This and That:
We Get Letters; We Get Letter; We Get Lots and Lots of Letters!
Those lines of a song I remember from some TV show struck me as we continue to receive letters praising last month’s three performances of Godspell by our children, youth and teens. Here is a sampling of some of them.
Dear Rev. Msgr. Nicholas Amato,
I hope you don't mind me writing you, I found your email on the Our Lady of Grace Website.
My name is Lisa Smouten and I had the distinct privelege of attending the Youth Theatre of Northern Baltimore County's production of Godspell this past week. Words cannot describe how I felt as I left your facility. What a beautiful group of talented youth you have under your wing. And what an AMAZINGINGLY TALENTED director.
I attended the event with 7 other people, including 4 teens and each of us were astounded by the performance. I was hoping that you could give me contact information for the director of this show, Mary Miller. I used to teach drama and I know how extremely difficult a show like Godspell is to direct. Often times in shows such as this the message gets missed amongst all the antics but she was able to pull off a very delicate balance expertly.
My niece and her friend, who attended the event with me, are interested in joining this group. They were not only very moved by the performance but also very moved and excited by the actors reaction to Ms. Miller when they called her to the stage after the program. As they said, "She must be really good if all those kids love her that much, because kids our age are very hard to please, ESPECIALLY when it comes to religion!"
Thank you for any help you can give me.
God Bless You,
Lisa
Dear Administrators of Our Lady of Grace Parish,
It is my understanding that the Youth Theatre of Northern Baltimore County is an Outreach Program of your church. I am compelled to write and congratulate you on your most recent production of "Godspell".
I am a retired director of television movies and stage productions and was astounded by the talent and direction of this musical. I have personally directed "Godspell" 5 times and it is a very difficult show to direct, especially with young actors. I have also seen multiple other productions of "Godspell" and I must say that your production was one of the best productions I have had the pleasure of seeing, including my own.
The originality was superb, the timing phenomenal and the talent unbelievable. Now I know I may be a bit prejudice when I say this, but talented actors do very little for a show without a talented director. Ms. Miller whom I had the pleasure of meeting after the show (although she is not aware of my background) is truly one of a kind. Not only did she pull the best out of these kids, but the theme she created was unique and enhanced the story. She was masterful in her ability to keep the show moving quickly without seeming choppy. And in this show it is particularly difficult to convey the many emotions we as an audience should feel, such as, curiosity, joy, wonder, fear, regret, grief, elation, disappointment, etc. This show requires more emotions than most others and needs to convey them quickly and then move on. A VERY difficult thing to do and one in which Ms. Miller did flawlessly.
Lastly, I will say this, in theatre it is often the actors who receive the glory for they are in the spotlight. I have been lucky in my career to receive all the reward I could handle and then some. However, I know many directors who go unrewarded for their talent and skill because people incorrectly assume that it is the "actors" talent that made the show. But a good director can take the untalented and pull it off. You had 4 stand out actors in this performance with obvious talent. But this show is not a 4 actor show and even talented actors need direction because they don't have the director’s vision. I GUARANTEE the key to success here was your director. In community theatre the director is usually the make or break of it all or she has definitely MADE it for you. I may even ask her to work on a project or two for me in her spare time.
Thank you for a wonderfully entertaining evening. Please pass this on to the cast and crew of the theatre as I am uncertain how to contact them directly.
Sincerely,
John Patreesen
Mrs. Mary,
I'd like to say I agree [to a remark made in a previous email about the performance]. And one last time I'd like to thank you for your hard work and dedication.
You were there everyday you could, even if not all of us were and you shouldn't have been. You've taught all of us a great deal, but most of all on my part. You taught me to act, sing, dance, and better consider different points of view, especially when it comes to religion and God. It makes sense now and you’re right it is simple. And to think of the number of years I spent fighting God. When we first met I thought “Hey, she seems nice and kinda cool.” And now I've realized you're one of, if not the nicest persons I've ever met. And you understand us and everyone around you. I'd like to thank you most not for teaching me to be my character, but for teaching me to be me. And for being there for us. I was thinking some depressing things because my girlfriend was worried for what could happen to me this summer and I was considering her point of view and what would happen if she had died. First thing that popped into my head was 'I'll go to Mary's house'. You've been someone we can come to can and you know that you can come to us. So, thank you.
You've inspired me as a person and as an actor. I'll be back for the next show and I look forward to working with you and all the cast again. I wanted to tell you this at the last show, but never got the chance.
"No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts, but that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts."
Thank you,
Jordan Alexander Young
Dear Our Lady of Grace Parish,
I was not sure who to send this to but was hoping it could find its way to the Youth Theatre.
I attended last Friday evenings performance of "Godspell" and have not been able to get it out of my mind ever since. It was amazing!!! In my past life I performed as an actor in Godspell several times and have had some bit parts on stage and in movies, so I know a bit about theatre. Godspell is a difficult show to pull off properly and your theatre group not only pulled off...they nailed it!!!
I spoke with a few of the actors after the show and was inquiring how they got the level of emotion they needed for this show and they all pointed to their director. I'm sorry to say I misplaced my program so I don't know her name. But it is obviously someone they love a great deal by the way they speak about her. They said that each rehearsal she picked apart a scene teaching them not only how about acting but about Jesus as well. What a wonderful way to teach!
I must admit that I went to the show only because of my love of theatre. But there was a spirit in the air that evening that caught my heart. Just as the young man who played the ringmaster said... I laughed, I cried, I learned and I definitely clapped.
Thank you for the experience!!
Mark Maytan
How proud we are of Miss Mary, the musicians, the production team, the actors, and the wonderful parents who supported this effort. God bless you all.
Love,
Father Nick Amato
PS. These were just four of a dozen emails received! Don’t miss our next show at Christmastime.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Weekly Message for 7/16/06: Pope Benedict Attends 5th World Meeting on Families
July 14, 2006
Dear Family,
These have been some wonderful weeks of summer with fewer demands for programs and services, freeing up some time to purge files, plan programs, and look to the future.
I have been following the Holy Father’s trip to Valencia, Spain and his convening of the 5th World Meeting of Families. In a special address to all gathered, he invited “government leaders and legislators to reflect on the evident benefits which homes in peace and harmony assure to individuals and the family, the neuralgic center of society.”
The Pope said that, “The purpose of laws is the integral good of men and women in response to their needs and aspirations…. This good is a significant help to society, of which it cannot be deprived,” he stressed. Moreover, “The family is also a school which enables men and women to grow to the full measure of their humanity and the experience of being loved by their parents helps children to become aware of their dignity as children.”
The Holy Father also honored grandparents’ role in the family. In the only improvised section of his discourse at the vigil, the Pope stressed the important role that grandparents have in families. Before ending his address with a prayer, he said that grandparents, “Can be – and so many times are – the guarantors of the affection and tenderness which every human being needs to give and receive.” He went on, “They offer little ones the perspective of time; they are the memory and richness of families. They are a treasure which the younger generation should not be denied, especially when they bear witness to their faith at the approach of death,” he stressed.
On a more humorous note, shortly before actor Lino Banfi explained that when he was told that he is the “Grandfather of Italy,” he replied saying, “Then the Pope is the Grandfather of the World.” The Pontiff said that he wished to dedicate a special passage of his address to grandparents “so important in families” and added with a smile, “and I am the grandfather of the world, we have heard.”
May these summer weeks find you taking time for your families.
Love,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Family,
These have been some wonderful weeks of summer with fewer demands for programs and services, freeing up some time to purge files, plan programs, and look to the future.
I have been following the Holy Father’s trip to Valencia, Spain and his convening of the 5th World Meeting of Families. In a special address to all gathered, he invited “government leaders and legislators to reflect on the evident benefits which homes in peace and harmony assure to individuals and the family, the neuralgic center of society.”
The Pope said that, “The purpose of laws is the integral good of men and women in response to their needs and aspirations…. This good is a significant help to society, of which it cannot be deprived,” he stressed. Moreover, “The family is also a school which enables men and women to grow to the full measure of their humanity and the experience of being loved by their parents helps children to become aware of their dignity as children.”
The Holy Father also honored grandparents’ role in the family. In the only improvised section of his discourse at the vigil, the Pope stressed the important role that grandparents have in families. Before ending his address with a prayer, he said that grandparents, “Can be – and so many times are – the guarantors of the affection and tenderness which every human being needs to give and receive.” He went on, “They offer little ones the perspective of time; they are the memory and richness of families. They are a treasure which the younger generation should not be denied, especially when they bear witness to their faith at the approach of death,” he stressed.
On a more humorous note, shortly before actor Lino Banfi explained that when he was told that he is the “Grandfather of Italy,” he replied saying, “Then the Pope is the Grandfather of the World.” The Pontiff said that he wished to dedicate a special passage of his address to grandparents “so important in families” and added with a smile, “and I am the grandfather of the world, we have heard.”
May these summer weeks find you taking time for your families.
Love,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly Homily for 7/16/06: Living with a Sense of Mission
15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
July 16, 2006
Living with a Sense of Mission
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Mission
If we search the Internet or check a bookstore for books on business, we find the word “mission” or “purpose” in many of the titles.
And even beyond the world of business, not-for-profit organizations also need a mission statement. This is true of the American Red Cross or even of Our Lady of Grace.
The popularity of the best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is about the same thing. The idea here is that we as individuals also need to live with a sense of mission or purpose.
One writer describes what a mission or purpose means this way. He says, “Mission starts with (1) Determining what you really care about and want to accomplish and (2) Committing yourself to it.”
Jesus and Mission
In today’s Scripture readings, we hear about mission or purpose.
Jesus sends the apostles forth with a mission or purpose in the world. Implicit in his sending of the Twelve is his giving a mission or purpose to each one of us.
It is very important to look at our lives this way. It is something like wearing corrective eyeglasses or shaded sunglasses and looking at everything through these lenses.
We need to look at our lives – from beginning to end – through the lens of the mission or purpose that Jesus gives us. I see two dimensions to this mission in the Word of God today.
Our Mission: Self
The first dimension deals directly with self – ourselves.
In the second reading St. Paul says: “God chose us in Christ to be holy.” Our mission then, is to become holy or more whole persons.
We are to see ourselves as chosen and beloved by God through baptism. And then, we are to grow in God’s image and likeness as we see that in Jesus.
So, we are to become centered on God and trusting in the Almighty One. We are to allow ourselves step by step to be drawn into the light of God as opposed to the darkness that we sometimes see around us.
We are to allow ourselves step by step to be drawn into the love of God as opposed to the indifference we sometimes experience. To help us to do this, we keep opening ourselves to God and live an inner life with God.
We draw especially on the strength of the Sacrament of the Eucharist for this. This “self” part of our mission is lifelong.
It is never finished. It concludes only when we meet God face to face.
Our Mission: Others
The second half of our mission, as you might imagine, deals with others. Jesus sends the Apostles forth to drive out demons to heal those in need of healing.
For us, the driving out of demons may be resisting the evils of consumerism or wastefulness of gasoline, electricity or water.
Or it may be doing my part to end a cycle of hostility between a relative and myself.
The healing or making whole of others may be the steady, gentile guiding of our children in their spiritual, moral, and social development.
Or it may be listening to someone who is hurting because of the death of a spouse or a painful divorce.
And while this mission to others begins with our immediate family and friends, it then extends to our local community, our State, our Country and to all God’s children in the world.
And this “other” dimension of our mission is also life-long. It is never finished.
It, like our mission to ourselves, ends only when we meet God face to face.
Conclusion
William James once said, “The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”
The truth is, only the Kingdom of God is going to last. Everything else will eventually vanish. That is why it is important to live our lives with an eternal sense of mission.
What greater mission could we have than the one Jesus offers us today: that of (1) Developing our personal union with him and (2) In his name bringing others to him as well?
Jesus gives us a mission that is fairly easy to understand and definitely exciting to pursue.
We need to look at our lives, from beginning to end, through this lens of mission. It could make an eternal difference!
Our Lady of Grace
July 16, 2006
Living with a Sense of Mission
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Mission
If we search the Internet or check a bookstore for books on business, we find the word “mission” or “purpose” in many of the titles.
And even beyond the world of business, not-for-profit organizations also need a mission statement. This is true of the American Red Cross or even of Our Lady of Grace.
The popularity of the best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren is about the same thing. The idea here is that we as individuals also need to live with a sense of mission or purpose.
One writer describes what a mission or purpose means this way. He says, “Mission starts with (1) Determining what you really care about and want to accomplish and (2) Committing yourself to it.”
Jesus and Mission
In today’s Scripture readings, we hear about mission or purpose.
Jesus sends the apostles forth with a mission or purpose in the world. Implicit in his sending of the Twelve is his giving a mission or purpose to each one of us.
It is very important to look at our lives this way. It is something like wearing corrective eyeglasses or shaded sunglasses and looking at everything through these lenses.
We need to look at our lives – from beginning to end – through the lens of the mission or purpose that Jesus gives us. I see two dimensions to this mission in the Word of God today.
Our Mission: Self
The first dimension deals directly with self – ourselves.
In the second reading St. Paul says: “God chose us in Christ to be holy.” Our mission then, is to become holy or more whole persons.
We are to see ourselves as chosen and beloved by God through baptism. And then, we are to grow in God’s image and likeness as we see that in Jesus.
So, we are to become centered on God and trusting in the Almighty One. We are to allow ourselves step by step to be drawn into the light of God as opposed to the darkness that we sometimes see around us.
We are to allow ourselves step by step to be drawn into the love of God as opposed to the indifference we sometimes experience. To help us to do this, we keep opening ourselves to God and live an inner life with God.
We draw especially on the strength of the Sacrament of the Eucharist for this. This “self” part of our mission is lifelong.
It is never finished. It concludes only when we meet God face to face.
Our Mission: Others
The second half of our mission, as you might imagine, deals with others. Jesus sends the Apostles forth to drive out demons to heal those in need of healing.
For us, the driving out of demons may be resisting the evils of consumerism or wastefulness of gasoline, electricity or water.
Or it may be doing my part to end a cycle of hostility between a relative and myself.
The healing or making whole of others may be the steady, gentile guiding of our children in their spiritual, moral, and social development.
Or it may be listening to someone who is hurting because of the death of a spouse or a painful divorce.
And while this mission to others begins with our immediate family and friends, it then extends to our local community, our State, our Country and to all God’s children in the world.
And this “other” dimension of our mission is also life-long. It is never finished.
It, like our mission to ourselves, ends only when we meet God face to face.
Conclusion
William James once said, “The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”
The truth is, only the Kingdom of God is going to last. Everything else will eventually vanish. That is why it is important to live our lives with an eternal sense of mission.
What greater mission could we have than the one Jesus offers us today: that of (1) Developing our personal union with him and (2) In his name bringing others to him as well?
Jesus gives us a mission that is fairly easy to understand and definitely exciting to pursue.
We need to look at our lives, from beginning to end, through this lens of mission. It could make an eternal difference!
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