Dear Parishioners
Dear Parishioners,
Blessings! Sometimes the good Lord just gives you a wonderful gift right in front of you and hopefully you see it and are graced by it. This past Friday I was on a flight from Baltimore, after assisting at a funeral, and seated next to me was a young man who looked to be about 20. Now we are all different, I usually try to sleep or read, rarely engaging in conversation with those on a flight with me. I'm polite but kind of like to be left alone. This time however there was something calling me to talk to this young man, which I finally did. He told me he was in the military and worked with safety. We talked about lots of things, he was not Catholic but was as curious about me, priesthood, the Church, as I was about his work in the military. About half way through the flight he asked, "Father do you believe in signs?" I asked him what he meant and he then told me he was flying to a base in the west to be evaluated because of suicidal tendencies he had exhibited and that, what were the chances he would be sitting next to a Catholic priest and could talk with me about this.
I admit I was floored and humbled that in some way he felt, because I was a priest, he a non-Catholic, he could open up. The Lord spent the rest of the flight using me, I hope, to reach out to this young man, with a good soul but troubled spirit. At the end of the flight I asked him if I could bless him and he graciously agreed and then told him I would have you, my parishioners, pray for him and I ask you to please do so.
I may never see or hear of him again and I may never know how our conversation helped him, but often the Lord does place people in our lives as gifts, a gift to be used by God to respond in some way to others.
I've often said I don't believe in coincidences, that all things happen for a reason. I was in that seat because a passenger asked me to change so she could sit with her husband and I was on that flight as I stayed longer than expected out east, because of the death of another good soul, assisting at his funeral. We Catholic's believe that Resurrection comes only through death, I pray that this young man on the plane can and will experience a renewal of life in the midst of his struggles, and maybe he will because the death of another young man, who is experiencing his own new life in heaven, which delayed me and put me on that plane. Some may read this and think the experience or even myself are odd, but I write and think God's grace and gracefulness abounds.
Each year the Bishop of our Diocese comes before us and gives us the opportunity to assist him with the work of the Diocesan Church, through our support of the DDF annual appeal. Some have already received a letter from him, others will soon and we'll have an in pew solicitation in February. Please consider now your gift to this good work of the Church. Last year we missed our goal by only about $900.00 so hopefully this year we can make our goal. Thank you, in advance for your generosity.
On the topic of giving, I want to take this opportunity to thank all who so generously support your parish through financial gifts and I thank those parishioners who have used the beginning of a new year to increase their financial gifts by some amount realizing that increasing each year, if possible, is needed to continue the work of good stewardship. Any increase is appreciated. Also, thanks to all who, when you are not at Saint Benedict's for Mass, make up any missed envelops, this also helps the parish and its ministries. Financial contributions are signs of our share in good stewardship as we give proportionally as we have received. Many turn to the Jewish scriptures and the tithe (10%), which has the advantage of being scriptural and easy for non-math majors, just move a decimal point. Our parish should be the center of our giving as Catholic Christians although we are called to support other good causes, some Catholic and some from the wider community and according to our interest. Again, the generosity of so many humbles me and makes me reconsider my own giving of treasure to the parish and other charities. Thank you for challenging & inspiring me.
Pax, Father Joe