Pirate Monks in Italy
Benvenuto Fratelli Italiani! (Welcome Italian Brothers!)
We now have Samson Society meetings in Italy, thanks to the tireless efforts of our brother, Dan Wiens. Dan is hosting daily meetings for Italian men (in Italian) who have been isolated in Covid-19 lockdown for months. Many men have joined Samson Society as a result. Not only is Dan hosting online meetings, but he is also hosting Newcomer meetings and he has translated much or our website for a special Italian language page (check it out HERE). The Coronavirus has hit Italy hard and, like the rest of us, Italian men not used to being confined at home are struggling. Samson Society is meeting that need. If you are fluent in another language and would like to be instrumental in opening up a country to Samson Society, email Tom Moucka.
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Encouragement (with thanks to Don Williamson)
I needed to read this today: Borrowed this from a friend. Beautiful. This is a poem that was included in one of the many emails I received regarding closures that summed up for me the best response to the current situation.
Lockdown
Yes, there is fear.
Yes, there is isolation.
Yes, there is panic buying.
Yes, there is sickness.
Yes, there is even death.
But, They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear. They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them. They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighborhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary. All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbors in a new way
All over the world, people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love. So we pray and we remember that
Yes, there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes, there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes, there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes, there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes, there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love. Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love. Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
- Fr. Richard Hendrick, OFM, 13 March 2020
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"Anyone can be a Silas, and everyone needs a Silas."
Dear Brother,
If you’re like me, your journey in recovery has had its ups and downs. The upward climb, we find, is not a steady one. The Path we’re on does lead to dizzying heights of freedom and awareness, but there are also setbacks and disappointments along the way. These difficulties should not surprise us. After all, we are recovering from serious injuries and are learning to walk all over again.
Brotherhood changes everything. When I am caught in one of my endless, pointless, self-defeating inner monologues, another man can break the trance. He doesn’t even need to say anything. Just the presence of someone who will listen to my story and walk with me awhile opens new possibilities—for both of us. As we consider my situation together, new alternatives present themselves. I believe these suggestions come from Christ himself.
In the early days of my recovery, I found it hard to believe that someone I wasn’t paying would actually take an interest in my messed-up life. Now that I am a Silas myself, I understand the rewards of the role. In fact, serving as a Silas enriches my own recovery. When I suspend my navel-gazing for a few minutes each day in order to actually pay attention to another guy, I gain at least as much from our conversation as he does. Serving as a Silas has taught me to listen and to speak the truth in love. More than that, it has taught me that we are all the same, and that we learn as we walk together. As Jesus said, “You have a Teacher, and you are all brothers.”
The Silas relationship is the key element of the recovery strategy advocated by Samson Society, even more crucial than meetings. Sadly, though, too many of us wait too long before getting a Silas or never get one at all, and some who are willing to serve as a Silas are never approached. It’s all pretty pathetic, really, reminiscent of our adolescent awkwardness at a junior high dance.
If you have not yet experienced the joy of serving as a Silas—or if you have already tasted the rewards and are ready to accept new responsibility—I have great news. Samson House is launching an online Silas-matching program that will pair every newcomer with a Temporary Silas, who will make a 30-day commitment to speak with him on a regular basis. And for guys who want to learn how to be a better Silas, a four-session Silas Training Program is in the works - just days away.
If you are willing to register today as an Available Temporary Silas, go here and click the Register button (be sure to log in first): https://samsonsociety.com/what-is-a-silas/. It will only take a minute, and the experience may be exactly what you need to take your recovery to the next level.
—nate
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Good Quote (again, thanks to Don)
“The right direction leads not only to peace but to knowledge. When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him.” - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
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Now Available on Audible!
The book that started it all is now available on Audible. You can order it HERE.
Read by none other than Nate himself, you will enjoy this Audible version. It's like hearing Nate tell his story in your living room. In fact, you might consider using it in a small group setting to introduce men (and women) to the tribal story of Samson Society. It makes a great gift for your wife, men you know would appreciate it, your therapist, and your pastor.
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Here's how to shop AmazonSmile and benefit Samson House:
2. Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials
3. Choose a charitable organization to receive donations, or search for the charity of your choice
4. Select your charity (Samson House)
4. Start shopping!
5. Important: Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
Many thanks to those using Amazon Smile - last month we received a check for $416.00! All for simply doing what we normally do. Sweet!
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Special Funding Note
Many of our brothers in Samson Society have taken a significant financial hit during this crisis. Please remember them in prayer. The Coronavirus has taken a toll on Samson House funding as well. Remember us in your prayers as well, and if you are able, consider a contribution to help us help men struggling in isolation.
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