Mounds of rotting garbage and streets littered with trash..... That was particularly evident during the first Saturday of March. Our volunteers went out onto Venango Street and witnessed the entire block covered in filth. Homeless people sleeping near mounds of trash and the streets littered with needles. The smell of urine, feces and rotting flesh as many of the addicts in our neighborhood have infections and wounds that are not being tended to..... We went out to bring Jesus into the mess. It was our privilege to pray with the people in the streets and offer them some clothing and food. Some of our volunteers used shovels and tried to clean up some of the mess. Our priest friend, Father John who is an Augustinian priest grew up in the neighborhood and was visibly shaken by what he was witnessing. Yes, Kensington is a messy place and we have to continually pray: “Jesus bless our mess”.

So often what's happening on the outside is a mere reflection of what's happening on the inside. So many of our families struggling with horrific situations beyond our ability to comprehend and we have to continually beg the Lord.... BLESS OUR MESS! 

I will never forget a prayer meeting with a young man from the Bronx many years ago. Carlos grew up in the projects and his father was serving a life sentence for murder. He was running around with gangs and continually involved with shootouts. He would come twice a week with his friends to pray the Rosary and was fascinated with Padre Pio. One Tuesday night during a prayer group, Carlos went to use the restroom and did not come out. His friend went and knocked on the door and finally when he opened the door found. Carlos weeping uncontrollably with a river of tears on the bathroom floor. I dismissed the other boys and sent them home on the subway and left Carlos alone to cry for hours. When he finally came out because he had gotten himself together, I embraced him and he began to sob uncontrollably again. His life was so filled with pain... JESUS BLESS OUR MASS!!!

Living in a neighborhood filled with trash and dealing with levels of dysfunction, unimaginable our young men come here to pray and also to relax and breathe and hopefully have some positive experiences. There is also the poverty of memories. When all you can remember is a nightmare. Your life will be filled with trauma. We try to give our boys beautiful memories and wonderful experiences that they can treasure and find hope.

On April 13th, thanks to the generosity of so many of our benefactors, we were able to rent a van and take six boys to New York City for an unbelievable adventure.... Before we left I sprinkled the outside and inside of the van with holy water asking Jesus..... BLESS OUR MESS..... And then we took off with Frank Sinatra, singing New York, New York and Fly me to the Moon.... We sang and laughed and then headed up to the 102nd floor observation deck of One world trade center. The boys had a blast and took pictures and we're filled with joy. We then took the Staten Island ferry and got to see Lady Liberty and then headed up to visit the missionary of Charity nuns in Manhattan. We prayed with the sisters and then headed over to times square and ended the day at St. Patrick's cathedral. The boys were overcome with the magnificence of St. Patrick's and prayed so beautifully as we visited Jesus in our Lady's chapel.... 

Yes, our boys come and through this ministry Jesus reaches out His hand and pulls them out of their mess. Each one of you through your prayers and donations help to make this work possible. We pull them out of the garbage and into the splendor of Christ Jesus risen from the dead. He can raise them up. This is what Jesus loves to do. He loves to resurrect dead things and breathe into them the new life of the Spirit.

Yesterday as I sat early in the morning in our front room looking at the picture of the holy face of Jesus and praying before our altar, four nuns walked out of the side of the house to go to Holy Mass. I smiled knowing that the Lord is using this house as a gift of love to the people of Kensington. Flooding the neighborhood with his light...  Sending light into the darkness and tending the spiritual wounds of the souls Jesus sends to our blue door....   

His very best has yet to come…

On March 20th we had a beautiful Life on Fire day of prayer at St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage. I gave the three talks and I thought you might enjoy seeing to them. (To see them click here)

Also, our ministry is available to share the message of Jesus thirsting love. So if you are connected with a parish or large conference and would like to arrange for a talk or day of recollection, please click here.

God Bless You!

Michael Grogan

P.S. Remember: procrastination is the assassination of our destination :)

Michael Grogan Ministry, Inc. is an IRS 501(c)(3) charity organization with tax identification number EIN 86-2068462 and is recognized as a charity by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a Certificate of Registration No. 122315.

Donations received in excess of what is required for a specific cause will be used for other good causes as determined by this Ministry.