Welcome Fathers Larry and Ben

This morning as my husband Rob, my son Jonah and I walked into church I had to remind myself, "Catherine....things will be different - be open, gracious, and let go". (For me - as for many of you, change is not easy. So, I must remind myself to be open to newness) One of the first things I see is Fr. Larry greeting everyone. What a nice thing to see when we first walk in - hospitality!!!! After we visited and got reacquainted with everyone (since we were on vacation last week) I sat down in our pew and quieted my heart. Mass began with the same enthusiasm that the 8:30am Mass always brings - awh, such a wonderful community we are a part of! It wasn't long and I noticed that the cross had been moved - change is good, change is good. The Lectors, Cantor and Fr. Larry proclaimed - and then Fr. Ben taught, inspired and engaged us with his homily. All of a sudden I was stopped dead in my tracks.... "the small things may change - but the community, the spirit and God's faithfulness is still the same Catherine". It's OK, we're going to be OK, you're going to be OK.
Isn't it funny that even when our heads know something our hearts take a while to learn it? Why is that? Do we need to have experience speak to us before we can fully grasp with our heart? Are we that afraid of the unknown, change, the possibilities that it takes us a while before we can truly be at peace? I have some things to ponder during my prayer time this week.
I am truly grateful to this community, to our parish leadership (clergy and lay), and to God for being patient with me and for being so faithful. Praise God!

I Will Praise you Lord....you have rescued me.....

Sorry you have not gotten an updated blog for a couple of weeks. My ministry has been focused on preparing for Fr. Jed to leave and also focused on welcoming Fr. Ben and Fr. Larry to our parish family.
This past weekend, while participating during Mass something hit me. (it's amazing that I had a profound thought despite my son Jonah's attempt to win my attention during Mass) As I sat and listened to the Responsorial Psalm, "I will Praise you Lord" which was proclaimed by Melanie Coddington I recalled God's faithfulness to myself and those around me. You see.... for years Melanie's wish was that she could move closer to her parents and children in Virginia. It was also Fr. Jed's hope to retire as he was beginning to slow down a bit and wanted to enjoy retirement while he was in good health. It also was my desire to have a child. For all three of us we waited. Melanie needed to wait to find a job, Fr. Jed needed to wait to the appropriate age and my husband and I were having some fertility issues. Yet - here the three of us were.... Melanie was moved back to Virginia and enjoying her new job and closeness to family, Fr. Jed was saying goodbye to parish life and looking forward to retirement and I sat with my one year old on my lap.
God had certainly heard our prayers and walked with us. He rescued us!
How many times in our lives do we feel alone, desperate and impatient? This weekend was a good reminder to me that I must hold to the truth that God walks with us - while we wait.