October 28,
2007
Heroes,
Saints & Souls
All
Soul's
Day
On Friday evening we are having our annual Mass at 7:30pm for those
who died this past year and we remember in a special way all those buried
from St. Brigid’s. All are invited to join with families who are
remembering their loved ones.
Scenic
Delights
Each year St. Brigid’s has created a fascinating display during
Advent and Christmastime called a “Presepio”. It’s
a beautiful diorama in the church which features a replica of St. Brigid’s
church and a model of a streetscape in old Naples, leading to a gorgeous
angel tree in “Bethlehem.” Presepio coordinator Al Peck
has just told me that his creative partner, Greg Pangburn, has retired
from this project this year and so Al’s looking for a new collaborator.
Do you have the skills for scenic design (for example, any model railroaders
out there?) Want to know more? Want to help?
e-mail
Al
Are
you in College?
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Online Masses
We are now 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.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past Columns:
October 21:How Fast is God?
October 14: Who says thank
you?
October 7: Sacrament of
Charity
September 30: This Old Gazebo
September 23: Missing Sheep
September 16: Speaking English
September 9: He's baaaack!
August 26: The Narrow Gate
August
19: Comings & Goings
August 12: Mass Schedule
Change
August 5: Better Late Than
Never
July 29: Sunday in the Chapel
July 15: Celebrating Kelly
July
8: I'm so not dead yet
July 1: Worse than Raccoons
June 24:Sommertime
June 17: Celebrating
Fr Cine
June 10: When Nature Turns
June 4:Celebrating Father
Jim
May 27: Praying in Tongues
May 20: Making (up) the
difference
May 13: Loving our Mothers
May 6: About Father George
April 29: Hearing Voices
April 22:Three Stones
April 15: What a week!
April 8: Alleluia! Alleluia!
April 1: Holy Week
March 25: Climate Change
March 18: Take A Step
March 11: Cold Enough for
You?
March 4:Stocking the Shelves
Feb 25: Basket Case
Feb18: Ashes and Desert
Dust
Feb11: Get Ready, Get Set,
REST!
Feb.4: Lent Lurking
Jan.28:Catholic Schools
Week
Jan.21:Crying in Church
Jan.14: Love ahead
Jan.7: So How
Was Your Christmas?
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns from
2003
Columns from 2002
I haven’t
watched the TV Show “Heroes,” but I’m familiar enough
with the premise: there are a group of people among us with special powers
(one can travel through time, another can fly, etc.). Well this week the
whole church dedicates a day to the saints who are different kinds of
heroes compared with the fictional TV ones. (Thursday is All Saints Day
-- a Holy Day of Obligation.)
Saints aren’t born with supernatural
powers (claims of the Middle Ages, not withstanding). They have the same
human strengths and weaknesses as the rest of us. Their “supernatural
advantage” came in their baptism. Oh! That’s the same gift
we received too! These ordinary people experienced the joys and sorrows
of life as we do, but by the time they died, they had shown that they
had been faithful disciples of Jesus and their contributions to building
up God’s kingdom lived on.
We celebrate the saints so that
their lives can “rub off” on us and that we’ll be inspired
to live intentional lives. Our following Jesus is not an accidental part
of our lives, but a deliberate choice each day to be Christ’s presence
in the world. We imitate the saints by asking, “What will I choose
to do today that will make me a saint?” “What Christ-like
words will I speak?” “What Christ-like actions will I do?”
Following All Saints Day is All
Soul’s Day (Nov. 2nd). On this day we remember our loved ones who
have died. We recognize that there were many saintly actions in their
lives, but we sometimes remember that there were some less-than-saint-like
words or behaviors in their lives. Naturally we don’t want to speak
ill of the dead, but nonetheless we grapple with the truth that each person
who has gone before us has left a mixed legacy. Our prayerful response
to these lives involves (a) commending them to the mercy of God and (b)
forgiving them for any aspects of their lives that trouble us. God will
help us find peace.
In the meantime, let’s work
on not leaving our heirs with more things to forgive us for!
