Christine Gerety, or (310) 566-1531.

Health Ministry at St. Monica promotes the spiritual health of the whole person. Health Ministry offers health and wellness information to our parish community through a mind, body, and spirit approach. This approach expands and builds upon our parish’s traditional visitation outreach to the sick, support groups, and referrals to community agencies.

Lent 2024 - The Path Towards Healing & Hope

Lent is a time of reflection and introspection – a time for us to see what is happening within us and with our relationship with God. Often times when we begin a time of reflection and turn inside, we encounter places within and parts of ourselves that might need some healing. And it’s not unusual that when we encounter those places and parts, we say “Not yet,” turn around and head right back out into the business of the world. It’s understandable and very human—it can be hard for us to witness our own suffering or that of other people.

But, as Christians, we have the opportunity to trust that healing can happen, and that goodness can be on the other side of the healing process. (Indeed, it is this trust that is key to our faith, the Paschal Mystery—Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection—which we enter into each year.)

So during this season of reflection, our Health Ministry invites you to join us as we walk with Christ along the healing path and see what emerges for you. Each week, we’ll examine a different aspect of healing—for example, what’s the first step in healing? How does our faith help us with acceptance? Can anger and fear be a part of the process? How can we invite our whole selves (body, mind & spirit) into the healing process? What does healing actually look like? How can Jesus and his journey inspire us?

The First Steps: Fear or Gratitude?

Entering the healing path is typically not easy—when we hear or discover that some part of our mind, body or spirit is broken and in need of healing, we might not believe it at first. Or, we might know the truth at some deep level, but feel scared, confused and paralyzed.

When I received diagnosis of cancer in 2012, fear was bouncing around inside me, filling my every thought, and even the spaces between my thoughts. But as I prayed and asked for God to be with me, a peace emerged, and let me know that I could choose to dwell in fear or to live in gratitude—gratitude for the brilliant health care workers who were doing their best to care for me, for supportive co-workers & friends who listened, for the unending love of my family, and for the chance to trust God’s unknown will. It made all the difference—although I still experienced fear from time to time, choosing to step forward in gratitude and towards life made it so much easier to sense God’s presence and care, and be open to the love that so many people were blessing me with.  

Christine Gerety

Fear/Gratitude
Fear―

Being constantly on edge,
Always looking over our shoulders. 
What else bad is going to happen?

Gratitude,  

Learning to accept the unknown and uncertainty of life.

Facing our fears to say “YES! I can handle this no problem.”

To be thankful that God and I will handle this issue I cannot handle alone.

If he leads me to it, he will guide me through it.

Patti Walker

St. Monica Blood Drive - THANK YOU!

A HUGE Thank You to all who donated or volunteered at our Blood Drive on January 14 - because of you, we collected 61 pints, helping to save 183 lives! This is especially important because blood donations are at a 20-year low, and blood is desperately needed throughout our area.

We’ll be back with the next Blood Drive on May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend) , so save the date or register now for your appointment

Register HERE for our Blood Drive on Sunday, May 26

Interested in volunteering at the Blood Drive? Contact Christine at or 310-566-1531.

Christine Gerety, or (310) 566-1531.

Health Ministry at St. Monica promotes the spiritual health of the whole person. Health Ministry offers health and wellness information to our parish community through a mind, body, and spirit approach. This approach expands and builds upon our parish’s traditional visitation outreach to the sick, support groups, and referrals to community agencies.

 

Lent 2024 - The Path Towards Healing & Hope

 

Lent is a time of reflection and introspection – a time for us to see what is happening within us and with our relationship with God. Often times when we begin a time of reflection and turn inside, we encounter places within and parts of ourselves that might need some healing. And it’s not unusual that when we encounter those places and parts, we say “Not yet,” turn around and head right back out into the business of the world. It’s understandable and very human—it can be hard for us to witness our own suffering or that of other people.

 

But, as Christians, we have the opportunity to trust that healing can happen, and that goodness can be on the other side of the healing process. (Indeed, it is this trust that is key to our faith, the Paschal Mystery—Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection—which we enter into each year.)

 

So during this season of reflection, our Health Ministry invites you to join us as we walk with Christ along the healing path and see what emerges for you. Each week, we’ll examine a different aspect of healing—for example, what’s the first step in healing? How does our faith help us with acceptance? Can anger and fear be a part of the process? How can we invite our whole selves (body, mind & spirit) into the healing process? What does healing actually look like? How can Jesus and his journey inspire us?

 

The First Steps: Fear or Gratitude?

Entering the healing path is typically not easy—when we hear or discover that some part of our mind, body or spirit is broken and in need of healing, we might not believe it at first. Or, we might know the truth at some deep level, but feel scared, confused and paralyzed.

When I received diagnosis of cancer in 2012, fear was bouncing around inside me, filling my every thought, and even the spaces between my thoughts. But as I prayed and asked for God to be with me, a peace emerged, and let me know that I could choose to dwell in fear or to live in gratitude—gratitude for the brilliant health care workers who were doing their best to care for me, for supportive co-workers & friends who listened, for the unending love of my family, and for the chance to trust God’s unknown will. It made all the difference—although I still experienced fear from time to time, choosing to step forward in gratitude and towards life made it so much easier to sense God’s presence and care, and be open to the love that so many people were blessing me with.  

Christine Gerety

 

Fear/Gratitude
Fear―

Being constantly on edge,
Always looking over our shoulders. 
What else bad is going to happen?

 

Gratitude,  

Learning to accept the unknown and uncertainty of life.

Facing our fears to say “YES! I can handle this no problem.”

To be thankful that God and I will handle this issue I cannot handle alone.

If he leads me to it, he will guide me through it.

Patti Walker

 

St. Monica Blood Drive - THANK YOU!

 

A HUGE Thank You to all who donated or volunteered at our Blood Drive on January 14 - because of you, we collected 61 pints, helping to save 183 lives! This is especially important because blood donations are at a 20-year low, and blood is desperately needed throughout our area.

 

We’ll be back with the next Blood Drive on May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend) , so save the date or register now for your appointment

 

Register HERE for our Blood Drive on Sunday, May 26

 

Interested in volunteering at the Blood Drive? Contact Christine at or 310-566-1531.

 

 

Quarterly Blood Drive

 

We heed the call for blood donations, as our nation continues to experience a critical shortage. The need for blood is a constant need. The St. Monica Health Ministry team works with the American Red Cross for Blood Drives every quarter. 

 

Why Give Blood?

 

 

Blood Drive Story Highlight

by Helen Brooks, Red Cross Volunteer

 

Sometimes through tears, Yesenia Miranda Meza, a Red Cross employee in the Red Cross Serving San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter, tells the story of her father contracting COVID-19 and then receiving convalescent plasma leading to his full recovery.   

  

[T]hrough the grace of God, Yesenia said, who she believed was working alongside hospital staff, Jesus started his road to recovery just two days later. Divine intervention and convalescent plasma had carried him through.  

Click Here to Read More About Yesenia and Jesus' Story.

Stories of Giving from St. Monica

There are many reasons why someone would want to give blood. Here are a few stories collected from some of our Health Ministry volunteers [Anne-Marie, Dianna, Elena Jay, Josephine, Kristine, Lynn, Matt, Patricia, and Steve) during last year's Blood Drives.

 

In sitting and chatting with people during their "recovery period" after giving blood, and while enjoying some snacks, they struck up conversations with people and they learned why some people chose to donate blood. For one parishioner, it's an expression of gratitude, for another it's a reminder and opportunity, and for yet another, it's an opportunity to honor her family legacy:

 

• One donor stated that she simply donates because she is able to. She's grateful for her health, and hopes that her donation can be of help to others.
  
  
• Another donor admitted that she had not donated for five years. But when he heard the announcement in Mass, he realized how easy it would be to give at our blood drive, and he quickly scheduled his appointment.
  
  
• A third donor was giving blood for the third time in honor of her deceased brother. She explained that they year before, her brother had passed away suddenly. In the process of cleaning out his apartment, she found numerous certificates of recongition for all the blood he had donated. A fact that she had never known about him. On the day of his memorial service, she saw that the church was having an upcoming blood drive. So, for the first time, she donated in remembrance of him.

These inspiring moments are jsut some of the stories that motivate our community to give and give again!

 

The last few years, we have either met or exceeded our goals. This year we hope you can be a part of the life-saving, yet simple way to give back to our community.

 

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