June
18, 2006
A
Father’s Gift
Where's My Birthday Gift?
Last weekend as I was celebrating the beginning of the second half century
of my life, my good friend who is the priest personnel director, came
to celebrate with my family. Of course I asked him, “Where’s
my birthday gift?” He immediately understood that I was asking
whether he had the name of a priest who would replace Father Jim. With
his typical sense of humor, he assured me that I might get one for my
51st birthday! Naturally this wasn’t the answer I was hoping for.
Now it looks like we might wait til the end of the summer to get a replacement.
With Father Augustine, Father Anthony and Father Luca coming to us this
summer, we can get by. But I’ll still be expecting my “birthday
present” soon.
I’ll close by saying thanks to so many of you who sent birthday
cards and e-mails.
Father
Jim's Progress
Father Jim is now able to celebrate mass again after his operation.
We’re thrilled to have him back. Alas, we will soon miss him again
as he will become pastor at Holy Family parish. We’re planning
a farewell celebration next Sunday, June 25th at the 11:30 Mass followed
by a reception. Call Adriana
if you’d like to help.
(334-0021 x 105)
Welcome
Home
Many of our college students are home for the summer and we’re
happy to see them back at St. Brigid’s on the weekends. Congratulations
to all who successfully completed another semester and especially to
all who graduated Congratulations to all who are graduating from high
school too.
Receptionist
Position
After nearly two decades of serving our parish as our receptionist Therese
Walsh will be retiring at the end of June. We are currently beginning
a search for a new receptionist. The job description can be found online
or a copy is available at the parish center.
We’ll certainly miss Therese and we’ll be having a retirement
party soon -- watch this space for details in a few weeks.
Census
Continues
Of the approximate 6,000 families we usually send mail to, we’ve
received completed Census booklets from over 4,000. So we’ve got
a ways to go.
Is your booklet in?
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
June 11: Charity Begins
At Home
June 4: Turning Silver
May 28: Eight Years •
Eight Months
May 21: If Any
May14: Celebrating Mothers
May 6: Celebrating Priests
April30: Baked Fish
April 23: What we hear
April 16: Out of the Tomb
April 9: Jesus, Our Source
of Peace
April 2: NOW, Can you Hear
Me?
Mar 26: Can You Hear Me
Again?
Mar 19: Can You Hear Me
Now?
Mar 12: Now Take 4Steps
March 5: Take A Step
Feb 26:Coming Home
Feb19: Visiting Heros
Feb 12: Passing Pastor
Feb 4: Annual Appeal
Jan 22: Abandoned Nets
Jan 15: Everlasting Life
Jan 8: I'm not going to
jail..
Jan 1: Happy New Year
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
One
of my cherished memories of my father is that “Norman Rockwell”
moment when he carves the Thanksgiving turkey, with all the family sitting
around the table. Of course he means a lot more to me than a turkey carver,
but there is something hallowed about that moment -- all other activity
stops and we know the main course is about to begin.
There’s something special
too about the leftovers from that meal. I know that it’s turkey
I’m talking about, but it’s not really “just turkey”.
The Thanksgiving meal is not about food, but about hallowed food -- there
is a quality to this food that happens because of the love and community
that surrounds it and brings it into being. And that makes the leftovers
special too. Who of us hasn’t gazed lovingly into the refrigerator
later that night to see what was leftover and to recall both the meal
just eaten, and the meal that is yet to come?
This kind of talk reminds me of
the Eucharist. In fact the Greek word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving
in English. We believe that Jesus gave his life for us and that before
he died, he gave his apostles his body and blood to eat and drink so he
could live in them. And then he told them to keep doing it til the end
of the ages. So we take bread and wine and we remember that first “Thanksgiving”
(no, not the pilgrims and indians but the Last Supper) and through the
power of the Holy Spirit these simple elements become the body and blood
of Christ.
We keep the “leftovers”
too -- just we do at our family’s Thanksgiving meal. We put the
leftover hosts in the tabernacle because they are still the body of Christ
after mass. And we can go and visit Christ to pray, to remember the last
Eucharist we celebrated and anticipate the next one. Many times we also
take the reserved hosts to people who are sick and homebound. As we look
lovingling in the refrigerator at the leftover meal, even more do we look
lovingling on Christ who is our food, our Bread of Life, our hope for
the world. This Father’s Day let us honor God our Father who gave
the great gift of his Son to be our thanksgiving food.
