April
6, 2007
Fresh
Oil
Fixup
Updates
You may have noticed some construction activity in the choir loft of
the church. We’re nearly finished the installation of our new
efficient air condition system -- in time for the warm weather.
The new system is going to be quieter, offer more even cooling, cost
less to operate and it will actually work!
We’re also facing a major renovation of the rectory roof, We’ve
been patching things for years and there comes a point where parts of
the roof must be replaced. Our buildings were built in the early 1900’s
and have held up remarkably well. When renovating, we want to use authentic
materials (for example, we’re placing a slate roof with new slate).
This costs more than substituting cheaper materials, but it’s
the right way to go for the long term.
These repairs are made possible by the parish Millennium Fund.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past
Columns:
March 30: What are you doing
for Easter?
March 23: Can Easter come
too early?
March 16: Which crowd is
yours?
March 9: We believe, yet...
March 2: Oil or Mud
February 24: What are you
thirsting for?
February 17: Who are You
Wearing?
February 10: Just Say No
February 3: The Power of
the Cross
January 27: How I Turned
Out
January 20: Being Safer
January 13: Conversations
in 2008
January 6: Matthew's Magi
December 30: Matthew's
Magi
Christmas 2007
Homily
Columns from 2007
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns
from 2003
Columns from 2002
On
Holy Thursday morning, the priests of St. Brigid’s gathered with
Bishop Murphy and hundreds of other priests and deacons at St. Agnes Cathedral
to celebrate the “Chrism Mass.” At this mass, the holy oils
are consecrated for our use throughout the year ahead.
So now we’ve got “fresh
oil” and we’re already using it liberally to bring about God’s
anointing to those we love.
Oil
of the Catechumens -- we first used this oil on Holy Saturday
morning to prepare the Catechumens for their baptism at Easter Vigil.
We use it nearly every week at the baptisms of babies in our church. We
ask God to protect those anointed with this oil.
Sacred
Chrism -- we used this oil at Easter Vigil to confirm
those who were baptized. And we are going to use it again this week as
Bishop Dunne confirms over 200 young people during our parish Confirmation
celebrations. We celebrate confirmation during the Easter season because
it’s an “Easter Sacrament” -- rooted in our baptism.
Easter is the season for all of us to renew our baptism. We will continue
to use the chrism oil as part of the baptism rite for babies too.
And we’re very glad that
the chrism oil will be used to anoint Gonzalo Lopez when he’s ordained
a priest on June 14th at the Cathedral. Gonzalo was assigned to St. Brigid’s
a couple of years ago as a seminarian, and more recently he has served
as a deacon here on weekends.
Oil of the Sick --
even though the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick isn’t specifically
an “Easter Sacrament,” we’ll be having different communal
celebrations of this sacrament now that the weather is becoming nicer
and it’s easier to gather with those who are ill. The priests will
be going to the various nursing homes and assisted living homes that we
serve; we’ll celebrate this anointing with those in our Senior Connection
program and we’re scheduling a parish-wide celebration of anointing
of the sick in the weeks ahead.
Free-flowing oil of God’s
grace and mercy! Alleluia!
