October 7, 2001
Getting More from the Word
Event
of the Week
This Wednesday,
October 10th,
our diocese has rented Nassau Coliseum for a special Memorial Mass for
the victims of the World Trade Center Attack. There is no charge for
parking or admission. The doors open at 6pm and the mass starts at 7:30pm.
All are invited to attend.
Signs
Seen
On a church in Suffolk County:
“Don’t put a question mark where God has put a period.”
Well yes, but one might also say...
“Don’t put a period where God has put a question mark.”.
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
“ God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power
and love and self-control.”
-2 Timothy 1:6
Technology
Ministry
If you’d like togive your time and expertise at helping our parish
connect its telephone systems or develop its computer networking or
work on its website, you can let us know by filling in our
online
form
El
Salvador Trip
If you’d like to see the parish’s mission trip to
El Salvador online, you can see photos and a travelogue by
clicking here.
Want
to e-mail Father Ralph?
Past Columns:
Sept 30: Saying Goodbye
Sept
23: Gray Days
Sept 16: This
Week's Tragedy
Sep.9: Summer Vacation
Sep
2: I Used to be an Embryo
August 26: Holy
Walking
August
19: Just Like Family
Aug
12:Incredible Forgiveness
August 5: Diocesan Doings
July
29: On A Mission
July 22: Piecing Together
July 15th: Unpacking St Brigids
July 8th: Happy to Be Here
July 1st : First Words
During my visits to people’s homes during
the summer I picked up some really good ideas. For example, one evening
we were talking about how to help our children get more out of their experience
of coming to mass -- and how to get more out of our own experience as
adults.
One simple technique is to
read the upcoming Sunday’s gospel during the week and then reflecting
on it’s meaning our lives. The families I was visiting suggested
that this would be easier if the gospel was printed in the bulletin so
they could take it home and read it and share it.
Consider it done! As you may have noticed,
we have begun to print a page that will make the gospel available to everyone.
At the end of the gospel, we also print a few “focus questions”
that can help people share about their experience.
Here’s a suggested way to use this.
For individual use:
•Take some quiet time and ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind and
heart to really hearing the good news of the Gospel
• Read through the gospel and then see what “jumps out”
at you -- it might be a phrase or an image. Dwell with that for a few
moments and see how God might be speaking to you
• Read the focus questions -- they might help make some connections
between your life’s experience and the gospel
For family/group use:
• Set aside time in the family routine (or at the beginning of a
group meeting) and ask someone to readthe gospel out loud.
• Give people a few moments of silence to see what phrase or image
stays with them
• Offer them a chance to share about what that phrase or image is
or they can respond to one of the focus questions
This kind of prayer can really open us up to the power of God’s Word
in our lives. Why not try it this week?PS You can see all the readings
for each day online by clicking
here.
Come Visit Our Online Tour of our Youth Group's Trip To El Salvador!
For the Record..
See Father's Ralph's first spoken greeting to the community at St. Brigid..
Italian Mass
(translation provided)
(translation provided)
Haitian Mass
(translation provided)