A snowy St. Patrick’s Day with frigid temps and snowy roads couldn’t deter volunteers from the Christ Child Society of South Bend from celebrating their spring Mass, meeting, and luncheon. The annual gathering “is an opportunity for the general membership to be updated on current issues and review financial statements,” shared organizer, volunteer, and at-large board member Sara Conroy. “We will also be voting to elect new board members and officers and recognizing outgoing board members.” Serving St. Joseph County since 1947, the Christ Child Society has a deep love and devotion to assisting children and families. More than a quarter of a million children have found the dignity of new clothing, the empowerment of education, and the joy of learning to read thanks to the society’s dedicated volunteers. Bishop Rhoades began the March 17 event by celebrating Mass for the members at St. Thérèse, Little Flower Parish in South Bend. Each member brought a layette item for Bishop Rhoades to bless. In his homily, Bishop Rhoades discussed Ezekiel’s vision of water flowing from the Temple, symbolizing hope and new life. He preached about the 700 adults in our diocese preparing to be baptized or received into full communion into the Catholic Church this Easter. Those being baptized will receive the new life of Christ, and those being received into the Church will be renewed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Photos by Lisa Kochanowski “In the sacraments, we drink of this living water,” Bishop Rhoades said. “We receive God’s grace and life. Jesus satisfies our deepest thirsts – our thirst for truth, true freedom, love, and eternal life. When we drink of this living water, like the trees on the sides of the river, we can produce wonderful fruits. Refreshed and renewed by the Holy Spirit, we are able to become channels of Christ’s grace and love in the world.” He continued, saying: “Isn’t that what the saints were? They were people who cooperated with God’s grace, and so, through them, rivers of living water truly entered into human history. They proclaimed and lived the Gospel of Jesus. Think of the great missionary St. Patrick, who brought the rivers of living water to the people of Ireland. Or we can think today of the Servant of God Mary Virginia Merrick, the founder of the Christ Child Society, who, even in her paralyzed condition, was a channel of Christ’s grace and love to so many poor and needy children. The vision of Ezekiel is a vision that continues to unfold since the great river of life-giving water continues to flow in the world today through the Church born from the pierced heart of Jesus and the Church’s sacraments.” Bishop Rhoades noted how he called for a diocesan synod in order for our diocese to live out the grace of the sacraments and invite others to share in Christ’s truth and love. “Of course, your service in the Christ Child Society is a beautiful part of that mission as you bring the warmth of God’s love and joy to children and families in need,” Bishop Rhoades said. Bishop Rhoades told the congregation that during the Lenten season of penance, as we prepare to renew our baptismal promises at Easter, it’s good to remember that, joined to Christ at our baptism, we become sources from which His living water flows to others when we are close to Jesus and immersed in Him. Sometimes, we are only ankle deep because of immersion in other things; maybe we are knee-deep or waist-deep, not fully living in God’s grace because of attachment to other things. We are called to be totally immersed in the waters, living by the Spirit and bearing fruit for His Kingdom. “That’s what the saints did and what we are called to do. Through prayer, they entered into the deep water, the deep mysteries of God’s love, and their holy lives produced beautiful fruits,” Bishop Rhoades said. “May we follow their example by joyfully drawing water from the springs of salvation and by receiving His body and blood in holy Communion, which ‘preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace’ we received in the waters of baptism.”   The post Bishop Celebrates Annual Mass for Christ Child Society of South Bend appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less