Fellowship Newsletter – 25 March 2019
A hearty welcome to all of the Fellowship as we approach Spring and lighter evenings in the UK. I would like to welcome Anthony to the group and thank him for his courage in participating in his first Crypt Chat session last Saturday. We all remember how difficult it was to open up about our addictions and it is worth pointing out that our success relies on continued contact – not just an occasional ‘one off’ email message. This Fellowship requires fortitude and humility to survive. Alone we sink…and we all know that!
Our addiction is not something we can just pretend has gone away. The devil relies on just such complacency to sneak up and bring us down when we think we are ‘on top’. If you are following the Self Help Units and demonstrating the courage and fortitude required for success then it is vital you share this with others in the Fellowship. We all struggle to believe that this addiction can be overcome so it is truly inspirational to have believable testimony from members that ‘things do get better’. How much more can you benefit by taking the time to demonstrate true charity as you help others benefit from your experience and advice. I hope that Men of Hope is for life – not just the hard times.
I have made a lot of headway with the web pages and I hope you will all notice the difference – especially with the video that plays on the ‘about us’ page. If you have not taken the time to watch it then I strongly urge you to do so NOW.
We have now been running since Jan 17th 2018 and I have been given no feedback on the usability of the site. I assume this is because it is perfect…but I fear not. Remember, if there are things you do not like then there is a good chance this will be true for others. So please let me know via the comments page. I would hate to lose a potential member because the web pages were not fit for purpose…
DONATIONS:
We are shortly about to hit 2000 rosaries on our donations page which represents an incredible spiritual aid to our members. But we all recognise more can be given. The minimum participation I would expect from us is at least a few prayer donations / week. To date the Fellowship has five regular prayer contributors – two of them are charitable benefactors not requiring our help. I beg of you to at least recognise the importance and value of your prayers in this apostolate that WE ALL share. Your prayers will save souls.
On the advice of Fr Nicholas I will be adding a financial donation button to help support the running of this Fellowship. To date all costs have been met by either myself or Fr Nicholas but this is not sustainable over the long term. Presently Men of Hope has the following costs to cover:
Mobile phone and service contract: Monthly charge of £10 + additional call costs
Web Domain: Renewed 2 yearly and due this year – around £25
Web Hosting: Due for renewal in Jan 2020 – I expect this to be in the region of £300
Runbox: Email accout for the sole use of Men of Hope – around £14/year
Toolani: Pre-paid call account for cheaper International calls and texts – current credit of £18
Aministrative Costs: Men of Hope laptop and other miscellaneous costs
I would like to thank an anonymous benefactor who recently donated £500 for the continued support of Men of Hope. This is not someone who requires are services yet recognises the importance of such work in this modern world. Please pray for him…and other anonymous benefactors to the site.
CRYPT CHAT:
Crypt Chat sessions will continue on a 1:1 ‘personal request’ basis until such time members feel able to contribute as a support group. When I feel confident that this is possible I will recommence a monthly ‘group’ crypt chat on Tuesday evenings starting at 8pm. This time is negotiable based on the timezone / locations of willing participants. Crypt Chat is the means with which the Self Help Units can be progressed effectively. Though each unit appears basic in completion it must be understood that it represents a ‘framework’ only. A greater depth of understanding is required through the active process of mentor feedback.
MEMBERS:
I am currently in regular contact with three members of the Fellowship – now four, with Anthony. To my knowledge all remain strong in their fight and all recognise the importance of keeping in contact…though more regularity would help us all (Amel, Ephraim and Joseph). At this point I send out a plea for more prayers to encourage Joseph to make that ‘break through’ call he knows he needs to make to progress in his battle.
DV and Benedict require devoted prayers to encourage them in their personal fights. Neither has been in contact and it is my understanding that one of them is truly battling the onslaughts of the devil through temptations and is being supported spiritually by Fr Nicholas.
LEST WE FORGET – We all know how bad that despair feels and we all recognise how often we consider returning for the sake of a one off moment…
Ephraim has given up all internet use through Lent but remains united to the Fellowship through prayer donation. He is happy to send and receive texts from fellow members.
I again ask that you all take the time to update your members profile and allow others to make text or email contact with you. There is nothing stopping you from arranging your own crypt chat session without me 🙁
FINALLY:
I thank all who have made the effort to join and continue working with this Apostolate.
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It is not easy to admit you are not in control.
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It is not easy to confess this to other men.
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It is not easy to accept you are weak and so easily tempted.
