Note from the Editor

Dear Reader,

This month we focus on the theme of “hope”. Catholic hope is not just a wishful sentimental optimism, but it is a reality, substantial and grounded in relationship with Jesus Christ.

To be human means that we will always have memories, good and others bad. St John of the Cross describes hope as the theological virtue that helps us heal from the memories of our past. When we live fully in hope, we are no longer bounded by the time-space continuum where the memories of our past live. When we live in hope, we are assured that, despite the current day’s trials and tribulations faced, a greater good awaits us and that His love and grace will ultimately prevail. Hope helps us persevere, trust in God’s plan, and remain steadfast in the face of adversity.

The United Nations was established because of hope in a better world in the future. We know that our efforts of working towards peace, justice, and the common good, will ultimately contribute to a greater purpose. So let our hope not be passive, but active, fully engaged with the world and those around us.

With hope in the living Christ,

Dr. Esther Tan
Editor, Catholic Reflexions Magazine

Interview with A Catholic: Charissa Villamayor

Each month, we have an intimate chat with a practicing Catholic. We discuss why they believe what they believe, the difference Christ has made in their lives, and any lessons learned from their faith journey. For this month, we feature CHARISSA VILLAMAYOR, the Speaker Series Chair of the UN Catholic Club, as well as Administrative Officer at the Executive Office of the Secretary-General at the United Nations in New York.

Can you share a bit about your upbringing and how your Catholic faith has played a role in your life? My family is the foundation of my Catholic faith. I was born and grew up in a family who has strong faith and love for one another. From as early as I can remember until I moved out of the house, we went to mass together every Sunday morning, bonded over variety of food at the park and ended our day praying the rosary together at night. Now that I have my own family, I make sure that we go to church together every Sunday. My siblings and I were also lucky to study in private Catholic schools in the Philippines from primary to college. We were baptized, confirmed, and raised in schools with theology classes, chapels, bibles, rosaries, priests or nuns, Christian music, confessions, and retreats. We had an environment that has the same moral vision, values, respect for each other, mutual support, and nourishing culture. My husband had the same environment. This is the reason why we decided to let our children experience the same by enrolling them in private Catholic schools in New Jersey. Why is this so important for us, especially in our time now? Because we believe, this is where the foundation of Catholic faith becomes strong and the love for each other becomes solid.

What are some significant moments or experiences that have deepened your faith journey? My own personal relationship with God started when I was 25 years old when I did not just do my Catholic obligations as duties. After I graduated in college, I had to figure out alone what I wanted to do in my life. I found an opportunity to reflect in a silent retreat in a Catholic monastery. They gave me a bible, pen, paper, and food. Up to now, I still have a vivid memory of God’s message which is - I have so much love in my heart that the only way I can fulfill my life’s mission is to teach and have a family of my own (husband and children). I also concluded that my love languages are service and quality time. This is why I pursued a career on teaching, whether in a classroom as a professor or on one-on-ones. Since I joined the United Nations in New York 17 years ago, I have been in functions where I was given the chance to teach. My passion in teaching brought me to opportunities of learning something new and then teaching it to my colleagues. I was assigned a role as the Staff Development Officer in UN Nairobi, Kenya for 2 years. This is a time in my life when I was fulfilling my dream job but had challenges in my marriage and personal life that even deepened my faith journey. I prayed harder and asked my prayer warriors to pray harder with me. God’s message to me this time was to give up my dream job and save my health and my marriage. I always know that my family comes first, and my teaching career comes second. When I came back to New York and up to this day, I volunteer as a mentor and career coach so that I still get to do my acts of service to fulfill God’s calling and my heart’s desires.

In what ways do you participate in the Catholic community outside of work, such as through church activities or volunteer work? The growth in my faith increases exponentially as my active participation in my chosen Catholic community expands. In 2019, I was praying fervently one day at the church and was graced with the Holy Spirit to sign up for the Women’s Cornerstone retreat. It touched my heart and life in a way that I did not expect. I love every woman in this community as we pray for each other and for the world. We share life’s stories that multiplies our joys and divides our sorrows just because this community of women reaches out to one another. Every single meet-up gave me life’s lessons at God’s perfect timing. This is why I chose to be an active member where we plan, prepare, and sponsor a retreat for women every year. After the pandemic in 2022 and we were asked to go back to work in person, I saw a post in the UN’s internal website about praying the rosary at one of the UN’s conference rooms. I thought to myself, I will join because I would want to contribute to helping the world by praying for peace. This is where I found the UN Catholic Club, which was formed by a group of staff members and now the community has been growing. I also decided to become even more active by using my talent as a speaker and facilitator and become the Speaker Series Chair of the UNSRC Catholic Club. I know that this is God’s invitation to bring Him glory.

What advice would you give to fellow Catholics striving to integrate their faith into their professional lives? Each person has his or her own faith journey. I hope my journey can inspire whoever is reading this. I have been blessed, saved from temptations and evil, depression and sadness because God is at the center of my life. My deep faith and relationship with God have always led me to the right path. I solemnly, deeply, and persistently pray. Yes, I cry and yes, I get angry. But every time I get tired, tried, and tested, I come running home to God my Father, Jesus my Savior, and Holy Spirit my Guide. I often pray the rosary as my prayer to God through the intercession of the Blessed Mother Mary. I attend Mass not just on Sundays to nourish my faith by receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. I read the bible and listen to the Word of God so that I am guided on what to do on my everyday life. I find peace, comfort, healing, love, and strength through my God.

As a Catholic, what does "hope" mean to you and how do you keep hope alive in your daily life? Hope for me is trusting God that he has planned my life and what’s happening in the world before I was even born. I don’t worry about everyday problems and am positive that every problem has a solution whether today or in the future. Yes, I plan and have contingencies. Yes, there are times when I don’t understand why things happen and I worry. But I use prayer as my weapon and I use my Catholic faith as my shield to any negativity, fear, harm and evil. I enjoy life’s uncertainty with confidence that God is always there to protect me and my loved ones. Easier said than done, as one will say. But hope is the only way to survive in this temporary life knowing that one day we will be with God in the eternal life and kindness, compassion and love is what I am working hard for today.

Remembering the Forgotten Virtue of Hope

Each month, we invite an original article or feature an existing article by a respected Catholic author.

by Sr. Mary Martha Becnel, Op

Pope Francis has named the year 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Hope. Hope is often, I think, the “forgotten” theological virtue. We seem more easily to understand and emphasize the virtues of faith and charity and barely to mention the virtue of hope. Thus, 2025 will be a graced time for us as a Church to rediscover this virtue so necessary in our times.

What is hope? When I hope, I desire a good that is possible and yet is difficult to attain. For example, by the emotion of hope, someone might desire to win the lottery. Winning the lottery is in fact a possibility — someone will eventually win it — but the probability of that person being you is such a small likelihood as to make such a result difficult to attain. But you buy the ticket anyway, in the hope that this time the winner might be you.

The theological virtue of hope is similar, in that it also seeks a possible yet difficult good. However, like the virtues of faith and charity, the virtue of hope has God Himself as its object, or end goal. In other words, God and union with Him are the “good” that the theological virtue of hope seeks to attain. By His grace, God has made union with Him possible for us, and yet it is easy for us to become distracted by the glamor of the world and to turn our attention away from Him. The theological virtue of hope gives me the ability to trust that, by God’s grace, I may attain my deepest desire — God Himself.

By hope, I know that God is good and that He loves me. He can and does make all things work for my good. He is powerful enough to bring a greater good out of every evil and difficulty, and He does this in my own life, removing the obstacles to Him in my soul.

Recently, I took on the practice, recommended by another Sister, of praying each morning for Jesus to surprise me that day. It is amazing how much this has changed my perspective on life! Things that once seemed inconvenient, or even quite difficult, have been transformed in my eyes. Now, when those same things happen, I can see God at work through them for my good, delighting to surprise me and make me feel seen and known and loved by Him. I am not a victim of my circumstances; rather, I am precious and chosen in those very moments.

Faith and hope allow me to see that He works “all things for the good of” me, “who love[s] Him” (Romans 8:28, emphasis added). And He provides abundantly for my good. After I began praying this prayer, one of the Lord’s surprises came on an evening when I had been looking forward to seeing the full moon. It began cloudy, but by the time I was retiring for the night, the clouds had parted; what I saw was not only the full moon, but a blood moon — a lunar eclipse! The Lord is abundantly generous in His love for us!

Let us ask Him for the faith to see, and the hope to expect, Him at work beyond our imagining in all the little and big surprises of each day.

Original article accessible at: Hope: Remembering the forgotten virtue- Detroit Catholic

Speaker Notes: The Place of Elijah in the Carmelite Tradition: A Talk by Father Matthew Blake

Each month, we summarize a talk previously presented to our members.

On 26 April 2024, the United Nations Catholic Club was honored to host Father Matthew Blake for an enlightening talk on the significance of the Prophet Elijah within the Carmelite tradition. Father Matthew, a Discalced Carmelite priest since 1988, is renowned for his deep insights and has primarily dedicated his ministry to retreats, although he has also served in parishes across England. His community resides in Kensington, London. This marks his third time sharing his wisdom with our group.

Father Matthew began by acknowledging the complexity and depth of the Carmelite tradition’s roots, much like natural roots that remain hidden yet vital. He highlighted the Prophet Elijah as a cornerstone of Carmelite spirituality, despite the historical gap between Elijah, a Jewish prophet from a millennium and a half before the Carmelite Order’s founding in the late 12th century. The Carmelite Order originated on Mount Carmel in Israel, a site intrinsically linked with Elijah. Father Matthew described how the early Carmelites, anonymous men from various European countries, settled on Mount Carmel, not for war or trade like many of their contemporaries, but to witness the spiritual essence of the land. Their strategic location made them visible testaments to a life of prayer and reflection.

Despite the temporal and religious differences, Elijah is revered as a spiritual founder of the Carmelites. This connection is symbolized by his statue in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where he stands alongside other great founders of spiritual traditions. Father Matthew explained that the early Carmelites identified with Elijah because his life and experiences mirrored their own spiritual aspirations and commitment to God.

Father Matthew outlined several key aspects of Elijah’s life that resonate with Carmelite spirituality:

1. Immediate Response to God’s Call: Elijah’s openness to God’s word, a hallmark of prophetic life, is central to Carmelite identity.

2. Contextual Awareness: Elijah’s engagement with the political and social issues of his time underscores the prophetic call to be deeply rooted in one’s historical context.

3. Right Relationship with God: Elijah’s mission to restore true worship in Israel exemplifies the Carmelite focus on understanding and fostering a right relationship with God.

Father Matthew emphasized that all Christians, by virtue of their baptism, are called to a prophetic life. However, certain individuals receive a distinct gift of prophecy, their lives standing out in unique ways that profoundly impact the world. He described the essence of prophetic living as a deep listening – to God’s word, to the world around us, and to our own inner convictions. Prophets often face persecution and misunderstanding, yet their influence endures beyond their immediate circumstances. The true measure of a prophetic life is its lasting impact, the light it brings, and the questions it raises about our relationship with God and our world.

The talk concluded with a Q&A session, where Father Matthew addressed questions about the prophetic calling, the role of prophecy in Christian life, and practical ways to nurture a prophetic spirit through prayer and attentiveness. Father Matthew’s talk provided profound insights into the enduring relevance of Elijah’s example and the Carmelite commitment to living a life attuned to the divine call. His words encouraged us to embrace our prophetic potential and deepen our spiritual journey.

For those interested, Father Matthew mentioned an upcoming course in London on the prophetic tradition, offering further exploration of this vital aspect of our faith. The full talk is available here.

Workplace Tips: Make Time to Manage Time

Each month, we offer advice and tips for being effective in our workplaces. Drawing from global best practices and personal experiences, we share insights for your use.

Cal Newport, an author and professor known for his work on deep work and productivity, offers several valuable tips on time management. Here are five key tips from him:

1. Deep Work Blocks: Allocate dedicated time blocks for deep, focused work without distractions. Newport suggests scheduling uninterrupted time to focus on challenging tasks, as this is when you're most productive.

2. Embrace Boredom: Avoid the constant need for entertainment or distractions. Newport emphasizes the importance of being comfortable with boredom to train your brain for focus. This means avoiding immediate distractions like checking your phone or browsing the internet during moments of downtime.

3. Plan Every Minute of Your Day: Newport advocates for meticulous planning. By scheduling your day in advance, you can allocate specific times for various tasks, ensuring that everything gets done. This method also helps you avoid wasting time on unimportant activities.

4. Use the 'Shutdown Ritual': Newport recommends establishing a ritual to end your workday. This could include reviewing what you've accomplished, planning the next day, and declaring your workday over. This practice helps you disconnect from work and recharge.

5. Batch Similar Tasks: Group similar tasks together and handle them in one go. For example, instead of checking email sporadically throughout the day, designate specific times for email management. This approach reduces the cognitive load of switching between different types of work and increases efficiency.

Spiritual Life Tips: Depression and the Catholic Hope

Each month, we offer practical advice and tips related to our Catholic faith and spirituality.

by Dr. Esther Tan

As a physician, I’ve encountered patients in various mental states including a debilitating depression, which can be a very difficult and isolating experience for those experiencing it. Nevertheless, our Catholic faith offers a full and vibrant hope for such circumstances, and practical steps to navigate this challenging journey.

1. Prayer and Sacraments: Allowing God to witness and love the weak, ugly and vulnerable “you” can be very difficult, but God needs to be invited into all facets of our lives including our struggles and the parts where we disappoint him or others. The Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Reconciliation, are also profound sources of graces for us.

2. Scripture Reading: The Psalms, such as Psalm 23 and Psalm 34, were borne out of toughness times. Reading them can provide comfort and reassurance of God’s presence and care. 

3. Community Support: You may not “feel like it” but it is important to keep reaching out, despite negative feelings. Our lives are not only made up of our feelings, and they can be unreliable sources of Truth. Connect with your local catholic community, or seek support from a spiritual director. The fellowship of other believers can offer encouragement and understanding.

4. Physical and Mental Care: We are made of body and soul. Take the physical, emotional and mental rest when you need it. Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and seek professional help when needed. Catholic counseling services can integrate faith and therapy.

5. Acts of Charity: Finally, we should move away from focus on ourselves and our problems, but start to engage in acts of service. Helping others can bring a sense of purpose and lift your spirits, and help you be grateful for what you already have. Volunteering at your parish or local charities allows you to share Christ’s love.

Remember, God understands the sufferings of other lives because He has walked in the shoes of Man. There is always light at the end of the tunnel and God is never far from our woes. If you are struggling in your spiritual life, find out more about our club’s online spiritual direction program at https://www.uncatholics.com/spiritual-direction-program

For inquiries, or potential contributions to the magazine, please contact unitednationscatholicclub@outlook.com