Dear Family,
Is anyone else wondering where January went? I’m sure we had a good time last night at the Andy Cooney Show. I’m writing my reaction before the show so it’s an act of faith. Nevertheless, I doubt I’ll be disappointed recalling past history.
Waxy O’Connor’s on 17th Street brings us the true Irish food. Our thanks to Mark and Noreen Roehleder who own the pub. Monsignor Pat and Annie attended their wedding in Northern Ireland many moons ago. Now they grace our lives here. They both have a lilt to their voices so you might be tempted to ask where “Roehleder” came from. You can ask them the history when you drop in on Waxy’s. This is an unabashed plug if you haven’t been there yet.
I’ve often said that here at St. Sebastian we cram a year’s worth of activities into six months. (Did you ever notice Annie’s hair gets slightly grayer over the winter?) Our Fall Festival dinner (nee Oktoberfest), our Men’s Club spaghetti dinner, our Women’s Luncheon, our Fish Fry on March 31st ... they are all wonderful gatherings! Much work and heartfelt efforts go into these events and we are blessed to have the parishioners who make them happen.
We often get visitors to these events and it gives us a chance to be hospitable. Most of all, I’m happiest when we gather as a parish family because we are celebrating the presence of the Lord in a unique way, the way of the community dedicated to St. Sebastian. And you’ve got to admit; we are unique.
Speaking of Annie, Monday night bible study, under her great tutelage, is going well and we are looking to continuing in Lent with a series based on the scriptures and our passage through Lent. During Lent we will also make available extra copies of The Word Among Us.
Speaking of Lent, now is the time to bring back your blessed palms from last year. We’ll put a container in front of the pulpit in the Main Sanctuary. Those palms will be used for our ashes on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. That’s just three and a half weeks away, (March 1st). Every year I always forget to ask you in time, so this year I’m remembering! Bring in those Palms!
Some more good news: Father Bill Mason will (by popular demand) be back for our Lenten Mission, March 11-15th. He’ll preach on the weekend of March 11-12, and then we’ll begin on Sunday Even¬ing with a pot luck dinner and the first session of the Mission. I tell you now so you can plan for those days. We’ll probably do morning and evening sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in conjunction with the celebration of Mass. I think Father has a great theme, focusing on a gospel each day from a special point of view.
In his Lenten devotion booklet, Deacon Tom Fox quoted Catherine Doherty, whose canonization is in the works, as referring to Lent as “spring cleaning your heart.” It’s a wonderful concept. Deacon Fox further quoted her as saying to her readers, “Come Lent, make a genuflection, not so much of your knees but of your soul.” I think that after all these years, I sort of ramble into Lent with a lot of thought as to what I want to happen. And of course, if I‘m not looking for anything particular to happen, then it probably won’t. Maybe that’s why I am bringing it up now. (That, plus the fact that I just got off the phone with Bill Mason.)
I pray that the business and the busyness of our parish life – with all its joys and wonders – will never get in the way of our primary goal and purpose to discover ever deeper dimensions in the face of the Jesus we can see, and the eternal life we cannot see.
In Jesus,
P.S.: $63,486 IN. $38,000+ TO GO! Get those pledges in, Please!
