DEFINING SUCCESS

YEAR IN REVIEW: In hard times, finding pockets of joy is enough to make a year successful

Staff Writer Emily Benson encourages all Catholics to attend a Mass at the Black Catholic Apostolate in Menands, saying, “It was revitalizing to see a community so alive in their faith, and alive for being together.” (Emily Benson photo)

At the end of December, usually when January is just peaking around the corner, I start feeling this need to quantify my year.

I feel most people are no strangers to this. Every year, we’re conditioned to reflect on the past, asking ourselves pensive questions about our last 12 months: What goals did I hit? What work was I most proud of? Did I really need that fur coat I’ve only worn once? Why did I think getting bangs in the dead of summer was a good idea? 

And as healthy as it can be to reflect, it can be hard to navigate these questions without the added guilt for everything that wasn’t accomplished. What if I didn’t have a momentous year? What about all the unfinished items on my list? Will I ever actually use that bread maker in the back of the cabinet?

For all the emphasis we place on measuring our year’s success, it’s important to note that a successful year doesn’t have to equate to grandiose updates or life changes. A year is filled with highs and lows, victories and pitfalls, and sometimes just trying to find the joy along the way is enough to call a year successful in my eyes.

These were a few stories that captured that for me. Moments of happiness in hard times, and silver linings in rough patches. It’s a good motto to take into the New Year: to know we’re all trying our best, and that, more often than not, the impact of our efforts is greater than we give ourselves credit. 

ST. CLARE’S TRIAL

Covering the trial of St. Clare’s pensioners has been a challenging and rewarding experience. The nature of the trial is heartbreaking: dedicated employees never received their promised pension plan, and for six weeks, we all sat together in the gallery of the Schenectady County Courthouse, watching and waiting to see how their fate would be determined.

And final answers are still unfolding. After the jury’s verdict reading that found six defendants liable (the Diocese was not found directly liable by the jury), many questions still remain on how financial responsibility will play out.  

It’s unfortunate that there is no real “winning” in court in this case, because the loss these pensioners faced (vacations with their family, time spent with loved ones) can’t be replaced. But gathering together over the past few weeks felt like an opportunity to find something hopeful amongst the chaos. 

On the last day in court, Mary Hartshorne, the unofficial spokesperson for the St. Clare’s pensioners, said: “We’ve gotten through tough times and we’ll do it again. I know we will. In fact, this will probably make us stronger than we ever were.”

ST. MARY’S REFUGEE PROGRAM

Ken Scallon is the right person to call for finding hope. A parishioner at St. Mary’s of the Nativity Church in Nassau, Scallon has been working diligently this past year, collecting items for refugees in need across upstate New York. 

In January, Scallon heard that incoming U.S. refugees would not obtain their usual resettlement aid. The aftermath left over a hundred local refugees in the Capital District without any public financial support. 

Scallon immediately went into action. He contacted his church’s pastor and worked with the parish to collect money and donations for the families in need. At the time of the article’s publication in October, St. Mary’s had collected over $4,000 in funds and countless household goods for local refugees. Even today, Scallion is continuing his efforts, saying that he plans to keep going until he can’t.

“Jesus didn’t have a church; he didn’t have a building,” Scallon said. “You just put the sandals on and you start walking.”

MARY’S HAVEN

Beside a lush garden, tucked away on a quiet street, there is a house that offers hope in hard times. Mary’s Haven, a two-bedroom facility operated by Catholic Charities, is a community home for the dying or persons with irreversible illness within the last three months of their lives. 

The house, which opened in 2003, has been a place of comfort and solace for hundreds of families during a dark time. The facility allows families seeking help with end-of-life care for their loved ones to forgo the responsibility of caregiver, and simply be with their loved ones as they pass on.

While sad in nature, the volunteers of Mary’s Haven I spoke with brought joy to the home. Death was not scary in that house; it was soft and peaceful. The wonderful volunteers of St. Mary’s reminded me that even when things eventually come to an end, we don’t have to navigate that loss alone.

BLACK CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE 

In August, the Black Catholic Apostolate at St. Joan of Arc in Menands celebrated its 41st anniversary. The apostolate, which opened its doors in 1984 to better serve the African, Caribbean and Black Catholic community in the Capital District, serves as a sanctuary for so many families.

And fitting for the joy of the parish’s people, covering the anniversary Mass felt more like a party (in addition to the one held after Mass on the church lawn). Even during service, it was obvious that parishioners of the apostolate don’t just attend Mass, they really celebrate the service.

I would encourage everyone in the Diocese to attend Mass there at least once. It was revitalizing to see a community so alive in their faith, and alive for being together. The importance of gathering as one body — to sing praise, to be together and to take time to find some joy — was a beautiful thing to see, and a note that we should all take into the New Year.