February 16, 2003
Saints
Sinners
I
just finished reading excerpts from the Suffolk DA’s report in
the newspaper about the findings on priest sexual abuse of minors. I
feel sick.
I don’t have words to express what’s going on inside.
I do know I want to pray for cleansing, for healing, for future hope
in our church on Long Island.
On behalf of our church, may I share this prayer:
“O my people, we are heartily sorry for having offended you. And
we destest all our sins, because of the loss of heaven and because we
have created the pains of a hell here instead. But most of all because
we have offended you, who are so good and deserving of all our love.
We firmly resolve, with the help of God’s grace, to confess our
sins, to do penance, and to amend our lives. Amen”
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Past Columns:
Feb 9: Columbia Lessons
Feb2: Giving At A Difficult
Time
Jan 26: Penny Power
& Catholic Schools
Jan19: Yet Another
Year
Jan 12: Stealing Jesus
Jan5: The Wise Still Come
From Afar
Other Columns from 2002
Those who have lived in this parish
for decades have seen waves of immigrants come from afar to find a home
here. Each group brings its own set of gifts to enrich our community.
But let us not forget the rich gifts of those who have lived here for
many years. (Last week I celebrated in poetry the Irish founders of our
parish.) This week we join in celebrating the gifts of the African American
Catholic community who have been involved in our parish for many decades.
The contribution of African saints have in fact touched all cultures.
Here are some examples:
Saint Benedict the Black, a lay
brother, was born in Sicily in 1526. He was the son of African slave parents,
but he was freed at an early age. When about twenty-one he was insulted
because of his color, but his patient and dignified bearing caused a group
of Franciscan hermits who witnessed the incident to invite him to join
their group. He became their leader. In 1564 he joined the Franciscan
friary in Palermo and worked in the kitchen until 1578, when he was chosen
leader of the group.
St. Martin De Porres On May 16,
1962, Pope John XXII canonized Martin de Porres the first black American
saint. Martin was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima Peru, the son of Don
Juan de Porres of Burgos, a Spanish nobleman, and Ana Velasquez, a young
freed Black Slave girl. As a Dominican brother he became more devout and
more desirous to be of service. He established an orphanage and a children's
hospital for the poor children of the slums.
Pierre Toussaint: The Vatican took
another step recently toward declaring a Haitian-born slave, the United
States' first black saint. After his owner died, his widow became impoverished
and Toussaint supported her. The widow freed him before she died in 1807.
Toussaint then married a woman from Haiti. Until his death in New York
City in 1853, he worked with orphans, the poor and the sick, both black
and white.
I picked these three saints out
of a rather long list because just as St. Brigid’s includes communities
from Italy, South America and Haiti, so too were these communities influenced
by the lives, ministries and blessings of these Black Catholics. We too
are graced by modern day holy men and women in our community who share
the rich history of what it means to be black and Catholic in America.
Come and enjoy a celebration of this part of our parish tradition this
Friday night at 7:30pm.
You are Person