November 11, 2001
Plenty of Rooms
Quote
of the Week
“It is with great confidence that I am sending you to this parish
of St. Brigid. I have every reason to believe that you will serve the
People of God with the priestly zeal that has marked your life to date
and with the care to bring to people, through the celebration of Mass
and the Sacraments, Christ’s love and Christ’s healing presence.”
--Bishop William Murphy’s appointment letter to Father Ralph
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. Lots of people tried it last week.
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
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has
loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through
his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed
and word..”
-2 Thessalonians 2:16
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:
Nov
4: Treat, Definitely Treat
Oct 28: Figuring
It Out
Oct 21:Prayers for
Our Time
Oct 14: Warring Words
Oct 7: Getting more
from the Word
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
Last week I wrote of how I met Bishop Murphy
who formally appointed me as pastor of St. Brigid’s and how we are
celebrating my installation as pastor this weekend. It took me some time
to think of what one message I’d like to share on this special day
-- there were so many things that I could comment on, given the lively,
active and loving community that I am coming to know day by day.
I was thinking of what Jesus told his apostles
when he was preparing to move on from his place on earth, to his place
in heaven:
• Don’t be afraid
• There are many rooms in my father’s house
• I am the Way, the Truth and the Life
These are good words to reflect on as we
have begun to share our lives with each other -- we ought not be a afraid
because God is with us-- in fact when you or I wonder about where we’re
going in the days ahead, we look to Jesus who is our Way, our Truth and
our Life.
And then there are all the rooms -- plenty
of rooms in our Father’s house. Since I’ve arrived at St. Brigid’s
I’ve felt like an explorer who is opening doors to the different
rooms of heaven. Whenever I visit a family at home, whenever I go to a
parish meeting, whenever I’m invited into a conversation about parish
life, whenever I join a gathering of prayer in Spanish, or Italian or
Kreyol or English -- then I’ve entered another room of our Father’s
house.
Throughout the years ahead, I’m looking
forward to continuing the exploration. And I hope that all the sisters
and brothers of our community will join me in the exploration. At times
we need to rest in rooms that we’re comfortable in, yet we’re
invited to leave the comfort of our own place and to discover the richness
of where other people live in God. And we’re certainly called to
reach out to those who feel left out out our Father’s house to invite
them to the table of God’s Word and the Eucharist.
So throw open all the doors, put out the welcome mats, and get ready to
meet the whole church!
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)