December 12th, 2004
The Journey Continues
The
World Youth Day Pilgrimage Cross
Next summer in Cologne Germany, youth from all over the world will gather
with the Holy Father to celebrate World Youth Day. Our diocese is preparing
for this celebration by carrying a special cross from parish to parish.
(It’s like the olympic flame being carried from city to city before
the Olympics.) ThIs week the World Youth Day Cross is in the care of
Youth @ Saint Brigid’s, our parish youth group. You may see this
cross at mass this weekend as our youth lead us in the penitential rite.
Let us use this opportunity to pray for the youth of our parish and
young people everywhere, especially those who face heavy crosses of
addiction, violence, abuse, rejection, poverty, and homelessness.
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:
December 5: Visions of Sugarplums
November 28: Patience People
November 21: Squeezing In
November 14: Beacons of
Light
November 7: Our Vincentian
Deacon
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
Over
the years it has been the privilege of St. Brigid’s parish to welcome
newly ordained priests to their ministry. Our parish is a remarkable first
assignment for any priest because of our diversity, our life-giving liturgies,
our commitment to helping people in need, our programs for youth and elderly,
and our history. The latest newly-ordained priest to begin his journey
at St.. Brigid’s has been Father Kevin Dillon.
But as happened so many times before, once a newly ordained priest gets
his start here, the larger church calls and the priest who starts out
here, goes forth to minister somewhere else. Last week the Personnel Office
of the diocese asked Father Dillon if he would consider going to St. Jude’s
Parish in Mastic Beach. We currently have five priests on staff and one
other in residence plus Father John Derasmo is scheduled to come to us
in January. St. Jude’s is a growing parish and needs another priest.
So with the transfer of Father John, the diocese considered this to be
an appropriate time to ask Father Dillon to move to St. Jude.
Father Dillon has agreed to this
assignment change and will be moving to Mastic Beach on January 12th.
Father John will be moving here on January 18th.
The hardest part of the change
of assignments is saying goodbye. Yet we want to have the opportunity
to thank Father Dillon for ministering to our community. So we’re
planning to have a “farewell mass” on Saturday evening at
5pm on January 8th followed by a reception. All are invited to come and
celebrate Father Dillon and send him forth with our love.
Being a priest is a lot like being
a parent in that we often don’t know the effect we have on people
until years later. I’d like to invite you to take some time over
the next few weeks to write down how Father Dillon’s ministry here
has been meaningful to you and to send that to him (you might include
a photo of you and your family to help him remember you by).
Together we pray for Father Dillon
as he continues the journey.
You are Person
