Dear Family,
It’s hard to know where to begin. All I could think of was how we recovered after Hurricane Andrew in August 1992. The southern half of my parish was wickedly devastated and the northern half limped. But the saving grace about Andrew – if there could be one – was that it moved through quickly. For me personally, our power was off and so I could not watch any television coverage. Ian surely has been different.
Now we come to the part, as I said last week, when we look into the ways we can help. I also admit to being glad I have a cache of Star Trek Reruns. I’ve watched a few in the last week. It was a brief relief from looking at piles of wreckage. You can do that for just so long.
I checked on Father Tom Boyer, a good friend of ours who has helped here in the parish. He got through okay in his Naples’s condo. I sent some personal funds to him which he was pooling with some other money he received to help some really needy families. I am sure that in days and weeks to come we will find out directly and through the Archdiocese effective ways we can help. I started with the Salvation Army. I remember how spectacularly effective and fast they were after Andrew.
We had some people who came east last Sunday, among them old parishioners Joe and Terri Cremona. (Whoops, I mean ‘former’ parishioners. Joe and Terri are never old.) There were also other folks from the west coast at Mass last Sunday. I hope we can find lots of good ways to practice the hospitality with which the Lord has gifted us.
With a little bit of providential guidance, this week I hope to be away for about ten days. I want to visit my brother in Poinciana, Florida (south of Orlando,) and my sisters in North Carolina. Hopefully the leaves are changing. Ian went east of them so maybe they are not all blown away. I definitely will be back for our Oktoberfest.
In the midst of all the turmoil, we also need to remember that October is Respect Life month. There is a bassinette in front of the pulpit and anything you can bring for that basket will be brought to the Respect Life office. We had a flyer a few weeks ago asking for things like diapers size 4-6, wipes, rash cream, baby bottles, etc.
Also, on page three there is a list of things that are opportunities for you to help with Oktoberfest. Elli Hurst does a great job and the more help she can get the better. My thanks to Chuck Wobby, Annie Gardner, Liz Calhoun, Judy Fisher and Patrick O’Dea who are the core group of many people. I am always afraid to mention names in case I omit someone. The very good thing, however, is that since this is holy work, you can be sure God does not forget ANY names.
This Twitch was more than task oriented, so before I think of more tasks, I’ll quit early. Blessings on your heads and any other body parts that need help.
In Jesus,
