CEM POC Christmas Newsletter 2025

Dec 23, 2025
7 min read

Joy to the world, the Lord is Come!!

JOY! What a curious and powerful word!! Many of the missionaries that I speak with in my work at CEM POC manifest an infectious joy as they serve their respective ministries. It’s what makes them and their message so attractive. During the Christmas season this word “joy” pervades all of our singing and praying. It starts with Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word meaning “To Rejoice”! The joy intensifies as we enter the O Antiphons of Advent and begin to sing in earnest “Rejoice, rejoice Emanuel shall come to thee O Israel”. And then Christmas explodes with words like “Joy to the world, the Lord is come”. “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!” What can this curious word mean in the life of the Christian? Every time I hear it used, I am challenged to consider how being joyful should be lived out. We can’t ignore it because the psalms echo this sentiment

“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” (Psalm 32:11)

The New Testament too is permeated with admonitions encouraging joy:

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” (1 Peter 1:8)

Even St. Paul admonishes us to

“Rejoice in the Lord always: again, I will say, Rejoice.” (Phil 4:4)

I ask the question because in spite of all of this “joyful” language woven into the fabric of our faith, it seems that joy has gone out of style in Catholic Christian circles. As discordant as this may seem given the tone of the scriptures and the teachings of the Church, some would interpret “reverence” for God as a kind of neo-stoicism where smiling and external expressions of great joy are discouraged. It’s as if Jesus would be displeased with our joy especially in worship. “Reverence” is seen as gloomy and passionless. I believe that this may have strayed a bit from what the Church intends. Reverence, properly understood, is giving God the highest honor and respect that He is due. This certainly does mean that there are times of profound silence and awe where we are without words to express the majesty of God. This IS what He is due! But I would suggest that a response of exuberant joy is ALSO an appropriate response to the presence of God.

So silent awe AND exuberant joy are both appropriate responses to the presence of Jesus. This is why the church’s adornments and music during the seasons of Advent and Lent are often muted and more reflective. By contrast, however, our Churches literally explode with exuberant joy as reflected in the overabundance of flowers and instruments during the seasons of Christmas and Easter. We do this to express our cause for great joy! Only the people in the pews seem to lack this emotive and boisterous joyful expression. I would further suggest that it would actually be “irreverent” to have just one poinsettia during Christmas or only one white lily on Easter. It would totally contradict and undermine the truth of what Jesus has done. This is also why the word “alleluia”, an expression of exuberant joy, is such an integral part of our worship. St. John Paul II, drawing from the writings of St. Augustine of Hippo, famously said “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song”. Too often, we mechanically say these words with little appreciation of the passion and the joy that they reflect.

We do the same with the songs of joy that we sing year after year. They can become routine or (dare I say) “joyless” especially if we think that exuberance for Christ is somehow inappropriate or irreverent. This is not to say that we should be swinging off of the rafters in hilarity but I think that it would be a good start towards a reverent expression of joy to smile now and again as we sing. As mentioned, in a world filled with such “bad news”, joy is attractive to those looking to find Jesus. And the Church is insistent on this point! During the season of Easter one of the prefaces used in the liturgy just before the “Sanctus” says “Therefore, overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people exults in your praise…” Those are not empty words and so what should it look like if we are to be “overcome with joy”!?

Fortunately, we have the words and the lives of many other Saints who would remind us that our passions can actually be directed to the worship of God and that joy is the legacy of the Christian who has deeply encountered the Lord. Saints like Theresa of Avila, Martin de Porres, John of Cupertino, Alphonsus Liguori, Francis of Assisi and many others experienced not only joy but an ecstasy that would lift them from the earth to the heavens. We need not fear joy but embrace it as it may actually bring us closer to heaven! So, as we step into this beautiful season of Christmas, on behalf of the CEM POC Grant, I would encourage you to contemplate this greatest of wonders in the silence of your hearts and be amazed. But I would also admonish you to smile and sing exuberantly with joy as you join the army of angels who split the heavens on Christmas morn to declare to the world “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”

Finally, as this year comes to a close, it is also with great joy and appreciation that we thank you for your support and prayers over this past year. The CEM POC grant continues to grow and without your support the work of the Church would be hindered. Enjoy our Christmas Newsletter!

Laurie...the newest CEM POC Talented Face

Laurie, a native Minnesotan, joins the work of the CEM POC grant as our first contracted employee. She is working as a part-time Development assistant for the CEM POC Grant. She is first and foremost a dedicated Catholic wife, parent and home educator with a passion for fostering curiosity, creativity, and lifelong learning. For over 12 years, she has homeschooled her children and helped teach at their homeschool co-op, developing personalized lesson plans, managing diverse learning styles, and creating a nurturing environment for growth. Her experience has strengthened her skills in organization, communication, and problem-solving. She is a consistent leader and volunteer at their church, within their community and at her children's school.

She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Comparative World Religions from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. She has a passion for evangelization, mission work and glorifying God’s artistry through cultural enrichment. Before getting married, she served with NET ministries from 2002-2003. She also served as a youth minister in MN from 1998-2002 and in Virginia from 2004-2007. Laurie can be reached at laurie_b@cempoc.org!

SPOTLIGHT on Dominique Brutus

Originally From: Ridge, New York Serving with: FOCUS Ministries at Howard University

Studied: Biology at St. Joseph's University

Dominique claims to have been a Catholic from her mother's womb and she grew up in a faith filled home. She cannot recall a time that she didn't know of God's love for her. She is the youngest of five siblings of Haitian immigrant parents who were very devout Catholics and who attended daily mass. In spite of this beautiful environment, she wrestled with being "good enough" for God or for her parents which caused her frustration and comparison with her siblings. One day, while praying, she made what she thought was a foolproof prayer: “God, help me love You better”. Soon after that, she headed off to college where she got involved with campus ministry and attended her first SEEK conference where she was surrounded by like-minded people who had a desire to know and love Christ more deeply. This experience moved her to deeper prayer and greater investment in her faith. While in college her faith was challenged by other students and by different classes but she persisted wondering what God may want for her in the future.

She prayed for God's will and begged Him for his direction for her future but did not get an answer until she asked God in prayer "Who am I?" She felt God say to her, "You are My beloved daughter". It was so simple, but what more could she be than that? She was chasing something that could only "describe" her, and God gave her the one thing that could "define" her...Him and His love. Her subsequent involvement in FOCUS helped her to see the value of sharing her faith with others which led her to make the decision to be a full-time missionary.

Dominique had two sisters who served on FOCUS before her and that reality decreased the number of people who were open to supporting her which is why she applied for the grant. She will be serving at Howard University. HU is a historically black campus and she is spearheading this effort on an HBCU which is the first of its kind for FOCUS.

Come let us Adore Him

SPOTLIGHT on Leslie Venegas Guerrero

Originally From: Colima, Mexico

Serving with: FOCUS Ministries at Indiana University & Purdue University Studied: Criminology, Law, and Justice at University of Illinois

Summary: Leslie was born and raised in Mexico and is a product of the faithful instruction of her mother and grandmother. Because her home was fatherless, her mother worked full time while her grandmother took care of her. These important women taught her about trusting God, the value of the catechism and of devotion to Our Lady of Mt Carmel.

When her mother remarried, they immigrated to the United States in search of better opportunities. The move affected Leslie's mental health and weakened her faith. She felt isolated, confused, and angry. She blamed God for the pain she was experiencing. Though she continued to attend Mass and volunteer, she felt spiritually numb.

Then she felt inspired to walk into the Newman Center at the University where she was studying. Her only intention was to go to confession and leave but she stayed for Mass, and afterward, she met her first FOCUS missionary. The missionary simply complimented her glasses, but that small act made her feel seen. As a Mexican immigrant she felt very self-conscious about her English but she joined a bible study group anyway and began to experience tremendous growth through the love and grace she experienced as she learned.

Eventually, she felt called to lead others to faith as she had been led and to become a missionary. Part of Leslie's need for the grant flows from the fact that much of her family and contacts are still out of the country.