May
1 , 2005
Sixth Sunday of Easter
On
life and death
Cardinal
Rules
I’ve
gotten questions lately about why people sometimes say “Joseph
Cardinal Ratzinger” and sometimes “Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.”
Where should the title “cardinal” be placed and why? It
turns out that the "cardinal" title shows up differently in
different languages.
In England, the title came AFTER the first name. For example "Harry,
Prince of Wales"
In Italian, it would have been "Prince Harry, of Wales". So
it is with Cardinal. In Italian (and in most languages), it would be
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. In England, it would be Joseph, Cardinal,
Ratzinger. In the states, we followed the formal English for many decades.
Now we mostly use the title before the name.
Looking
for me?
This week I’ll be visiting my uncle Father Ralph Besendorfer (not
Ratzinger) in the Diocese of Jacksonville.
See you next weekend!
Catholic
Ministries Appeal
I’ve pledged. Have you?
You can pledge online here!
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:
April 17: The Spirit Abounds
April 10: Two men on a journey
April 3: He's baaack!
March 27th: Not the best
news...yet
March 20th: What are You
Doing For Easter?
March 13th: The Stench
March 6: To Tell or Not
To Tell
February 27: Dry Mouth Dry
Soul
February 20: Good to Be
Here
February 13: And he was
hungry?
Ash Wednesday '05
February 6: Ashes Already?
January 23: Catholic Schools
Week
January 16: Continued Charity
January 9: Migration
January 2:All is bright?
Columns from 2004
Columns from 2003
Columns from 2002
Over
the past month all the news about the dying of Terri Schiavo and John
Paul II has gotten people thinking and talking about life and death issues.
We’re about to offer a series of “life and death” opportunities
in the next few weeks at St. Brigid’s.
First, before we talk, we give.
Our blood drive is taking place Monday, May 9th from 4pm on. Last weekend
over 50 people signed up. I hope we can get 50 more. Could you talk with
your family members and friends and see what you can do to sign up some
folks to give this gift of life?
Next, before we get to the death
and dying conversation, let’s talk about health. Got high blood
pressure? What is your risk of stroke? (It hits young people more than
we realize.) How about concerns with diabetes, colon cancer, prostate
cancer and kidney disease? What are the issues regarding organ donations?
Bring yourself and interested family members, neighbors and friends to
our Health Forum on Saturday, May 14th from 12noon to 3pm in our school
library. This forum is being arranged by the Black Catholic Ministry of
St. Brigid’s as a gift to ALL parishioners who are concerned about
these health issues. Free literature and refreshments too.
Finally, what about “Health
Care Proxies”? We’ve been hearing so much about these and
many folks don’t know how to go about naming one. What about “living
wills” and why are they not adequate in New York State? St. Brigid’s
will sponsor a seminar featuring experts in various fields to help us
understand what is available to us. Free health care proxy forms will
be available. Come join together on Monday, May 16th at 7:30pm in the
Chapel in our school.
One last note about death: Father
William Govern died on April 20th after a long illness. He served at St.
Brigid’s in the 1940's and 1950’s . He died at Maria Regina
Residence in Brentwood where he had resided for many years. Please remember
him in your prayers.
You are Person
