Catholic Writers Guild – Page 3 – Catholic Writers Guild

Giving thanks

November 25, 2014/0 Comments/in Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writers Conference Online, Catholic Writers Guild, Faith, Networking, Religious Liberty/by Leslie Lynch

It’s a couple of days early, but the season is never wrong for giving thanks. I’ve seen a number of gratitude challenges online this year, and I think it’s a great trend.

Last year at this time, I had just returned from the CWG biennial writers retreat in DeWitt, Michigan. I am thankful that I’m still in touch with most of the people I met there. One has become a close friend in spite of the distance that separates us. Several have become my cheerleaders, and I hope my support buoys others from that special weekend. My life has been immeasurably enriched from that brief time and in getting to know my fellow retreatants/CWG members.

With the perspective of time, I am again reminded how powerful those few days were. I’ve attended other writing retreats along with numerous conferences, but putting our Lord and our Catholic faith at the center of the retreat was key to its uniqueness.

One of the themes that continues to come up in my monthly columns is that of connecting with other writers, whether it be critique based, genre based, special interest based, online, or in person. The Catholic Writers Guild is a great place for Catholic writers to connect. Opportunities abound. The Online Conference usually takes place in February; look for details as the time approaches. 2015’s Live Conference will be in Summit, New Jersey. Check out the website for critique groups. And if you’re not on the CWG Facebook page yet, email one of the officers for an invitation. While a writer’s life is solitary, find strength and encouragement in the fellowship of those who share the passion of the written word.

But most important, for us as Catholics, is the need to connect with God. Sometimes we need to take a step back from the pressures of writing and recall for Whom we write, and why we toil at this sometimes-thankless task. Enjoy your family this Thanksgiving. Work to alleviate hunger, poverty, and loneliness. Use your gifts for the glory of God. Avail yourself of the Sacraments. Spend time in prayer and Adoration.

May God bless the work of your hands, and may you enjoy the company of your fellow saints-in-making during this busy holiday season.

Catholic Writers Conference, July 29-August 1, 2014

July 22, 2014/7 Comments/in Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, CWG member benefits, CWG Needs Volunteers, Encouragement for Writers, Marketing Your Work, Networking, The Writing Life/by Leslie Lynch

EWTN Bookmark interviews at the CWG Booth

Headed for Catholic Writers Conference next week? Are you excited? You should be! Take a look at this photo to get a sense of the energy and opportunities that await! What an opportunity to rub shoulders with industry professionals, to put names and personalities to folks you’ve met online, to renew friendships, and to network. This is a once in a lifetime experience; make the most of it. There will never be another gathering of exactly the same people at this point in their faith and writing journeys. Truly you are in Chicago, Illinois, because God has called you to be there!

Each of you has a specific reason for attending, a goal you hope to accomplish. If this is your first conference experience, the coming days are likely to be a roller coaster of euphoria juxtaposed with self doubt. Be assured that you are not the only one grappling with these feelings. I hope this knowledge translates into a greater sense of ease in a new and sometimes intimidating environment. Here are some words of advice (of wisdom, too, hopefully!) for both newbies and veterans, for authors, for agents, and for editors, geared toward making this conference the best it can be for everyone:

1) Everyone’s goals are the same, ultimately. Editors want to find the next diamond of a manuscript to publish. Agents want to discover the next author whose career they can guide to new heights. Authors want to find a publisher and/or agent to promote their awesome work. And in this particular setting, all of these people want to serve God with their talents and gifts in the way that pleases Him the most.

When viewed through that prism, competition loses the edge of greed and rejection loses its sting. We’re all on the same side, and God’s looking out for the good of each person’s life and career. This doesn’t mean you should fail to promote your product, just that there is no need for fear. Which brings us to the next point.

2) Be confident. You have something no one else does: your voice, and your work. These are gifts that God has given you, gifts that you have honed with hard work and prayer. No one can duplicate your contribution. Take heart in that fact, and know that your work will find its home. Maybe through this conference; maybe not – which leads to…

3) Don’t take rejection personally. Sometimes it just isn’t a good fit for the publisher or agent. Imagine a library with thousands of books. You have three days to find the best two. You will have to create a system to sort and discard the ones that aren’t suitable for your purpose. Do you see that many wonderful, deserving books will be overlooked? This does not reflect on the worthiness of each one, the same way it does not reflect on your particular project. And in today’s climate, many options are available. So…

4) Be open. There are many possibilities that we may not recognize in our limited, human view. Be open to new ideas, new directions, new options. You may discover a brand new path, or even a calling! You may discover it through…

5) Networking. This is the whole purpose of a conference. Meet people! Ask them what they write, who they want to represent, what they want to publish. Have a brief answer ready when others ask you these questions. (I write ____ and my current project is about ____.)

This is a remarkably small community, and the contacts you make in the next few days will serve you for your entire career. Do not discount the importance of these interactions. They are crucial for your success. But remember…

6) Be nice. This should go without saying, especially in this setting, but we are human and sometimes we need to be reminded. Keep your comments positive; you never know who might overhear or repeat something you said in a frustrated or disappointed moment. Again, this is a remarkably small community even though it may not seem that way.

Also, restrict your interactions to appropriate venues. Don’t try to pitch to an agent or publisher in the restroom, or shove your manuscript under the door of the stall. I have seen the first and have heard of the second, so these are not as far-fetched as they seem. Be considerate of folks. If the target of your interest has a headache or gets a pained look on their face when you approach, be brief. Introduce yourself and say you’d like to send them a query if that is acceptable; believe me, they will remember and appreciate your kindness. And that goes a long way. Which leads to the last point…

7) Be yourself. This may call for leaving your comfort zone, though. If you tend to be shy (many writers are!) push yourself to be more sociable. It’s not hard; smile and ask people around you about themselves. You’ll be glad you did. If you are an extrovert, recognize your tendency to overshadow the more timid among us and let them shine, too.

8) Use social media to keep the non-conference-goers among us updated! There’s the CWG Facebook page and your personal Facebook/Twitter, etc. accounts. The ripple effect can be unlimited. Share the love!

I hope each one of you has a wonderful experience at the Catholic Writers Conference! And… Oops! I forgot the most important words of advice! HAVE FUN!

Cheerleading! Mutually Beneficial Author Support

May 27, 2014/3 Comments/in Blogging, Book Review, Catholic Fiction, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Encouragement for Writers, Fiction, Inspirational, Marketing Your Work, Networking, Novel, Pro-life, romance, Self-Publishing, The Writing Life, Writing Tips and Tricks/by Leslie Lynch

There are a lot of us out there. Authors. With great books to share. Too often, though, we feel alone in our endeavors, trying to get readers to notice us in the roiling sea of other great books. This is a great time to be a writer! It’s more possible than it has ever been to publish a book. But that means that all sorts of other people are doing the same.

Whether you are independently publishing your work, under contract with a traditional publisher, or working with a small, online press, the business of marketing one’s work falls more and more upon the shoulders of the author. “But I just want to write,” you say. Hey, I’m with you. Me, too. But that’s not our reality anymore.

How do we get “out there” where someone might notice?

First, write a quality book, no matter the genre. If you’re publishing independently, surround yourself with an expert team of editors, formatters, and cover artists. First impressions matter. Don’t give the reader a reason to skip past your book; give them a reason to stop and look at it, really look at it. Hopefully, they’ll be intrigued enough to click the ‘buy’ button.

Then, the meat of this post: Network. Before you ask people to spread the news about your book, make sure you’ve nurtured relationships with them, and have crowed about their successes. You can do this well before you are ready to publish your own work; in fact, that’s the best time to create these relationships. Have you gone to Catholic Writers Conference Live? Or participated in the online CWG conference? How about the Writing Retreat? Or any other writing focused activities? What about the CWG Facebook page? Have you interacted with other writers in any of those venues? I hope so, because that’s crucial for the next step, which is:

Celebrate with them! Post their new releases or awards on your Facebook page. Use your blog or Twitter to let your followers know there’s something available that’s worth their time. If you’re on Twitter, find and follow some entities that reflect your interests; they may reTweet for you and expand your reach.

Buy and read your friends’ books, and then review them on Amazon and Goodreads. *Caveat: Always say something nice, or don’t post a review. This does not mean you can’t be honest, but be honest in a kind manner. Personally, I never give a review with less than four stars, and even if I didn’t like everything about the book, I focus on what I loved about the book—or, if it’s in a genre that’s not my favorite, focus on what readers of that specific type of book will enjoy about this particular one.

Here’s an example of how this might work. A few weeks ago, Erin McCole Cupp contacted me because I’d done a cover reveal on my upcoming release, Hijacked, on CWG’s Facebook page. Would I like to trade read and reviews with her? She’d recently published Don’t You Forget About Me, a cozy mystery. I said yes, and posted reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. She upped the ante and asked me to be an interviewee on her blog the week my book comes out. I said yes (!), and then tagged her on a My Writing Process blog tour/relay. With any luck, some of my readers will be interested in her work and some of hers readers, in mine. That’s just with two authors! Imagine what can happen when more get in on the fun!

(And did you notice what I just did? I linked Erin’s website and the Amazon link to buy her book to this post. I purposely do this for everyone I mention on both my CWG and personal blogs. What goes around comes around…)

Join writing organizations and establish relationships with authors you respect. Be a cheerleader for them, and hope they’ll return the favor when it’s your turn. Yes, it’s time consuming, but it is well worth the effort—not just because they’re going to help you sell books, but because they are wonderful people and their friendships enrich your life.

Are you feeling a little less alone now? I hope so! If you’ve had success in the arena of networking, please share your story! What are the elements that contribute to that success?

A Writer’s Nemesis–an Unapologetic Computer

April 3, 2014/1 Comment/in Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, Humour/by Larry Peterson

When I got my hands on my first Smith-Corona H Series Correctable Typewriter, I was in my glory. I was also in control. Then…along came computers and the word-processing phenomenon. Writers were thrilled at the technology: Spell-check, formatting, multiple fonts, save options and mailing options, all at the click of a mouse. But there was a dark side to all of this, and I have found it; or rather, it found me. When something went awry most of the time I was lost. The worst part was I did not know what to do. I was at the mercy of forces beyond my tech challenged brain. Yes…I had lost control of my writer’s world.

As writers we have all experienced the ‘glitches’ that come along in dealing with computers and the cyber universe they dwell in. It is as if they do not want us to come into their world. It is okay to stand in the foyer but that’s close enough. If you get too close you suddenly have dropped text, lost messages, frozen screens and so on. Why, one time Google even blocked the Internet by mistake. (Maybe there was a mob at the door.) I think we all have our individual dark sides in the invisible universe. They are like small black-holes ready to suck you in and devour you before you even know what happened.

I discovered that my dark side exists in the tech end of cyber world. I have also found that I am just one of many computer users who know very little about computer repair, especially if it involves software. I do try very hard not to open up unknown or suspicious items. I also do a disk cleanup often and defrag and all of that stuff. I do that because I know what can happen if I “click wrongly” and, when I do, the result ain’t pretty. Finally, I have Norton anti-virus. Oh well, the fact is, if I do “click” wrong none of that matters anyway. It is the proverbial ‘two edged sword’.

My two published books have been returned to me because my publisher is going out of business effective June 1. (Obviously, my books did not hit the best seller list). I have also been given my blogsite to tend to. I do not know how. With the assistance of the publisher I have managed to republish the book on Amazon and Smashwords. But I have no idea how to update the blog site with the new editions. This is what I mean about losing control. In addition, I had my email account with Verizon for 13 years. I cancelled it 15 months ago saving $50.00 a month by using Bright House. Verizon told me that was ‘just fine” to keep the Verizon address. Like an idiot, I believed them.

So (the day after I found out about the books) my email stopped working. I was sure I had “clicked” something wrong and it took six hours to find out Verizon had disconnected it. It took six hours because they did not know they had done it, and there was nothing anyone could do about it because their computer had done it and that was that, end of story. Many people apologized but the computer did NOT apologize.

Bottom line: we are at the mercy of cyber forces that can get us at any time. We need to learn more about that other world before it gets us like it did everyone in “Terminator III: Rise of the Machines”. In that movie “Skynet”, the computer system, takes over control from mankind unleashing worldwide, thermonuclear war. No one can stop it, not even Arnold. I guess that old Smith-Corona had a very positive side after all. We were smarter.

From the President’s Desk – Election News

October 25, 2013/1 Comment/in Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, CWG Member News, CWG News and Announcements/by Ellen Gable Hrkach

iStock image

As an American living in Canada, I have always enjoyed celebrating both Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day weekend) and American Thanksgiving in November. It’s a chance to spend time with family and indulge in turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and all that comes with a big dinner. It’s an opportunity to give thanks twice for all the blessings in our lives.

Speaking of blessings, I feel especially grateful to be part of the Catholic Writers Guild. As I was telling someone recently, I believe that the Guild is responsible for any success I have had as a writer and author. The overwhelming benefits of Guild membership convinced me to want to give back, so I joined the CWG Board in 2010 and currently serve as the President. However, as a democratic organization, we still need to hold elections.

Most of the members of our current board are willing to remain in our current positions. Don Mulcare will be running for Committee Coordinator (replacing Karina Fabian).

Here is Don’s short biography: Donald J. Mulcare, PhD, Biology Professor Emeritus retired from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2003. During his university career he participated in the American Society of Zoologists and the Society for Developmental Biology. He served as the founding president of the UMD Club/Chapter of Sigma Xi and twice represented the university as a delegate to the national meeting. He directed the Gerontology programs and represented the university as a delegate to the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. He moderated the Newman Lecture Series and co-chaired the Premedical Advisory Committee. Upon retirement, he taught in two Catholic high schools for a total of six years. Don currently contributes to the CWG Blog. His website is: https://dmulcare.wordpress.com/

The other candidates are all current board members:

Ellen Gable Hrkach – President
Jennifer Fitz – Vice-President
Ann Lewis – Treasurer
Dave Law – Secretary

If you are a member of the CWG, we will soon be sending you a link to the polls. Please vote anytime before November 30, 2013.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any concerns or questions: president(at)catholicwritersguild.com

In Jesus and Mary,

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, CWG

Catholic Writers Conference Live! A Two-fer Blog for conference goers (and stay-at-homers)

July 23, 2013/1 Comment/in Blogging, Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, CWG member benefits, CWG Member News/by Leslie Lynch

Are you headed for this year’s Catholic Writers Conference Live? If you are, check out my blog from last year regarding conference etiquette. It was good advice then, and I can’t think of a thing to improve on it. Just substitute the words Somerset, New Jersey for Arlington, Texas.

If you’re not able to go to the conference, you can still share in the excitement and even network. Go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/ and see who’s going to be there. If a particular publisher or presenter interests you, go to their website and see if they have a Twitter account – and then follow them. It will quickly become clear who is tweeting and which threads have value for you and your situation. You can even jump in on conversations if you have salient points to contribute. One caveat here: Unless someone invites such, do not pitch via Twitter. And, as always with social media, remember to keep your tweets polite and on-subject.

Are you one of the lucky ones going to the conference? Tweet, blog, and Facebook your experiences. Engage your followers and create a ripple effect that no one else can. Encourage questions and/or discussions that you can facilitate simply by being present at the conference. Get on the Catholic Writers Guild blog and website. You have much you can share.

Like so many other enterprises we undertake as Catholics, it’s not ‘all about me.’ Be generous with your abilities and presence, whether it’s at the conference or from home. Support each other at the conference, and share with those unable to come. This is a unique opportunity to live your faith – evangelization in an unanticipated form!

Let’s all make this year’s Catholic Writers Conference Live the best ever!

President’s Message – January 25

January 25, 2013/0 Comments/in Catholic Writers Conference Live, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Ellen Gable Hrkach

photo copyright Ellen Gable Hrkach

Here in Canada, the longest month of the year is January, not only because it has 31 days, but because it’s usually snowy, cold and dreary for most of the month. It hasn’t exactly been dreary, but it has definitely been snowy. To date, we’ve had 83 cms of snow (just under three feet) with no indication that it will slow down.

Strangely, enough – and I’m not sure this is the case for other writers – January is usually my most “fertile” writing month. Ideas come so fast I don’t have enough time to write them all down. Not sure why, but it’s been that way for the past ten years.

On a sad note, we have had to cancel the Catholic Writers Conference Online this year. CWG has been holding an online conference for the past six years. I’ve attended and presented at most of these and have enjoyed them immensely. Karina Fabian, the past coordinator, writes about it here.

We are still holding the Catholic Writers Conference Live in Somerset, New Jersey (August 7-9), as well as our Catholic Writers’ Retreat in October. We’ll be sharing more details about both of those upcoming events in future blog posts and newsletters.

And, for those of you who have difficulties with the Catholic Writers Conference website, a newly revamped, newly designed, more easy to manage website is coming.

I will keep all of you in prayer and hope you will do the same for me.

Blessings,

Ellen Gable Hrkach
President, Catholic Writers Guild

President’s Message

December 28, 2012/0 Comments/in Catholic Writers Conference Online, Catholic Writers Guild, Catholic Writing and Publishing, CWG Member News/by Ellen Gable Hrkach

Hello CWG Members!

On behalf of the entire Catholic Writers Guild Board, I’d like to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

I’d also like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Jennifer Fitz to our board as Vice President. I had the pleasure of meeting Jen at the past CWG Conference in August in Dallas. She’s already become an asset to the Board. Ann Lewis, CWG’s devoted and conscientious past president, is now our Treasurer so if you have any questions for her, she can be reached at treasurer(at)catholicwritersguild.com. Other long-time board members are Karina Fabian (past president) as Committee Coordinator and Dave Law as Secretary.

The Catholic Writers Guild has been busy during the month of December recruiting members to volunteer in various positions. Karl Erickson is our new blog news coordinator. If you have any new and exciting book news or information you’d like to share, please send it to erickson1990(at)comcast.net Other new volunteers are Larry Peterson and Nancy Carabio Belanger. Again, many thanks for stepping forward to help!

It’s been an exciting year for the Guild. A well-attended online conference took place in March and a live conference in Dallas in August were two of the highlights. We received a large grant towards our conferences and retreat next year. Several of our members were featured in the June/July Catholic Digest article and more will be featured in the January issue. Some of our members appeared on EWTN’s Bookmark show. More and more people are becoming acquainted with the Guild, so our membership is increasing!

Don’t forget about our online conference which takes place March 4-15, 2013! We’ll be sending out special notices on that event soon. For those of you who can’t travel, this free conference is for you! Please consider attending. We’ll have hour-long chats and week-long workshops, plus opportunities to pitch to Catholic and secular publishers and (hopefully) agents. In addition, we’re trying to schedule some critique sessions.

If you have a novel that was released in 2012 or 2013, please consider entering it in the CALA’s awards. For more information, check out the link here.

And, as always, if there’s anything I can do for you, please feel free to contact me: president(at)catholicwritersguild.com

Members: We need some volunteers!

September 30, 2012/0 Comments/in Catholic Writers Guild, CWG member benefits, CWG Member News, CWG Needs Volunteers/by Karina Fabian

If you are a dues-paying member, you should have gotten this e-mail last Friday; however, I’m posting it here again to try to catch more of you. Of all the programs the CWG has done, this one is the one that most directly helps Catholic writers in their marketing efforts and is a boon to Catholic bookstores as well. We really need dedicated people to keep it going. We’ve been blessed with Sarah, Carol-Ann and Mary–will we be blessed with you, too?

–Karina

One of our most successful programs is the Seal of Approval, which vetts books for quality and Catholic content with the goal of marking those qualified to stand on the shelves of Catholic bookstores. Three wonderful ladies have been handling this: Sarah Reinhard, Carol-Ann Chybowski, and Mary Gildersleeve. This year, however, Mary needs to bow out, and Sarah is looking for an apprentice/ assistant. Would you be willing to help out?

The Seal of Approval runs on a quarterly schedule, and handles ten to thirty books a quarter. We have a cadre of around twenty-five readers.

Below are the duties:

Mary Gildersleeve, SoA Awards Coordinator:

Once winners were chosen, SoA Coordinator took care of the letters, which involved:
•   filling in the blanks for the Yes List and emailing the SOA art
•   sending that information to Margot Davidson, so she could mail hard copy seals
•   sending drafts of No letters to Ann for proofing, suggestions, etc.

SoA Coordinator, Sarah Reinhard (apprentice/assistant needed):

Monthly: I fill out Committee report with updates on needs and achievements of the SoA committee.

As Needed: I correspond with officers on the needs and issues of the SoA that cannot wait for the meeting.

Right before a submission month:
• promo on Guild blog

During submission month:
•   Forward subs to Carol Ann
•   Once a week, I usually do a once-over on the spreadsheet, touch base with Carol Ann, make sure there are no flaming emails or such. Some weeks, it seems to be an hourly sort of thing. Other weeks, I don’t even know SOA exists.
•   Part of this time frame also includes sending follow-up emails to authors as their electronic copies come through.
At the end of the sub time:
•   I check the spreadsheet and verify that we do have electronic copies of all the books (sometimes I just email Carol Ann and she checks)
•   Remind Carol Ann that we need to recruit readers, give them the timeline, get info lined up
During the eval time:
•   forward evals to Carol Ann as they come in
•   alert authors where hard copies need to be sent
Near the end of eval time, closing in on awarding time:
•   touch base with Carol Ann (and Mary) with the titles that I think need to be evaluated by Core Team (I also monitor this through the eval period…if I see a flag go up, I’ll read the evals and see if we need to get on it)
•   I also make the “call” on some titles—sometimes, our evaluators are a little overzealous in rejecting a book
•   At the end, as we get to awarding, I’ll email Carol Ann (and Mary) and give them the Yes List, the “I’m Not Sure” List, and the No List.
Mary then took care of the letters, which involved:
•   filling in the blanks for the Yes List and emailing the SOA art
•   sending that information to Margot Davidson, so she could mail hard copy seals
•   sending drafts of No letters to Ann for proofing, suggestions, etc.
On occasion: Authors will not be happy with the Committee decision; I am the person who deals with their replies. Carol Ann (and Mary) do not. I consult with the officers when there is an issue that needs consideration.

After awarding is done,
•   I copy the list of Yes titles into the SOA google doc, email it to a list of Guild members (Ellen, you, Ann, Maria for the newsletter, Jen for the blog, and a few others who I can’t remember offhand)
•   I move the titles off the working part of the spreadsheet into the archived part of the spreadsheet
•   I move the decline notes into a different part so our working doc is clear again

Please contact Sarah Reinhard at soa(at)catholicwritersguild.com if interested.

Freedoms We Hold Dear – Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience

June 26, 2012/0 Comments/in Catholic Writers Guild, Religious Liberty/by Leslie Lynch

The United States was founded by numerous groups fleeing Europe in search of the freedom to practice their religion, free from tyranny or persecution. Now, after hundreds of years, our government – once envisioned to be a tool to protect those freedoms – has seen fit to attempt to restrict the practice of specific Catholic beliefs. Many other Christian people recognize this assault on freedom of religion, and stand in solidarity with us.

Freedom of conscience is a bedrock tenet of this country, and in fact, is recognized as a basic human right. From Wikipedia: In 1948, the issue of the right to “conscience” was dealt with by the United Nations General Assembly in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It reads: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

I suspect that our current political climate has given rise to the first time many of us have had to exercise this right. Many conscientious objectors have done so in the past, refusing to partake in war. Some have been allowed to serve in noncombatant roles in the military or in civilian service. Others have paid a higher price and been imprisoned or fled the country to avoid the same. Our Catholic heritage is rich with martyrs who have chosen to cling to God rather than submit to earthly rulers and unjust laws.

As a nurse, I exercised my freedom of conscience in declining to be involved in medical procedures that run counter to my religious beliefs. (Read: abortions.) And yes, it came up in situations far removed from the places one would expect. My beliefs were always respected, even if not understood or agreed with. The only cost I paid was the occasional shake of a coworker’s head indicating disagreement.

The Obama administration backed down from its initial directive that medical personnel do not have the right to freedom of conscience in the matter of abortions. The cost this time could have been a fine, a job, or even prison. Public outcry changed that.

Now the threat is to our hospitals, schools, and outreaches that help the poor or those in some sort of need no matter their race or religion. To be very clear: The cost is not to us. It is to those we attempt to serve. (And of course, the many persons employed in this service.)

We are called, first and always, to pray. The United States Council of Catholic Bishops has asked us to educate ourselves and advocate for the protection of conscience rights.

Remember that even those who oppose our beliefs are on a faith journey, whether they acknowledge it or not. I truly believe that the Church is viewed as a country club by many. Therefore, we are faced with a ripe opportunity for evangelization, which is nothing more and nothing less than love in action.

Rather than divisiveness, let us seek to find Christ in others. Let us show Him to others. Let us continue to be His hands, His feet, His voice in this world. His love.

Our mission has not changed. Maybe our awareness of it has – and that’s not a bad thing.

Keep the faith. Do it with courage and with joy. Go forth and bear fruit in a world which hungers for it.

Finally, draw strength from Galatians 5:23: …the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.