The Good News “I have seen the Lord” - John Paul II Bible School

My family
away from home
by Joan Harter
Joan beside her poster celebrating US
Thanksgiving
God’s
Valentine’s Day
4
Treat to Me
By Coralee Grilz
Father Clare Watrin was our speaker the week of
Valentine’s Day. He is a man who is so kind, gentle, loving
and caring. I was journaling about how my grandfather
passed away on Valentine’s Day in 1984. It didn’t
really hit me until I was in the chapel praying. I felt in my
heart strongly from God that Fr. Clare is a vision of my
grandfather Arnold Tobin. Here is a poem that I have
written.
It is one day till Valentine’s Day.
On this day in 1984,
My grand­daddy Tobin
Passed away and I miss him lots.
There is a man here by the name of Father Clare
Who looks like you, grand­daddy,
Revealing to me what you looked like,
How you acted, and how sweet you really are.
Thinking of you today and what it must be like to be with
Jesus,
I really wish I could have got to know you.
But one day, I will be there to meet with you,
To reminisce about things that have gone on in your life.
My dreams and realities of what you were like
Have just come true!
When I first planned on coming to Bible School,
I thought I was just coming to a school. I had no idea
how much impact living in a Christian community
would have on me. I lived in university dorms for the
last two years prior to coming to JPII, so I figured it
would be the same experience. I didn’t expect the
entire community to become like my family away
from home.
Every one of the girls who go to school this
year seem like they really are my true sisters. Having sisters
is one thing I’ve always wanted, as I grew up in a family
with three brothers. That doesn’t mean the guys are left out,
though. They, along with all the staff, make up the rest of
our family. Whenever someone is missing even for just a
couple of hours, it is noticed. We recently had Spring Break
and I couldn’t wait to get back, simply because I missed
seeing everyone during those ten days.
Living in community as a group of Christians gives
us more than just family. It gives us accountability to the
faith. When I was living in the university dorms, I didn’t
really have a lot of Christian fellowship, and I certainly
wasn’t living with anyone who would hold me accountable
to the teachings of the Church. Most of the Christian friends
that I did have were not Catholic. I know that I will not live
in a community like this for all my life, but a year like this
one serves as a foundation for the rest of my life.
Since I’m from Wisconsin, the family I have here in
community helps me when I’m so far from home.
When the US Thanksgiving came along, the cooks made
me a Thanksgiving dinner and some of my friends decorated
a special table for me. One weekend, some of my
friends came back and chipped in to buy me an “Everybody
Loves an American” T­shirt. On that same weekend, someone
had bought a puzzle shaped like an eagle with landmarks
from the US on it. For my 22 nd birthday, the cook
made my cake shaped like a T­shirt and mixed frosting together
to make it look tie­dyed. She knew from all the tiedyed
shirts I have that I love tie­dyed things. My JPII family
has gone out of their way to let me know how much they
love me and are glad that I’m here.
Coming to JPII for the year is much more than classes
and outreach. Every year, the class bonds to form a family.
Everyone brings so much to the community. I’m so glad I
came this year.
The experiences I’ve had I will remember for a lifetime.