Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • August 30, 2024 17 Lanyards for a Cause BY KIMBERLY RASMUSSEN Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need (Psalm 112:5). Charity and doing for others are at the root of disciple- ship. By helping those in need, we become more Christ-like. And this is a trait that St. Patrick’s High School freshman, Sophie Gammon, has been display- ing since a very early age. When Sophie was just a little girl, she became capti- vated by her local Toys for Tots campaign during Christmas. When her par- ents explained it was a way for children in need to experi- ence the joy of gifts during Christmas, Sophie knew instantly that she also wanted to help. At just three years old, Sophie understood what it meant to provide for those in need, knowing that she would make helping others a lifelong goal. Over the next several years, Sophie would find ways to give back wherever she could. She would save birthday money and donate it to her local ani- mal shelter and she even hosted football pools where she would raise money for the less fortunate. Everything was preparing her for the launch of her biggest attempt yet that was just over the horizon. In 2020, Sophie was preparing to walk in a fund- raiser for the Special Olympics when everything was put on hold due to the pandemic. Not to be sidelined, Sophie opened a small lemonade stand where she continued to raise funds for the Special Olympics. When that was over, she knew she want- ed to do more for those affected by the pandemic. That’s when Lanyards by Sophie was born. Sophie began making and selling custom mask lan- yards for friends and families and her business quickly took off. Inspirational and encouraging phrases became her bread and butter and she used her lanyards as a way to encourage others during an uncertain time. Soon, she evolved from making only mask lanyards to incorporating teacher ID lanyards. From there, she included pens, keychains and many other custom products. Over the past several years, her business has expanded its customer base, but most importantly, its charitable reach. To date, Sophie has donated over $10,000 to local fundraisers and charities to include Make-A-Wish Mississippi , St. Jude and so many more organizations in need. For Sophie, giving back to the community is what being a true disciple is all about. No matter how big or small, she loves seeing the impact that her donations have on others. For Sophie, one of the most important aspects of Lanyards by Sophie is that the business has truly become a family affair, with her dad Sean, mom Virgina and little sister Margie, all playing their own special roles in making the business move along. As a freshman at St. Pat’s, she serves as the National Junior Honor Society secretary, a Lego mentor and an altar server at St. Alphonsus in Ocean Springs. Sophie hopes that Lanyards by Sophie will con- tinue its success so that she can continue serving her community through her donations and faith. Sophie Gammon is working on one of her lanyards. In 2020, Sophie began Lanyards by Sophie to raise money, allowing her to give back to her community. INSET: Some of Sophie’s products. Eucharist satisfies hunger for hope, truth, salvation, pope says BY CINDY WOODEN Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY ( CNS ) -- When receiving the Eucharist, Catholics should respond with gratitude and awe that Jesus offers himself as nourishment and salvation, Pope Francis said. Jesus “becomes true food and true drink,” the pope said. “Thank you, Lord Jesus! Let’s say, ‘Thank you, thank you’ with all our heart,” he told visitors and pilgrims who joined him in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 18 for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer. In the day’s Gospel reading from St. John, Jesus tells the crowd that He is “the living bread that came down from heaven” and that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood will have eternal life. Some were surprised by Jesus’ words, and not in a good way, the pope said. But for Catholics, “the bread from heaven is a gift that exceeds all expecta- tions.” “The heavenly bread, which comes from the Father, is the Son Himself made flesh for us,” he said. More than the bread that human beings need to survive, the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist “satisfies the hunger for hope, the hunger for truth and the hunger for salvation that we all feel not in our stom- achs, but in our hearts.” “Every one of us needs the Eucharist,” Pope Francis said. “He saves us, nourishing our lives with His own, and He will do this forever,” the pope said. “And it is thanks to Him that we can live in communion with God and with each other.” The Eucharist, he said, is not “something magi- cal, no. It is not something that will immediately solve all problems, but it is the very body of Christ that gives hope to the poor and overcomes the arro- gance of those who gorge themselves at their expense.” Pope Francis asked Catholics to ponder two questions: “Do I hunger and thirst for salvation, not just for myself, but for all my brothers and sisters? When I receive the Eucharist, which is the miracle of mercy, do I stand in awe before the body of the Lord, who died and rose again for us?”