As Associates, the Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community, and Mission inform our lives and help us carry the Good News to a world in pain. Some people may live the pillars on larger or perhaps grander stages than others. However, there is no such thing as good, better, or best in terms of the number of people whose lives we touch or the size of the service we may render. It is enough to see a person’s need and offer to meet it.
One Associate who selflessly offers herself to others is Ginny King, of Sewell, New Jersey. As in Josh Wilson’s song Dream Small, Ginny shares the Good News through small acts of kindness.
Within the broader retirement community where Ginny lives, she gladly places herself and her car at the service of others. She takes a woman named Lorna shopping for personal groceries. She drives one married couple to the grocery store as needed and takes the man, Walter, to the local parish Holy Hour one day a week. She also helps a woman with one leg by taking her on trips to the grocery store, the bookstore, and church.
Ginny also helped Theresa, her 98-year old sister, with all the normal activities of daily life: moving about, dressing, and eating. She also helps unsteady people navigate the public areas of the building where she lives. She says it’s as simple as asking, “can I help you?” This is a prime example of seeing a need and offering to meet it, right?
Ginny’s also not afraid to share her faith. She once cut out pictures of the Blessed Mother from left-over church bulletins and put them in frames that she bought at the dollar store, which she says, “is actually the dollar and 25 cents store.” She placed these simple homemade icons in a public area where apparently this small act of sharing was well received, because they were all taken!
Sacred Heart Church in Camden New Jersey is another benefactor of Ginny King’s dedication to Mission. She goes to the office each week and while there, Ginny answers the office phone as needed and sends sympathy and thank you cards to parishioners. Each month she takes home about 500 monthly parish newsletters to stamp and mail while watching TV. Ginny takes weekly Communion to 5 or 6 homebound people and serves at every Sacred Heart funeral.
I’m sure these are a tiny snapshot of the ways Ginny King brings the Good News to the people who enter her life. I also think Ginny’s heart sings “Keep loving, keep serving”.
This song could be about Ginny:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBaLrItEyc
Nancy Brennan
March 2023
