Family means different things to different people.
Those who attend CatholicCare’s HIV/AIDS Ministry Services may be estranged from or have a difficult relationship with their families. So for them, the experience of family comes through the group of people who attend a weekly HIV/AIDS Ministry lunch in Fitzroy.
Last year some of these members participated in a retreat, with the theme “Sparks of Beauty”. This prompted them to both see themselves as sparks of beauty, and to appreciate the sparks of beauty in their lives.
As part of the retreat they composed a song, Sparks of Beauty. The words of the chorus are quite inspiring:
We are sparks of beauty
Glowing in the night
Like a child, bringing warmth
Bringing joy
When the darkness comes upon us
We reach out and connect
We are sparks of beauty
In a family of love and light
We are sparks of beauty
In a family of love and light.
They expressed the sense of family that they felt at the retreat. Beyond that, despite any relationship difficulties within their own biological families, they wished to show how much family means to them.
This has resonance with our Family Week theme, Building Connections in the Spirit of Hope. I hope you can see yourself as a spark of beauty, even in dark times. May you find the sparks in your life, and give thanks for them.
To find out more about CatholicCare’s HIV/AIDS Ministry, click here.
Marg Hayes, Catholic HIV/AIDS Ministry Coordinator | Jeff Wild, Community Engagement Coordinator
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