January
7, 2007
How
was your Christmas?
The
Letter
I received a letter this past week that we had
been dreading:
“Dear Sirs:
Please be advised that the County of Nassau intends to vacate the premises
known as the Convent Building, St. Brigid's Lane, Westbury, New York
on or before January 31, 2007. The County occupies the premises as a
month-to month tenant pursuant to the terms of the lease dated March
1, 1991 and executed by the County on May 21, 1991. This notice will
serve to terminate the month-to-month tenancy that exists with respect
to the aforereferenced premises as of January 31, 2007.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours...”
This means that we begin to lose over $18,000 a month in rental income
starting in February. We’re still looking for a tenant. Do you
know anyone?
Online
Masses
We are now going to be able to stream masses and other events live over
the internet to homebound folks and to relatives who live in other lands.
If you’re interested in this, in this, click
here.
Away
at College?
Are you or your child away at college? At St. Brigid’s we like
to stay in touch via occasional e-mails as we send photos and news from
“home”. College students wishing to be connected through
our “Letters from home” can sign up online here
or you can mail or
e-mail thecollege names and e-mail addresses to Father Ralph and he’ll
put them on the list.
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:
December 31:
Will we See You again?
December 24: Cloaks Rolled
in Blood
December
17: What About Us?
December
10: To Whom Do We Look?
December 3: Drowsy Hearts
November 26: Looking Ahead
November 19: Giving Thanks
November12: Putting Our
Two Cents Worth
November 5: Our Youth, Our
Hope
October 29: A Dark and Stormy
Night
October 22: Washington Trip
October 15: Marriage Help
October 8: Fall Fix Up
October 1: Cut Off Week
Sept 24:War Begins At Home
Sept 17: Who Do You Think
You Are?
Sept 10:God Be With You
Sept 3: Back to
School
August 27: Merry Christmas
August 20: Wine or No Wine
August 13: Mangia...
August 6: Mixed News
July 30: Impossibly Little
July 23: Come away!
July 16: Got a Mission?
July 9:Missing God
July 2: Jesus Interrupted
June 25: One Here, One to
Come
June 18: A Father's Gift
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
I
mentioned last week that you can use the question, “How was your
Christmas?” as a starting point to invite people to continue their
participation in the church life.
But I wanted to take a moment to
tell you how our Christmas has been (remember it’s not quite over
yet -- we’re still in the Christmas season). I found this Christmas
to be very peaceful. Of course we had big crowds and lots of activity,
but just as there was a quiet “silent night, holy night” in
the midst of busy Bethlehem two thousand years ago, so too in the midst
of all that was going on here I experienced some very wonderful moments
of Christ’s presence and peace.
Certainly a lot of that had to
do with all the people who gave of their time and talents to “create”
a St. Brigid’s Christmas. I want to thank everyone who did so. Thanks
to the hundreds of people who bought “angel gifts” and to
the dozens of Outreach workers and volunteers (under the gracious leadership
of Julie Knight) who made sure that families in need received the gifts
that were so generously provided. Thanks to all who decorated inside and
out. The church was joyfully decorated by Lorraine Sherman and her crew
of decorators and volunteers, including the faithful Knights of Columbus.
Again this year our icicle lights on the church were donated by Tony Iannucci.
The music was wonderfully varied
-- Susan Porteus, our music director, along with our choirs, (young and
older), bell choir, rock group, cantors, and instrumentalists led us all
in praising God for the gift of Jesus. For the first time we were able
to broadcast video of our Christmas masses to homebound people, thanks
to Mike Debella who aided us with the final connections and who donated
the web site that carried those masses. Thanks to all the volunteer camera
operators.
To all who prepared the song books,
who greeted the folks at the doors, who proclaimed God’s word, who
helped distribute communion, who served at the altar, who cleaned the
church between masses ---thanks! We all did have a great Christmas!
