From Father Steven - May 12, 2024
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
To all the mothers, we wish you many blessings and may you always grow in grace and wisdom! Although we have only one mother, we can have many mother-like figures in our lives. One of these mothers, is our Holy Mother Church. I would like to reflect with you how the Church is our mother.
The role of the Church is to educate us in the faith, help us to grow in grace, and to follow a path of holiness. Just as our mothers educated us to behave, to say "please" and "thank you," and have taught us right from wrong, so does the Church have the same role. Our behavior is molded according to that of Jesus and of the saints. Our spiritual "please" is our prayers directed to God, and "thank you" is attending mass, which is the greatest act of thanksgiving ("it is truly right and just, always and everywhere, to give you thanks"). The Church always teaches us what is right from what is wrong, through CCD, homilies, bulletin letters, and through the Magisterium (the collection of teachings/documents of the Church), especially through the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
As a mother, the Church also needs to correct us and as children, we are not always fond of it. As an adult, it is funny how we come to the realization that our mothers were always right. For all the kicking and screaming and whining from our childhood was for no reason. Our parents had to help us to mature and not to do things on a whim. Sometimes when the Church speaks, we are not fond of its opinion either. There are some of its teachings that can be welcomed with long faces and indifference. As our mothers were older than us, and were able to use their experience to help, so does the Church with its 2000 years of experience and the treasures inherited from the Old Testament.
One more thing that our mothers have taught us is to share. As children we were taught to share our toys with others, and as teenagers, we were called to share our time and talents with others. Well, today the Church invites us to share our good with other people. Also, the Church is called to care for everyone, regardless of who they are. One way we have to do that is through St. Vincent de Paul, who gathers funds and goes out to help those in need. Next weekend we are beginning a new way of helping people, the Community Fridge. It is a community based effort with the assistance of local organizations to provide relief to local individuals and families facing food insecurity, alleviating hunger. Located on the side of the church, the Fridge will be primarily operated by community and Rotary members. It will run entirely on solar power, ensuring self-sufficiency one of the first of its kind in the country. Maintenance check-ups on the solar equipment and fridge clean-ups will be coordinated weekly along with donations from local businesses. Our parish community is called to contribute this great initiative and those who are in need to be helped by it. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 19th after the 11:00am mass.
Lastly, you may have seen the great devastation this last week in Brazil that has affected over 1 million people. It happened in my hometown, Porto Alegre, and the suburban area with a population of 4 million people. Due to historic amounts of rainfall, the rivers went up as high as 60 feet, displacing over 200 thousand people.
Although I don’t have family members there, my friends and my original home parish have had their houses submerged by over 20 feet. Speaking with the Cardinal, he has allowed me to collect funds to send to the people on the fronts helping the victims. I have contacted a local parish that is donating food to the places sheltering people as well as feeding all the first responders. We would support their efforts as well as some local volunteers who are going to the supermarkets buying what people need (food, mattresses, medicine) and delivering in the shelters. I will make sure that all this money is given to those in need. For anyone who would like to contribute to this cause, you can write a check to the parish with the memo: “Brazil Relief.” We will be doing a special collection next weekend for the victims. Therefore, we will move the seminary collection of Pentecost to the following weekend. To those who give through Online Giving, there is an option to donate also called “Brazil Relief”. There is also an option through text 2 give, where you can text 508-859-7970 or scan the QR code.
BRAZIL RELIEF FUND
To all mothers, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
God Bless,
Fr. Steven
