June 23, 2002
Giving Thanks to God
Church
in the Summer
Summer
is one of the best times to get closer to God and the church. God didn’t
bless us with July and August so that we could drift away from Eucharist,
but so that we could be re-created in God’s love. If you’re
travelling you can call 1-800-Mass-Times to find out when and where
mass is celebrated in your vacation area. If you’re home, come
and be part of our Sunday celebrations.
Ongoing
Support
In looking over church records for the past years, it’s clear that
we suffer financially during the summer months when folks are away.
Unfortunately the bills don’t go away in the summer so please continue
to offer support to our parish, even if you’re travelling. Thanks.
Cool Way to Pray
If you’d like to try out a new interactive prayer site online,
go to the St. Brigid’s home page and click on the “Church
Interactive” link.
Away
at College?
If you know of a St. Brigid parishioner who
is away at college, you can help us stay in touch through our parish’s
weekly “letter from home”. Send in their name and e-mail address
just click here.
Today’s Bible Quote
"Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!"
--Jeremiah 20
Technology Ministry
If you’d like to give your time and expertise at helping our parish
connect its telephone systems or work on its website, you can let us
know by filling in our
online form
Want
to e-mail Father Ralph?
Past Columns:
June 16: Father's
Day
June 9: Fall Mass
Schedule
June 2: Summer Plans
May 26: Spreading
the Faith
May 19: Passing Grace
May 12: Changing
Times
May 5: Reason for Hope
April 28: Changing
Ministry
April 21: The Poor Are Hurt
Again
April 14: Celebrating
50 Days
April 7: Where have
they put him?
March 31: Alleluia!
Alleluia!
March 24: Hardly
Hosanna
March 17: Roll The
Stone Back
March 10: Here's
Mud In Your Eye
March 3: Our Local
Drought
Feb 24: Welcoming
Bishop Murphy
Feb 17: We Will Rise
Again
Feb 10: Very
Good Now
Feb 3: The Multi
Cultural Church
Jan 27: Appealing
Words
Jan 20:Our
Wonderful School
Jan 13: Changing
Times
Jan 6: Farewell Father
Augustine
This is the time of year for graduations
and moving on. I had the joy of being at the pre-K, Kindergarten and 8th
Grade graduations at St. Brigid’s/Our Lady of Hope School and many
of our young parishioners are graduation from high school and college,
looking forward to a new life ahead. Congratulations to them and their
families.
As you know, a number of our staff are also moving on to a new life ahead.
Father Victor left for India this past week, and Father Rolando moves
to Glen Cove next week. Stephanie Clagnaz and Jennifer Gallagher finish
up their work in Religious Education this summer to move on to other work
in education, as does Michelle Budion who assisted with our Religious
Ed Program; Mary Jane Witte concludes her music ministry with us at the
end of July; a few weeks ago we gathered with Joan Psotto as she prepared
to move on from Outreach and Sr. Judy will be moving to be closer to her
mother in Connecticut in the fall.
Perhaps the words of St. Paul are most fitting
here when he said:
“I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always
with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership
for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that
the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until
the day of Christ Jesus. It is right that I should think this way about
all of you, because I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with
me in grace.... For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with
the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may
increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for
the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through
Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”
This is our parish prayer for all our graduates
and for all our staff who are moving on. Let us continue to pray for these
generous and good women and men who have led our parish family in the
ways of Christ.
