For the most part, our neighbors want to make the world a better place, just like we do. They are kind and loving and generous and faithful, just like we seek to be. Elder M. Russell Ballard
Thirteen year-old Chelsea Kennedy, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who lives here in Clinton, MA recently had a conversation with her cousin Meagan, who lives in a predominantly Mormon community. When sharing stories about their lives, Meagan told Chelsea, "I'm not sure if I want Anna to hang out with my group of friends because she's Catholic." Chelsea replied, "If you don't give her a chance, you'll be doing what a lot of people do to me in Massachusetts because I'm Mormon."
Juxtapose this conversation with an interchange in nearby Northborough, MA. Kate MacLean, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, born with Down Syndrome, has been the dutiful manager of the Algonquin High School Women's Volleyball team for 4 years. Kate's dream of playing on the team came true last month when the team asked her to play in one of the final games of the season. With this gesture, over a dozen young women not only paid tribute to Kate for her service, they taught the community about kindness and generosity. If you would like the full article, I can e-mail it to you.
Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised at the goodness of these teenagers. After all, Northborough, MA is a community where, the clergy meet once a month to figure out what good needs to be done that can only get done by doing it together. The senior member of that group is Father Jim Houston who has been the pastor of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church for 15 years. Father Houston invites Algonquin choral groups to sing at St. Rose's Christmas Eve midnight mass, and then uses this as an opportunity to know and love the kids in the community regardless of their faith.
It is he who, when tragic events have struck Northborough, has sponsored interfaith services. For one such event, Father Houston asked LDS youth Nathan Heaps to represent the Mormon faith at an interfaith prayer meeting; their friendship was such that, while serving a mission, Nathan corresponded with Father Houston.
It was Father Houston’s parish that passed the plate for LDS teenagers Reed and Rob Nixon, nearly 11 years ago, after the boys were injured in an auto accident (Reed was paralyzed from the neck down, Rob from the chest down), raising over $4,000.
And it was he, who, when learning that teenagers Reed and Rob were priests, respectfully responded, so am I.
Quoting Patti Heaps, Nathan's mother, "Father Houston is a good man."
You know what I'm going to say.
If only. If only Chelsea's cousin, Meagan, could come to Northborough for a day, and see that there are many people in the world, maybe even especially Catholics, who strive to be just as good as we seek to be.
Is there a person in your community who has really made your town or neighborhood a better place?
Why not include them on your Christmas card list -- you don't need to know them personally -- and tell them thank you.
Here's another great news article on the Nixon family from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, titled "Accident hasn't stopped Nixons".
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/NEWS/705310746&SearchID=7328292889288
Posted by: Whitney Johnson | June 02, 2007 at 12:52 AM
For those of you interested in an update on the Nixon family, here's a great article in the Metro-West Daily News, titled "Spitz: After crash, milestones lie ahead".
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/local_news/x840923367
Posted by: Whitney Johnson | April 07, 2007 at 11:16 AM