtitle=”Parishioner”][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”padding-2-percent” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”left” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”3\/4″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Volunteer Brings Parishioners Closer to Saints and Each Other<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ann O\u2019Brien, a former fallen-away Catholic, has been at the center of a popular community program at St. Mary\u2019s of Aspen to educate parishioners about the holy lives of saints and connect them over a meal.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien spearheaded the Cloud of Witnesses program after a church restoration project included art drawings of 20 saints up on the wall surrounding the altar. All the saints were canonized in the 20th or 21st centuries, like St. Faustina and St. Juan Diego, but many were unfamiliar to parishioners.<\/p>\n

Shortly after the church restoration, it was forced to shut down because of the pandemic. When doors reopened, O\u2019Brien developed the idea to build community through a monthly presentation about the new Cloud of Witnesses surrounding the altar.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien organized volunteers to research and present information and stories regarding each saint. Along the way, themed dinners representing either the saint\u2019s country of origin or food that connected to the saint culturally were added to the monthly progams.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of Ann\u2019s devotion to our parish, we open the minds and hearts of those who attend the presentation,\u201d said parishioner Kim Baillargeon, and the person who nominated Ann as a Disciple of the Month. \u201cShe is the first to step up and ask what she can do to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Brien credits her sister and mother for consistently praying behind the scenes that she would come back to her Catholic faith, and she also credits her cousin for continually asking O\u2019Brien to join her at weekly Mass. The day she finally said yes, she felt as though the priest was directly speaking to her in his homily. Today, O\u2019Brien is a lector, a greeter, and an alto in the choir.<\/p>\n

The program has welcomed atheists, Jews, agnostics, Episcopalians, and all others who may come from out of town or otherwise may have never stepped into a Catholic church.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are welcoming the whole community. This program has helped this community of parishioners get very close,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. “We love this program\u2026it is so great, bringing us all together. We really needed it.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line”][vc_column_text]Congratulations, Ann O\u2019Brien, for being the Archbishop\u2019s Catholic Appeal, \u201cDisciple of the Month.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]If you know someone else who is courageously spreading the Gospel, please share his or her story with us at archden.org\/give\/nominate<\/a> and they may become the next \u201cDisciple of the Month.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][vc_column_text]The Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal funds over 40 ministries that are sharing the Gospel every day.[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][nectar_btn size=”large” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” color_override=”#f58320″ icon_family=”none” text=”NOMINATE A DISCIPLE” url=”\/give\/nominate”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”20″][nectar_btn size=”large” button_style=”regular” button_color_2=”Accent-Color” icon_family=”none” text=”GIVE TODAY” url=”https:\/\/give.archden.org\/”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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