November 7th, 2004
Our Vincentian Deacon
Environmentally
Good
As you walk from the parking lot to the church you might notice that
all the flower beds have been enriched by a new layer of compost. For
the past two years we have been making our own compost from the fallen
leaves and grass clippings --this practice saves $2000 a year in dumping
fees --plus we have this rich soil amendment for free. However it’s
hard work to get it distributed so we’re really grateful to the
Grupo de Jovenes (our Spanish Young Adult Group) who spent last Sunday
afternoon distributing the compost around the church grounds. (See photos!))
Thank also to Mario Moran and his crew from the cemetery who ground
up our leaf pile with their grinding machine and to Tony Iannucci and
Carmine Petti for loaning us their payloader, dumptruck and wheelbarrows
to help get the job done. Muchos gracias a todos!
At
College?
At St. Brigid’s we like to stay in touch through
e-mail “letters from home.”
Once a person has an e-mail address at school (or if he/she uses a personal
address), please let us know what it is so we can include them when
we write.
Here's a handy college link so you
can send this info online.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
October 31: Candy
Good...Saints Better
October 24: Flu Shots
October 17: Aaron &
Hur
October 10: Heritage Celebration
October 3: Is it safe?
September 26: Up and coming...
September 19: New Year Resolutions?
September 12:Our New Priests
September 5: Got Two Hours?
August 29: In My Humble
Opinion
August 22nd: Hot Asphalt, Cool Church
August 15: A Big Assumption
August 8: Do It Anyway!
August 1: Parking Lot Joys!
July 25:"Doh!"
July 18: Taking Church Home
July 11: Seven Eleven
July 4th: Independence Day
June 27: God Bless Father
George
June 20: Our New Priests
June13:Missing you
June 6: Farewell Father
Leonard
May 30: Going & Coming
& Going
May 23: P.O.P.S.
May 16:
Celebrating Our Parish
May 9: Facing the Future
May2: Resurrection Sequel
April 25: Chapel Design
April 18: Oh what a week!
April 11: Easter Life!
April 4: Palms & Passion
March 28: Plenty Good Room
March 21: More Passion
March 14: Reconciliation
March 7: A sequel from Mel?
Feb 29: Come to
Life!
Feb 22:
An Adventure to Life
Feb15: A rose
by another name?
Feb 8: If at first...
Feb 1: Our Patron Saint
Jan 25:A View From Inside
Jan 18: Our School
Jan 11: Baptism with Fire
Colums from 2003
Columns from 2002
A few people have asked me, “Who’s
the new Irish priest we see around here from time to time?” Well
though Joe Fitzgerald is on his way to be ordained a priest, right now
he’s a deacon from the Vincentian community who is helping our at
St. Brigid’s. He’s been coming on Sundays to work with the
Spanish community and perhaps you’ve heard him preach the homily
during the week at mass.
Joe was born in Philadelphia, PA,
the third of six children. He tells us “ My mother being an immigrant,
half of my family is in Ireland, and my father's side is here in the States.
At age 28, after a career in fitness/health care (and playing drums in
an Irish-Rock band), I unexpectedly discovered a vocation among the Vincentians,
whose mission is to ‘Follow Christ evangelizing the poor’.”
Deacon Joe has been studying and
involved in pastoral work for the past five years and will be ordained
a priest in May 2005. He said, “ The last five years have been exciting
and challenging as I worked at St. John's University, Nassau County Jail
and have been able to serve in Panama, Peru and Costa Rica. I am thrilled
to spend my deacon year with the St. Brigid's community, where I hope
to be further challenged to understand what it means to serve in Christ's
name. The Vincentians have a history here at St. Brigid's that I am glad
to now be a part of. Thank you for welcoming me to the parish and I look
forward to meeting all of you.” (Meet
Joe In Spanish)
We are indeed glad to welcome Joe
to our parish. Already he has shown his care, thoughtfulness and inspiration
to those he ministers to. We’re glad he’s among us.
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