  By: Anne DeSantis Families in Crisis Retreat On July 9, 2022, the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith partnered with the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia in Philadelphia for a one-day retreat. The foundation is grateful to the Fathers at the shrine for providing a beautiful day of reflection and prayer to those individuals and families facing adversities. Recap of the Day The day began with a greeting and lunch where retreatants had the opportunity to mingle with others over delicious food, and beverages. Next, the Fathers offered the group questions to ponder for the day on the ways the Lord is always speaking to us both in the good times and through challenges. A tour of the shrine by Father Jeremy Hiers, OSA, followed the introduction phase where he discussed the life of Saint Rita of Casia including her spirituality and her most beloved saints whom she interceded to. There was time for Confesssions, prayer, and the day ended with both small and large group discussions at the retreat center which is right next door to the shrine. There was an optional 5:00 p.m. Mass held at the shrine for retreatants who wished to stay for Mass. Take Aways Feedback from the day was very positive, and there are possible plans in the making to offer these retreats for families and individuals in crisis more often through SRNF and the shrine. New friendships were made, and there was a feeling of healing through warm dialogue and conversations that were had. Do You Have a Crisis in Your Life? The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation is here for YOU and your family. We offer prayer, priestly consultations, programs and events, and podcasts and videos geared for families in crisis. We are a Catholic 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Philadelphia. Be sure to reach out to us to schedule your free pastoral consultation with a Mercedarian friar. Learn more about us by going to Nonnatus.org. Stay in touch with us, and keep an eye out for our next program or event.
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By: Anne DeSantis Losing a loved one can be one of the greatest challenges individuals and families experience in life. Whether it be a spouse, a parent, a friend, or child, the pain that comes with loss can be devastating. The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation offers pastoral accompaniment for families in crisis by offering the spiritual works of mercy. We have helped hundreds of people to find the needed healing related to the adversities life. One of those crises is finding the hope and care after losing a person very close. Below are three ways to find that healing which is needed after losing someone dear. Reflecting on the Good Times of the Past Recalling the good times in a relationship after a person has passed away is one way to find healing. Memories are gifts from God, and recalling those good times of the past and celebrating them in some way may bring peace. Whether it is a spouse or someone else close to you life, those memories are real, and they are God's way of reminding you that love will never die. Hold onto those positive memories. Cling to Your Faith As Catholics, are greatest gift is our faith and the celebration of the sacramental life. Turning to your faith for solace and consolation is the best way to find healing. It is also a prime way to know and love God which is the most important aspect of life. Spiritual reading, reflection, and staying close to the sacraments is a beautiful way to find hope and to experience the Lord's presence. Stay close to God during your darkest times, and trust in His Will for you life. Prayer Prayer is communication with God. It involves both listening and speaking. Spend time with Jesus in prayer. Don't be afraid to ask for prayer from trusted friends and close family members. Reach out to your pastor, and stay connected to your parish community. Make oureach to those who understand grieving. Perhaps seach for a support group for those who have lost a loved one or are experiencing loss. Through prayer and in God's time, you will be able to move on in faith after losing someone so dear to your heart. Reach Out to SRNF The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith was formed by the Mercedarian Religious Order to bring God's love to those families who have experienced crisis. We are here for YOU and your family! Reach out to us to schedule a free pastoral consulation with a Mercedarian friar. During your session, you will find the listening ear and the guidance of the Catholic Church you are searching for. Click below to make your appointment. We CARE and are here for your in your time of grief and crisis. Free Pastoral Consultation with a Mercedarian Friar By: Anne DeSantis
Deacon Jack Hasson was a guest on our podcast through the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith. He is a team member at the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia. The CFGP is the fundraising arm of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia which helps a great many nonprofits to be more visible to those residing in the Greater Philly area and for their missions to be more pronounced. SRNF is one of those nonprofits, and we are blessed to be working together with the Catholic Foundation through a new fund which helps us to reach more families in crisis. Our Podcast Recently, Deacon Jack joined the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for a short podcast to discuss the work of The CFGP, Deacon Jack's ministry as a permanent deacon, and also his work as a board member with SRNF. Our foundation is truly excited about this collaborative effort, as we believe it will help us to bring hope and healing to families who experience crisis and who need to know the Church DOES indeed care. To listen to the podcast with Deacon Jack, click below: St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation Podcast with Deacon Jack Hasson of The CFGP Our Fund with CFGP Fundraising and grants are a very important aspect of staying afloat as a nonprofit organization. For a foundation to continue on its mission, help is needed to educate, to spread the word, and to partner with to make greater outreach. The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation has a mission to bring pastoral care and support to those families who have faced all kinds of adversities by providing the spiritual works of mercy. The listening ear, the care, and the guidance of the Catholic Church are what we provide. To learn more about our fund with The CFGP, click below. Most of all, keep our good work in your prayers. The SRNF Fund with The CFGP By: Anne DeSantis Fast and Pray on May 13th The faithful are invited to pray and fast on Friday, May 13th amidst the leaked draft from the Supreme Court related to Roe v Wade. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are asking for Catholics to commit to praying a Rosary in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Join all of us at SRNF by fasting and praying for a respect for life from conception until natural death on Friday. Click below for the article with details from the USCCB: Faithful Invited to Fast and Pray on May 13th Mercedarians Meet With Pope Francis at the Vatican The Mercedarian Order had their General Chapter meetings at the Vatican over the past couple week, and they had an opportunity to meet with our Holy Father. The pope's message to the Mercedarians was to "listen to your mission" in regard to the charism of the Order to make outreach to those who are the captives of the current time or in some kind of slavery. We at SRNF are honored to be a Mercedarian ministry partaking in this mission as we make pastoral outreach to families in crisis. The YouTube link below is the Holy Father's message to the Order: Pope Francis Message to the Mercedarian Order St. Raymond Nonnatus Kits Available The Mercedarian Order Development Office has St. Raymond Nonnatus Kits available. The kits are a perfect gift for an expectant mother you know. Details on how to obtain a kit and have one sent to you or a loved one is on the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation website. We thank the Mercedarian Development Office for these beautiful kits, and we are blessed to make them available on the Nonnatus website. All details regarding what is contained in each kit are at the link below: St. Raymond Nonnatus Kit Page We Are Here for YOU The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith is here for YOU and your family. We offer prayer, priestly consultations, podcasts, and programs. Be sure to check-out our website to learn more about our ministry. We offer pastoral accompaniment for families in crisis. We are a Mercedarian ministry guided by the charisms of the Mercedarian Order. We appreciate your prayers and support so that we can continue to reach a vast amount of families who appreciate our offerings of the spiritual works of mercy. To donate to our mission, click below. The link is a donation to us through the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia which is part of a new partnership which helps us reach more families in crisis. Thank you, and God bless you from SRNF. Donate to SRNF through the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia  By: Anne DeSantis
The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith is a Catholic non-profit 501c3 founded in 2015 by the Mercedarian friars. Our mission is pastoral accompaniment for families in crisis. We need your help to enable us to get the word out about our free services. Below are ways you can assist us in doing so. Word of Mouth It is a known fact in the world of marketing and in business that word of mouth is the best way to spread the word. Although we are not a business, non-profits can use the same concepts in order to make greater outreach. Please let your friends, family, and your contacts know about us. We serve families facing adversities by offering them the Spiritual Works of Mercy. We do this through prayer, priestly consultations, podcasts and videos, and through programs and events. Social Media Are you on Facebook, Instagam, Twitter, or LinkedIn? We are too! Be sure to follow us by clicking the links in this paragraph for each social media page. Friend, follow and "like" our pages and our posts. This is a big help for us to get the word about about who we are and what we do. If you have a business or personal email list that you can send and share our emails, please do so. Before doing that, please sign-up on our website by clicking HERE to receive our email mailings. Once you are on the mailing list, you can forward our emails to your friends and family. Thank you! Google Reviews We are on Google, and if you simply key in the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation, you can give us a review. It is very simple to do once you put our name into the search engine. Positive reviews on Google are helpful to us for people to see your favorable response to our ministry and our mission. Click HERE to give us a review. Pray for Us! Nothing is more powerful than prayer! Please pray for us to be able to reach more families in crisis. We could not do the work we are doing without your prayers and support. Please also consider supporting our mission by partnering with us financially with a one-time or recurring donation. All of your donation will go toward expanding our mission and helping families to receive the pastoral support they deserve. Click HERE to donate to our new partnership with the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia. The CFGP is enabling us to spread the word far and wide through their efforts in union with us. To learn more about our mission and our work, go to our website. The Church CARES, and so does the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith. God bless.  By: Anne DeSantis Families who are undergoing trauma and adversity face difficulties and uncertainty sometimes on a daily basis. As the Church celebrates Holy Week, here are some reflections for families who are experiencing crises and ways they can unite their sufferings with the Lord. Prayerful Moments When crisis brings uncertainty to family life, it may be difficult to find extra time to pray. However, prayer is the most important thing one can do in order to find peace and strength during hard times. Eucharistic Adoration, Daily Mass, and praying the Liturgy of the Hours are beautiful ways to pray and to unite suffering with Our Lord especially during Holy Week and beyond. If you find it hard to find time in your schedule to do these things, take quiet moments even if just for a few minutes or a portion of an hour to pray and just to be with Jesus. Those prayerful moments are beautiful expressions of love for God. In addition, during this most sacred time, try and pray a Rosary, get to church, or attend Mass during the week when you are able. The Triduum The Triduum is one of the most sacred and special times of the entire Liturical year. It includes Holy Thursday, Good, Friday, and Holy Saturday. Taking the time to attend one or any of these services during the Triduum at your parish will be a blessing for you and your family. Unite your own sufferings and that of your family especially as you experience those hardships. Trust God for your future, and trust in His love for your whole family at this time and always. Easter and Beyond Attend Easter Mass and live the celebration with joy. Christ has defeated death, and Christ is with you now and always. Lean on Him and His guidance in your life each day as you move forward through the challenging times you are experiencing right now. God loves you, and God will see you through. The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation Learn about the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith by going to our website at Nonnatus.org. We are a Catholic, non-profit 501c3 which helps and offers pastoral accompaniment to families in crisis. The Church CARES and so does the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation. We are here for you and your family. God bless you, and have a Blessed Easter season.  By: Anne DeSantis Philly March for Life The Pro-life Union of Greater Philadelphia held the 2nd Annual March for Life in Center City Philadelphia on Saturday, March 26th, 2022. The day began with Roman Catholic Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul with Fr. Dennis Gill as the presider of the Mass. After the Mass, an ecumenical prayer service was held on the side lawn of the Cathedral which included praise and worship. More than 1,000 people marched from the Cathedral to an abortion facility nearby to pray together for an end to abortion. The day concluded with a rally at Independence Hall in Center City where speakers such as Dr. Monique Ruberu, pro-life OB-GYN, Pastor Herb Lusk III, Michael Geer, President and CEO of the Family Institute, Pete DeMaio, President of Pennsylvanians for Human Life, Fr. Christopher Walsh, Pastor of Saint Raymond of Penafort and Chairperson of the Pro-life Union, Toni McFadden, Pro-life Activist and Speaker, Sister Maeve, Sisters of Life, and headline speaker Kristan Hawkins, National Director of Students for Life. Those who attended the rally were blessed to hear awesome testimonies for life. The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation was blessed to be in attendance for the event as we are a partnering organization with the Pro-life Union of Greater Philadelphia. Anne DeSantis, Executive Director and Mickey Kelly, President of SRNF were in attendance as well as two Mercedarians, Fr. Daniel Bowen, O.deM accompanied by postulant to the priesthood Kevin who studies at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, PA. To learn more about our Catholic pro-life non-profit, visit our website at Nonnatus.org. We offer pastoral accompaniment for families in crisis which covers an arrary of areas of concern such as marital issue, divorce/separation, job loss, sickness/health crisis, relationship challenges, pro-life issues, and more. Be sure to make a free pastoral consultation with us to speak to a Mercedarian friar who will offer you prayer, care, and the guidance of the Catholic Church. Click HERE to make your free appointment. We thank all those who support our mission through prayer and partnering with us for a donation to our cause. Be sure to help us spread the word about our work to bringing hope and healing to families in crisis. Click below for more information about the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation and the Pro-life Union of Greater Philadelphia: St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith The Pro-life Union of Greater Philadelphia By: Anne DeSantis Who Are Families in Crisis? Families who are facing adversities come in various forms. Some families are affected by divorce or separation, some deal with health crises and sickness. Other families deal with job loss, relationship issues, or emotional/psychological traumas. During this season of Lent, families facing hard times can grow in their relationship with Christ and the Catholic Church. Three Ways for Families to Grow Families who are suffering and facing adversity can grow closer to God in various ways. Below are three specific ways that you and your family can grow closer to the Lord and one another during the Lenten Season. Prayer as a Family Daily prayer is essential to foster a relationship with God. Taking the time to pray together as a family is the best way for growth. When prayer becomes a commitment to love and serve Christ in unison, good things will happen. Carve out time each day to pray together even if just for a short while. You will be glad you did. Accpetance of Your Situation with God's Help We live in a world that attempts to avoid suffering at all costs. When your family is going through trauma, perhaps the best way to unite to Christ is through acceptance of your current situation as a cross that Christ will help to carry for you. This does not mean accepting evil, bad behavior, or sin. It means accepting the circumstances in your life at the current time and trusting that God will lead you through the darkness to better times. There are no magic wands in the spiritual life. Be patient with God, and He will continue to stay close to you each day. Helping Others Almsgiving is a wonderful way to grow closer to God as a family. Although you may be suffering yourself due to your life circumstances, the Lord can use you and your family to be a blessing to others especially those who have a worse situation than you do. Monetary giving is not the only way to give to others. We can give our time, our care, and our prayers. Make Your Free Pastoral Consultation The Church CARES and so does the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith. Make your free pastoral consultation with a Mercedarian friar to receive the pastoral support your may need at this time. Click the link below to make your appointment, and have a blessed Lenten Season: Free Pastoral Consulation Link By: Anne DeSantis A World Celebration of Marriage The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith has a deep focus on the sanctity of marriage and the celebration of the beautiful Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Since 2015, our non-profit has made it one of our focuses to promote, educate, and encourage healthy marriages through the lens of the Catholic faith. Ways to Support Marriage On this day of celebration which is the World Day of Marriage, pray in a special way for all couples around the world who are married and those who are engaged to be married. Marriage has been under attack in a variety of ways through the years and especially in today's culture. When we offer our prayers, our care, and our time in promoting good marriages, we help to make our world a better place to live for all. This is the mission of the Church to foster healthy marriages and families throughout the world. There are numerous avenues to support marriage both personally and globally, but perhaps the best place to start is within your own home or community. Praying for your marriage and other married couples, spending time together as a couple, and supporting marriages which are in trouble are ways to encourage strong marriages. Becoming well-catechized on the importance of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and the gifts along with the responsibilities of the sacrament, and making a commitment to your own spouse in a greater way is a monumental course of action to promote marriage. Letting your family and your friends who are engaged or married know that you are there for them through prayer, concern, and love is a great way to let others know you are there as a support system especially through challenges. Be sure to learn about and educate couples on Natural Family Planning as a key in marriage catechesis especially to engaged or newly married couples. Click this link HERE to be brought to the USCCB for info on NFP. There are a variety of resourses on-line on NFP, so be sure to learn more. Click HERE to be brought to the Outside Resources page for our foundation with several marriage, family, and NFP links. Learn More About SRNF The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation offers pastoral support for familes in crisis. The foundation offers care and outreach in a multitude of ways including those who have relationship issues, marriage-related concerns or questions, and several other facets which are covered on the website. Learn more about the foundation by going to the website at Nonnatus.org. The Church cares, and so does the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith. By: Anne DeSantis What are the Benefits of Scheduling a Pastoral Consultation? The St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith offers a free pastoral consultation with a Mercedarian friar as one of the primary offerings made available to those who need our support. What are the benefits to scheduling one? One of the first things clients tell us is how grateful they are that the consultations we offer are free of charge. We are a 501c3 non-profit organization, so everything we offer is free. We were founded by the Mercedarian Religious Order in 2015, and since that time we continue to offer all of our services without cost. We operate through the generous donations of those who wish to be a part of our mission by partnering with us in this way. The main benefit of the pastoral consult is the healing received as you will have a chance to be heard, tell your story, and to find the guidance of the Catholic Church during the call. We offer the calls either as a cell phone conversation or as an on-line call on a platform such as Zoom or Skype. Our Mercedarian friars do an excellent job at listening, guiding, and praying for those we help through the consultation. Please note: we are not licensed counselors or therapists. What we offer is a listening ear, prayer and care, and the guidance of the Church. If you do need a therapist, be sure to check out our Outside Resources page where we list highly qualified licensed therapists. (The information is toward the bottom of the website page.) You May Have as Many Appointments as Needed Another major benefit of scheduling with us is the fact that you can have as many appointments as needed. We have had quite a few returning friends who have contacted us more than one time asking to have another scheduled call with a friar. Our clients are those within the following catagories: families in crisis, those seeking pastoral help for their marriage, and for those affected by divorce/separation. Every non-profit has a targe audience, and these are the areas we focus on. If you do not fit within these catagories or areas, please check-out or Outside Resources page which could be helpful in your finding the proper outreach you are looking for. Schedule with Us! We would love to hear from you. Be sure to make your appointment with us for your consultation. Click the link below to schedule: Free Pastoral Consultation Thank you! If you would like to support our ministry, click below to be brought to our Giving Tuesday link. Giving Tuesday 2022 |