This and That:
Christmas Greetings; Christmas Farewell
Christmas Greetings
On this occasion of Christmas we greet those who are with us every week, those who attend sporadically, and those who are drawn to church twice a year, to celebrate the holy days of Christmas and Easter. Welcome to one and all. Be assured that no matter what your frequency of attendance, we enjoy having you with us!
On behalf of our Pastoral Team, Sister Mary Therese (Assistant Pastor), Sister Helen (School Principal), Elaine Hagner (Parish Administrator), Deacon Lee (Permanent Deacon), Debby Kaminski (Office Manager), Chris Pignataro (Religious Education), Beth Pugliese (Pastoral Music), Deborah Webber (Youth Ministry), Jen Perry (Accounting), Mary Miller (Youth Music), Mary Kioussis (Religious Education Secretary), Joanie DeSoto (Parish Secretary), and yours truly, we want to wish you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year.
It has been a year of many changes: expansion of ministries, addition of new parish staff, completion of the Memorial Courtyard, preparing for a new Parish Strategic Plan, a parish visit from our new Ordinary, Archbishop O’Brien, and preparation for my leaving for three months for a cloistered Trappist monastery in South Carolina.
During my absence, Sister Mary Therese will take over the Reins of Pastoral Leadership from January 1st until I return on April 4, 2008. The question of course is “Where’s she going with the sleigh?” Be assured that all will continue as smoothly as it has. Worship, programs and services will continue uninterruptedly. Father Jay, Father Bob Leavitt, Father Sal Livigni, and Father Jerry Fransic will be covering weekend Masses. All else will remain as is; at least we hope. And should it not, Sister is ready to meet unforeseen challenges with great advice from staff, Parish Corporators, and Pastoral Council, and Finance Committee.
There are some “front burner” items that are in progress and are being covered at the present time. They include:
➢ The New Strategic Plan for the parish to be approved in June 2008
➢ New goals and objectives for the Pastoral Team will be written and brought to the Pastoral Council in April for approval
➢ Sister Mary Therese chairs the Interview Committee for hiring a new principal. They will give me the top two candidates to interview on Monday, April 7th for me to make a choice
➢ The Dedication of the New Memorial Courtyard has been set for Sunday, April 14, 2008. By that time the trees will be planted and lighted, and the new artscape in the center will be completed.
Christmas Farewell
A friend and I share a common interest in the writings of Joseph Campbell the great writer of Comparative Religions. Campbell spoke often of the importance of learning to embrace solitude and to understand how vital that can be for all of us. My work as a priest of almost 40 years has allowed me to find ways to use “story” as a way of connecting people with the characters in a story often mirroring behavior of which we all need to become aware.
Recently my friend Gene shared the following thoughts, which I applied to my own situation. Our dreams and our intuitions are communications from our unconscious that are mirroring aspects of ourselves to us, so that we may become aware of certain important aspects of our own being. For much of our lives, whether we realize it or not, we are connecting and attempting to connect externally with others, not only human beings, but other species as well, and that connection is something we all long for.
At the same time we are developing an ability through prayer, meditation, song, ritual and other means to connect to that inner source of guidance that creates our dreams and much more. That source is our higher selves and is the divine spark that is God-like in all of us. As we get older, we seem to find ways to connect more and more with that inner sense, our soul, some might call it. Solitude and silence, both of which Gene and I came to appreciate in the Seminary, were valuable means of bringing that about.
In today’s world too many of us are afraid of being alone, but the fact is that spending time alone is important in learning how to relate to one’s own “story” and to connect with it. Something Carl Jung, the famous psychologist called the “process of individuation.” Campbell was right. We are all on a “Hero’s Journey” of our own in trying to achieve that individuation and to connect with our “self” and to give birth to it and bring it into being in this life. Gene ended his email, “I understand what and why you are doing it and look forward to reconnecting with you in April if I don’t see you before you leave.”
This sharing of Gene helps me put my finger on the desire I have to be one with God and to make possible the silence that would bring that union about. As he shared with me, I say also to you: “I look forward to reconnect with you as my faith family when I return the weekend of April 6, 2007.”
Till that time please pray for me and be assured of my prayers for you. Farewell.
Love,
Father Nick Amato
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