Dear Friends,
This past Tuesday stewards from Saint Catherine of Siena came together to do fall cleaning up on the parish campus.
It started out in briskness, sunshine and then as we were ending some graupel came out briefly! Tis the season!
Thank you to Binnie Duval, Bob Goldbach, Kathy Goldbach, Steve Hellems, Charlene Merrill, Connie Wahl and Jenn Yates for all their help!
I would also like to acknowledge Terry Finegan and Armand Fenicchia from the Church of the Transfiguration. I met them both early on when I became pastor.
They both were working hard and early in the day taking care of the flower beds on the parish campus. Their stewardship makes the Church of the Transfiguration look wonderful throughout the seasons. Thank you gentlemen for your goodness, welcoming me and being new friends in my circle of life!
My friends, both of our faith communities are blessed with caring stewards! When you see them, thank them and perhaps maybe offer to assist them in their labors. I am sure they would welcome your assistance.
Thanksgiving Day is November 25th! Coming quickly like everything. I read in the paper the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is on again this year. Several years ago I had a childhood/bucket dream in being able to attend. It was a perfect fall day and so much fun. I have to admit even to this day I like to catch glimpses of the parade when televised. And to see my personal friend end the parade makes me feel so good.
We will have two liturgies offered for our Thanksgiving gratitude. Mass will be at 7 PM Wednesday, November 24th at Saint Catherine of Siena. On Thanksgiving Day, mass will be at 9 AM at the Church of the Transfiguration. You are invited to bring to either mass foods you would like to be blessed from your table and foods you may wish to share from your blessings and gratitude for others. As my friend Claire Powell always says in a Yankee New England accent, “Aren’t we fortunate?!” We are indeed. I hope if you are in town you will join me at one of the masses to celebrate how “fortunate” we are.
And on our Thanksgiving weekend doesn’t a new liturgical year begin with Advent. Next week we will share what will be happening in our Advent and pray we will make spiritual time in a season always packed with so much to do, holy and sacred.
That is what we are called to be and can be if we so choose. HOLY & SACRED. That sounds like the “peace on earth”, at home, at school, at work and in church that will make our Christmas what it is truly about.
On that note,
Peace and blessings to all of you,
Father Rob