May
11, 2008
We
are one in the Spirit
Happy
Mother's Day
Mothers, godmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers, step-mothers, expectant
mothers, mothers-in-law...we want to wish you all a Happy Mother’s
Day!
You have given us life and love and taught us the things that really
matter. May God bless all our mothers and reward them for their goodness.
How
Time Flies
Twenty five years ago when I was ordained a priest, I remember looking
at those “old” priests who were celebrating their Silver
Jubilees and thinking, “It will take a long time to get there!”
But here I am -- there! I look forward to celebrating next Sunday with
you, my parish family, along with my mother and father and brother and
sisters, and the friends I’ve made over these past 25 years. And
if you can’t come over for one of the festivities, please join
in praying for me as I head into the next quarter century.
e-mail Father Ralph:
Past
Columns:
May 4: Who's in
Your Top Twelve?
April 27: Now
that he's gone...
April 20: Yay
Deacons!
April
13: Here comes the Pope
April 6: Fresh Oil
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 January
20: Being Safer
January 13: Conversations
in 2008
January 6: Matthew's Magi
December 30:
What's
Next?
Christmas
2007 Homily
Columns
from 2007
Columns
from 2005
Columns
from 2004
Columns
from 2003
Columns from 2002
When
I hear the story of the first Pentecost and how everyone heard the apostles
speaking in their own language, I think about how the Holy Spirit has
blessed our parish 2000 years later. The Good News of Jesus is being proclaimed
here in many languages -- not just the English, Spanish, Kreyol and Italian
languages, but many other tongues are spoken, and sign language is used
too.
Recently. members of our pastoral
council and some others have been spending time in one-to-one conversations
with parishioners and some of what they’ve been hearing is that
people have a genuine desire to relate more to each other. We see each
other in church all the time, but how do we get to relate more to those
who are our brothers and sisters in Christ?
So we’ve come up with this
idea: get together with 300 parishioners for two hours on a Sunday afternoon
and share together something about our unity and something about our hopes
for the future of our parish. I suspect the afternoon we’ve been
planning will be both fun and profound.
Here are some details as they are
unfolding:
• Sunday, June 1st from 4pm to 5:54pm
• Held in Code Auditorium in the School
• Light refreshments
• Babysitting available
For an outline of the gathering.go to www.saintbrigid.net/together.
Whether you’re a new parishioner
or an old-timer, whether you are really involved or not-so-involved in
parish activities, whether you’re outgoing or shy, whatever place
you come from: I’m inviting you to come and be part of this afternoon
of community.
Pentecost was a good start for
the early church. Our own Pentecost this Sunday opens us to the new beginnings
the Holy Spirit wants to make in our midst. Come on down and join the
parish staff, the pastoral council and your fellow parishioners in an
enjoyable and moving afternoon.
