November 2017 Newsletter
November 2017 Newsletter
We hope all of you had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving! We are back to work here and gearing up for one of the biggest events of the year for our organization, patrons and friends - our St. Lucy Mass! We hope you can join us as we honor the patron saint of the blind. Thank you to Catholic New York for publicizing the Mass in their print and online editions. It can be viewed by clicking here. Please remember Xavier Society for the Blind as you make your year-end charitable donations. Thank you to all who donated on Giving Tuesday! To make a secure donation online please click here. No gift is too small as the smallest offering can make the biggest difference in the life of the blind & visually impaired community of faithful. We wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!
Message From the Executive Director
I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed time with family and friends. We at Xavier Society for the Blind are looking forward to spending time with our patrons and supporters at our annual St. Lucy Mass at the Lady Chapel in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on December 13 at 10 am. I hope that you are planning on joining us.

As we plan for 2018 and beyond we’d like the on-going input of our patrons and supporters. I’d like to form an advisory group to help us select content for our publications in braille and audio, and to advise us on new initiatives as well, e.g. our recent partnership with Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture. Ideally this advisory group would consist of five to ten individuals representing those we serve and those who have a strong interest in our mission. This group might include clergy, educators, those involved in faith formation, those serving blind and visually impaired people, and of course, our patrons. I would expect this group to meet regularly (perhaps quarterly) by phone and/or in person. I’d love to know your thoughts on this and whether you or someone you know might be interested in participating. You can contact me at directly at malachy@xaviersocietyfortheblind.org.

I hope to see you at the St. Lucy Mass and wish you all the best as we begin the Christmas Season.
Malachy Fallon
Executive Director
St. Lucy Mass
We cordially invite all patrons and friends of Xavier Society for the Blind to join us at 10 a.m. on December 13th in the Lady Chapel of St. Patrick's Cathedral for our annual St. Lucy Mass in celebration of the patron saint of the blind. We will provide both braille and large print Propers of the Mass for anyone who needs them. For the second year in a row we are blessed to have Father Jamie Dennis of Owensboro, Kentucky celebrate the Mass. Father Jamie is also a braille patron of ours. Check out the video below of Father Jamie explaining what this Mass means to him! If you would like any more information, or would like us to place your intentions at the altar, please get in touch with us at   info@xaviersocietyfortheblind.org   or by calling us at 212-473-7800.
Caption: A video of Father Jamie Dennis explaining St. Lucy Mass
Lectures from Fordham University
We would like to remind our patrons that in conjunction with Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, our audiobook library has various contemporary lectures for our patrons in our circulating library and on our website to download. Many thanks to Fordham University's Center for Religion and Culture (C.R.C.) for its cooperation! To stream these lectures with video  please follow this link . If you would like to request any of these, please get in contact with us!

-And Justice For All? The Promise of Religious Liberty in a Pluralistic World (D1170)

-Catholic Teenagers: Faith At Risk? Do New Findings Reveal a Time of Renewal--Or a Massive Generational Failure? (D1190)

-Becoming Latino: The Transformation of U.S. Catholicism (D1191)

-What Rules America: Money, Morals or Myth? (D1192)

-Call and Response: How American Catholic Sisters Shaped the Church Since Vatican II (D1193)
New Office Space
We would like to remind patrons and friends that we will be moving our offices in the new year. We are only going a few blocks away, and once all arrangements are finalized we will notify you of our new contact information!
Large Print Materials
We would like to remind our readers that we still provide the monthly Propers of the Sunday Mass in large print, available to download from  our website . It is very easy to download and if you need your log in information to access these files, and many other downloadable materials, we would be more than happy to assist you. Also, we do have copies of the New American Bible in large print (22 font, sans-serif) available so if you'd like one please get in touch! As always, all of our reading materials are provided at no cost to our patrons. Call us at (800) 637-9193 or (212) 473-7800 or e-mail us at  clientservices@xaviersocietyfortheblind.org
Patron Profile: Dee B.
Dolores (Dee) B. is a braille patron who uses her incredible talents to go above and beyond for others. With the help of our monthly braille Mass Propers, she leads the Responsorial Psalm at Mass in her parish all while playing the keyboard. Here is more about her: 

I was born in November of 1955, which preceded my due date by two months, causing my blindness. My fascination with music probably began with a musical stuffed animal I cuddled in my crib. I was educated at the Texas School for the Blind and continued at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.
Caption: Our braille client Dee has been a patron for three decades.
I converted to Catholicism in 1983. It was then, by contacting the Texas State Library that I learned about the Xavier Society. They sent me books on tape required for the RCIA class.

My music ministry began at about this time. I served at Saint Luke's Catholic Church in Temple, Texas, from 1983 until 1989, both keyboard and vocals. In 1987, I began volunteering at St. Mary's Catholic School as a music teacher. In 1989, I transferred to St. Mary's Catholic Church and served that parish until 2010. I was employed as the church director at Holy Trinity Catholic High School from 2002 through 2004. During that time the choir placed in state TAPS competition. I also perform for many weddings and funerals for the Catholic community in this rural area. In 2010 I transferred to St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Killeen, Texas, where I am presently serving.

The Propers of the Masses which I receive from the Xavier Society are key to my being able to effectively minister to my parish. I have also received the Catholic Bible on CDs which is valuable to my spiritual growth.

I am grateful for having this opportunity to thank the Xavier Society by sharing my small talents. I hope to be able to help you even more through prayer. 

**We'd like to thank Dee for her support over the years. Check out this video which showcases her talents. We are very proud to have her as a patron!
Christine Moore Retires
After six years as our Client Services Coordinator, Christine Moore is retiring. As a mentor, colleague and friend, Chris will be greatly missed. Whenever a patron needed a book or just wanted to chat, they were likely to get Chris on the phone. If anyone in the office had a question, Chris was often our encyclopedia.
We will miss her wisdom, experience and guidance that she has provided over the years. Her understanding of Catholic history and literature, our library and materials, and most importantly the needs of blind and visually impaired people, is a testament to her dedication to our organization and the people we serve. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and for all she did for Xavier Society for the Blind. We wish Chris and her husband George all the best and thank her for her years of commitment, enthusiasm and spirit.
Gearing up for 2018
We are getting ready for our 2018 calendars. For braille clients we will have our Saints’ Feast Days pocket calendar. Also, we will have a beautiful complimentary print calendar that will feature client stories among other informational material.
We no longer send out the braille calendars automatically anymore, so if you are a braille client and would like to request the pocket braille calendar please get in touch and we will put you on the list!

If anyone would like to receive a print calendar, please let us know. We would be happy to send one out to you as well! They make great gifts and stocking stuffers, and have plenty of room to write down appointments, anniversaries, etc.
Top 10 Titles in November
Here is a list of the top 10 titles requested in November in both audio and braille! To learn more about these popular books, please visit our online catalog which you can access  by clicking here .
Braille:
1.      One Ordinary Sunday: A Meditation on the  Mystery of the Mass (B1531, 3 volumes) by Pauline Huston
2.      Lights Along the Way: Great Stories of American Faith (B1342, 2 volumes) by Thomas Fleming
3.      Follow Your Dog: A Story of Love and Trust (B1596, 2 volumes) by Ann Chiappetta
4.      Psalms of the New American Bible (Vol 1. B8523 & Vol. 2 B8524, 1 volume each)
5.      The Wisdom of the Beguines: The Forgotten History of A Medieval Women's Movement (B1577, 3 volumes) by Laura Swan
6.      The Mysteries of the Holy Rosary Prayers (B1279, 1 volume) by OLCP
7.      Saint Elizabeth’s Three Crowns (B1183, 1 volume) by Blanche Jennings Thompson
8.      Saint Michael Chaplet and Prayer (B1258, 1 volume) by Catholic Church
9.      Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary (B0971, 1 volume) by Catholic Church
10. The Rosary Handbook: A Guide for Newcomers, Old-Timers, and Those in Between (B1542, 2 volumes) by Mitch Finley
 
Audio:
1.      Behold Your Mother: A Biblical and Historical Defense of the Marian Doctrines (D1100) by Tim Staples
2.      Imitation of Mary (D1109) by Thomas á Kempis
3.      A Call to Mercy: Hearts To Love, Hands to Serve (D1134) by Mother Theresa
4.      Pursuing Holiness: Lessons from St. Francis de Sales (D1146) by Ralph Martin
5.      The Gospel of John: A Bible Study Course (D1198) by Rev. Donald Senior
6.      The Confessions of St. Augustine (D7100) by Saint Augustine
7.      This is the Holy Land (D0445) by Fulton J. Sheen
8.      The Wit and Wisdom of Fulton J. Sheen (D0548) by Bill Adler
9.      Living With Sickness (D0491) by Susan Saint Sing
10.  Boys Town: Revolution in Youth Care (D0119) by Robert P. Hupp
Hot Off the Shelves!
For patrons interested in some of our most recent titles, we have braille and audio materials to meet your every need!
 
BRAILLE - Please let us know if you would like any of these braille titles in B.R.F., and we make them available to download from the website as requested! It saves on the cost of braille paper and is not as labor intensive. Thank you in advance!
 
- Who Am I to Judge? Responding to Relativisim With Logic and Love by Edward Sri (B1592, 3 volumes):  In an age in which preference has replaced morality, many people find it difficult to speak the truth, afraid of the reactions they will receive if they say something is right or wrong. Learn how Catholic morality is all about love, why making a judgment is not judging a person's soul, and why, in the words of Pope Francis, "relativism wounds people."
 
- An Exorcist Tells His Story by Gabriel Amorth (B1593, 3 volumes): In this powerful book, the renowned exorcist of Rome tells of his many experiences in his ministry as an exorcist doing battle with Satan to relieve the great suffering of people in the grip of evil.
 
- St. Francis of Assis: Passion, Poverty and the Man who Transformed the Catholic Church by Bret Thoman, O.F.S. (B1594, 4 volumes): In this biography of St Francis, the author pieces the inner life of the saint, revealing his deepest passions, his unquenchable love for poverty, and his unshakable grip on the core of the Gospel.
 
- Icons of Love: Married Saints by Our Sunday Visitor (B1595, 1 volume): A booklet with twelve short biographies of married saints and couples whose marriages were commited and conscious acts of the will, "in accord with God's will, to desire others' good at all times."
 
- Follow Your Dog: A Story of Love and Trust by Ann Chiappetta (B1596, 2 volumes): This book, written by a client of the XSB, takes the reader on a journey of understanding: learning what it's like to overcome the darker side of disability by walking the path of independence with a canine partner.
 
AUDIO
Brother Francis: Barefoot Saint of Assisi by Augustine Institute Radio Theatre (D1187): Dramatized account of the life of Brother Francis, the fun-loving son of wealth and privilege who gave up everything for the sake of Christ.
 
- The Ear of the Heart: An Actress' Journey From Hollywood to Holy Vows by Mother Dolores Hart (D1188): Fifty years after a successful Hollywood career as Dolores Hart, Mother Dolores gives this fascinating account of her life, with co-author and life-long friend, Richard DeNeut.
 
- Solanus Casey: The Official Account of a Virtuous Life by Michael Crosby (D1194): This true story of an American saint, excerpted from the official 1300-page canonization document, is both a moving spiritual biography and an inside look at the canonization process.
 
- Walking in Newness of Life: The Sacraments of Initiation by Robert Sargent (D1185): Explores the history and development of each of the three sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, and draws upon the biblical foundations of each. This book offers an insightful combination of the theology and spirituality of the Sacraments of Initiation in a most accessible way.
 
Father, Forgive Me, For I Am Frustrated: Growing in Faith When You Don't Find It Easy Being Catholic by  Fr. Mitch Pacwa (D1186): Father Pacwa reveals how many Catholics are rediscovering the riches of their faith-despite the spiritual challenges they face. He also offers realistic, practical advice to help you find the sources of support you need to keep growing where you've been planted.
 
- The Gospel of Matthew: A Bible Study Course by Rev. Donald Senior (D1185): Fr. Donald Senior helps you discover anew the evangelist's profound themes and literary features. Combining world-class scholarship with faithful insights, this course is both erudite and accessible.
 
Books for Every Season
 
Next month heralds the Memorials of Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Ambrose, Saint Lucy, and Saint John of the Cross, and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! We will also be celebrating Advent and the birth of our Lord. Here are some books for these and other special occasions!
 
BRAILLE
- Saint Francis of the Seven Seas by Albert J. Nevins, M.M. (B1199, 2 volumes): A Vision Book, Biography of Saint Francis Xavier, great missionary and one of the first members of the Society of Jesus. 
 
- Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits by Michael Harter, S.J. (B1446, 2 volumes): Includes hundreds of prayers, many written by the most illustrious Jesuits: Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Anthony de Mello, Karl Rahner, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and others. Each gives eloquent voice to Ignatian spirituality, which affirms that God is present in all things and at all times.
 
- The Doctors of the Church: Thirty-three Men and Women Who Shaped Christianity by Bernard McGinn (B1052, 1 volume): An in-depth, college level text on Doctors of the Church, including St. John of the Cross and Ambrose of Milan, among many others.
 
- Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe by Josephine Nobisso (B1383, 2 volumes): The story of Our Lady's apparition to the humble Juan Diego in Mexico.
 
- Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross (B1513, 2 volumes): This spiritual masterpiece and classic of Christian literature and mysticism discusses the "dark night of the spirit," which considers afflictions and pain suffered by the soul. It is followed by an extended explanation of divine love and the soul's exultant union with God.
 
- Saint Lucy Novena and Prayers by Mary Mark Wickenhiser, FSP (B6030, 1 volume): A novena and collection of prayers directed to St. Lucy, a patron saint for the visually impaired and blind.
 
- Saint Lucy Biography by Online Sources (B1425, 1 volume): Booklet biography of Saint Lucy, patroness of the blind.
 
- Preparing for Christmas by Rev. Richard Rohr (B1293, 1 volume): Daily Meditations for Advent.
 
- Advent With the Saints: Daily Reflections by Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (B1518, 1 volume): Devotions for the Advent Season.
 
AUDIO
- In the Footsteps of Francis Xavier by Jerry Martinson, S.J. (D0806): Descriptive audio of documentary on the story of St. Francis Xavier as it unfolds through the eyes of an Asian pilgrim, who journeys to the places Xavier traveled during his life
 
- The Wonder of Guadalupe by Francis Johnston (D0414): Origin and cult of Mary's miraculous image in Mexico.
 
A Woman Clothed with the Sun: Eight Great Apparitions of Our Lady by John J. Delaney (D0503): Considers the seven most significant apparitions of Our Lady in the past two centuries: that of the Miraculous Medal at Paris, those at La Salette, Lourdes, Knock, Fatima, Beauraing, Banneux--and also the sixteenth-century appearance of Mary at Guadalupe with its profound message for Americans.
 
- Rediscover Advent by Matthew Kelly (D0923): These timely and inspirational words will help renew your enthusiasm for being Catholic, while encouraging you to delve more deeply into the spirituality of the Advent season.
 
- Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross (D1150): Depicts the soul's ascent to Mount Carmel--allegorically, the place of God--and the "dark night" that the soul must endure to reach it. 
 
- Advent With the Saints: Daily Reflections by Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (D0921): Devotions for the Advent Season.
 
- Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems (D0511): Contemporary poems on the mystery of the Christmas season.
 
- A Catholic Christmas by Kathleen M. Carroll (D0922): The significance of a Catholic Christmas covering the period from Advent until the Baptism of Our Lord, including the feast days which occur within that period.
 
-Rediscover Advent by Matthew Kelly (D0923): These timely and inspirational words will help renew your enthusiasm for being Catholic, while encouraging you to delve more deeply into the spirituality of the Advent season.
 
- Advent With the Saints: Daily Reflections by Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (D0921): Devotions for the Advent Season.
 
- Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems (D0511): Contemporary poems on the mystery of the Christmas season.
 
- A Catholic Christmas by Kathleen M. Carroll (D0922): The significance of a Catholic Christmas covering the period from Advent until the Baptism of Our Lord, including the feast days which occur within that period.
Ways You Can Help
In the spirit of the season, please remember Xavier Society for the Blind as you make your charitable donations. If you have given before – thank you! As we approach Christmas, we're asking that you consider increasing your gift. If you haven’t given before, or if you haven’t given in a while, this is a wonderful time to make a donation. No gift is too small as the smallest offering can make the biggest difference in the life of a blind child.

Since 1900 we have been providing religious and spiritual materials to blind and visually impaired people in their required formats in order for them to be able to learn about, understand, and practice their Faith. Some of our braille books in particular can often cost upwards of $500, taking up to 6 months to produce. Yet on a weekly basis, Xavier Society for the Blind ships reading materials to people all over the United States and throughout the world. Please help us continue this important ministry by sending your gift today. 

Donate securely on our website by  clicking here . If you wish to donate, but prefer to do it over the phone you can always call our office at (212) 473-7800  or (800) 637-9193.

Masses may be said at your request not only when someone dies but also to celebrate a special event. And the stipend for the Mass card helps support the work of Xavier Society for the Blind. If you are a client or would like to send one to someone who reads braille, we can also do a braille overlay on the Mass card. Call us at (212) 473-7800 or email us at  info@xaviersocietyfortheblind.org  for more information.

If you use Amazon.com for any of your purchases, help out Xavier Society for the Blind at the same time. Go to  www.smile.amazon.com   and sign up. Or use the direct link   http://smile.amazon.com/ch/13-5563026

There is no charge to you, and when they ask you what charity you wish to support, type in Xavier Society for the Blind. Any time after that, if you go to Amazon through the smile entry, a percentage of whatever you spend comes to us.
Upcoming Calendar
December 3, 2017  – First Sunday of Advent & Feast Day of St. Francis Xavier
 
December 7, 2017  - Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
 
December 8, 2017  - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
December 12, 2017  - Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
 
December 13, 2017  - Memorial of Saint Lucy, patron saint of the blind
 
December 14, 2017  - Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church
 
December 22, 2017  – XSB Offices closed for Christmas
 
December 23, 2017  – XSB Offices closed for Christmas
 
December 24, 2017  – Christmas Eve; XSB Offices closed for Christmas
 
December 25, 2017  – The Nativity of the Lord: XSB Offices closed for Christmas
 
December 26, 2017  - Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr; XSB Offices Closed
 
December 27, 2017  - Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
 
December 28, 2017  - Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs
 
December 31, 2017  - The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph; New Year’s Eve
Xavier Society for the Blind | 2 Penn Plaza Suite 1102| 212-473-7800 |