Attending Rescue Project...

I had the opportunity to participate in The Rescue Project at St. Andrew's in the fall of 2024. This program has been such a gift in my life. About a year ago, when Deacon Doug mentioned The Rescue Project during the announcements at Sunday mass, the conviction in his tone about the importance of this program and that it was what the world needed right now, made quite the impact. I told my husband that this was something in which we should get involved. 

Over 8 weeks, we got to know some amazingly faithful people at our table. Each week, we watched a video presented by Fr. John Riccardo of Acts XXIX, shared a meal with our group, prayed, and reflected on the message in the video through casual group discussion. To say this experience was life-changing for me is an understatement. Every week was moving and powerful, but during the video in Week 5, what I had been missing over the course of my life as a Catholic hit me. That week has forever changed how I look at the Cross, and now I have a deeper understanding of what Jesus was doing on the Cross. He let himself be put there in order to rescue us from sin, death, and Satan. God's love for me (and all of you, too!) is why He did that. It was a really powerful moment. The way it was presented that evening has shifted my whole focus in life to God and living for Him.

Over the course of the past year, the change in my life has been noticeable to those around me. Before The Rescue Project, I thought that going to mass on Sunday was enough, and quite frankly, I thought that was all I had time to do. Now, in my "post-Rescue Project era," I want to attend mass as often as possible. I never miss an opportunity to attend Adoration, even when I'm traveling. My Mom even saw that something was different and asked me if I was having health issues because I've been going to church so often. Actually, it's quite the opposite! The anxiousness that I experienced in my life has given way to a peace that I've never felt before. I look at everyone I encounter, from family to strangers, as God's sons and daughters, made by Him for a purpose. I am far from perfect, but through my new-found reliance on God, I turn to Him for everything. From challenges to victories in my life, He hears about it all and is guiding me through it all. This has made all the difference in my life.

Little did I know before attending The Rescue Project, I was the one who needed rescuing. As a wife and mom of 4 with a full-time job that has crazy hours requiring me to work nights, weekends, and holidays, I know how busy and tiring life can be. I will be forever thankful that God helped me to say yes to this program. I hope that you also say yes. You won't regret it.