December 30, 2001
A Great Christmas
It's
Still Christmas!
While the stores might be stripped of Christmas decorations and are
already promoting Valentine’s Day, we’re still in the midst
of the Christmas season which goes until the feast of the Baptism of
the Lord (this year it’s January 13th). So keep those lights blazing
and the carols playing.
Farewell
to Father Augustine
Our parish is planning on
having a farewell celebration for Father Augustine on Sunday, January
6th at the 1pm mass followed by a reception in Code Auditorium. More
details to follow but you might want to mark your calendar so you can
be part of this celebration.
Phone
Fixed
Our
“Moment with Jesus” message line was out of commission for
about a month. The phone company has finally fixed the problem. If you’d
like to hear an inspirational message each week call (516) 333-6094.
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
“Put on heartfelt compassion,kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience.”
-Colossians 3:12
Read
Bob Keeler's
Series on Priests
Part
One
Part
Two
Part Three
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:
Dec 23: First Christmases
Dec
16: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Dec 9 : Future Priests
Dec
2: A Grateful Thanks
Nov 24: The Grinch Who Stole Advent
Nov 18:Let Me Count
the Ways:
Nov 11:Plenty of
Rooms
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
So much goes into the celebrations here -- the planning, the practices, the decorating, the music, making booklets. Hundreds of people of all ages are involved.
And so much went into preparing us for this feast. We followed Mary and Joseph’s walk toward Bethlehem through our beautiful Presepio and in our Posadas. (Las Posadas is a Spanish tradition of travelling from home to home looking for a place where Mary and Joseph can lodge. The families pretend that there is no room and send them on their way. The final Posada takes place on Christmas eve at church when ALL are welcomed.) The children in our school and religious education programs were involved in pageants which told the Christmas story. It would be hard to spend even a few minutes at St. Brigid’s and not know what the first Christmas was all about.
What Christmas at St. Brigid’s is all about is certainly praising God for the gift of Jesus. And it is also about serving as Jesus came to serve. I saw a lot of that too. Hundreds of families who are in need were clothed, fed and given gifts to share through the generosity of so many parishioners who gave gifts from our angel trees. The folks in Parish Outreach worked many long days to coordinate these efforts. Our Senior Connection program brought senior citizens together to celebrate Christmas. And there are countless untold stories of personal generosities that toook place between families and neighbors this Christmas.
So this is Christmas! I thank everyone for their participation in celebrating Jesus in such a joyful and generous way. And I’m already getting excited because now people are telling me, “Well if you think Christmas is special -- wait ‘til you see Holy Week and Easter.”
I can’t wait.
Have you visited St. Brigid's Presepio?
Find out what it's about: Click 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)