December 31, 2006

Happy New Year 2007!

The week between Christmas and New Years was marked by several transitions. Parishioner Nick Bottoni and friends Mary Kosty and Jim Dugan entered into the Lord's embrace. All three had struggled valiantly with illness during their final days: Nick with Kidney disease and cancer, Mary with pancreatic cancer and Jim, with Parkinson's which imprisoned his gentle spirit some years ago.

All three touched many lives in very different ways. Nick was a teacher and school principal. Jim a world war II vet who retired as a machinist, but not from life. He was a devoted husband and father. Both were active and unwavering in their Catholic faith.

Mary Kosty was a Corning icon. I first met Mary as a devoted volunteer at Founders Pavilion, a Corning Nuking Home. Mary was a daily visitor to her close friend Gail Smith. Later Mary used her wonderful people skills to assist the Watson Homestead Conference and Retreat Center with both fund-raising and "friend-raising". It was Mary's friendship that enticed me to give about 15 years of service on the Watson Homestead Board of Managers.

Mary was both a Corning Lion (serving twice as its president) and a Corning Rotarian. Last year, she was named a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary's most prestigious award) by her fellow Coring Rotarians.

Mary was also a woman of great faith who worshiped at Faith Lutheran Church in Corning, but was a true ecumenist - respectful of and respected by people of all faith traditions.

Now, they rest in peace.
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On the weekend following Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family. Our Gospel was Luke's story of young Jesus' pre-teen visit to the Temple and his parent's anguish when they could not find him.

I'm attaching my homily which uses the story as a jumping off place to explore loss as a means of growth (see image below).

I did not write a bulletin column this weekend, instead allotting space to our Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Coordinator Mary Carol Wall. As you may recall,for most of 2006 Mary Carol successfully fought a battle with breast cancer that has included chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. She is currently undergoing a second round of chemotherapy following her surgery.

Last weekend, our parish surprised Mary Carol with a "Card Shower" at our parish's monthly pancake breakfast. About 170 people showed up to express their love and support of Mary Carol and her family.

In today's bulletin, Mary Carol writes again about her journey and gives thanks to God and her friends for the abundance of their love.

May the New Year bring peace to our troubled world and to you and those you love.

Ray

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Bulletin: December 31, 2006

Homily: Loss And Letting Go

December 31, 2006

Well, on Sunday I was dashing to get handouts to all the Sunday School rooms before Mass began... I popped in briefly to the cafeteria (O'Malley Hall) where wonderful folks were preparing the monthly pancake breakfast and saw Amy Badeau.

 Now, those of you out there who know our Amy know that she is ALWAYS up to something! Out of habit, I asked her what she was up to... and she answered, "Oh, nothing...". I knew something was definitely up, then!

Whether or which, it was time to run, so I hugged her and dashed off... made it to each classroom, and then down to church just in time... and thought no more about it. After Mass I visited with a few folks and gradually worked my way down the hallway to the breakfast, and joined the end of the line. As the end of  the line approached the center of the room, I learned what Amy... and hundreds of other folks... were up to! They had a beautifully decorated Christmas table filled with gifts for me! There were gorgeous lotions, a wonderfully scented Yankee Candle, teas, a water warmer for my tea, a hat/glove/scarf set, a box full of gift cards and money, and more! All from this beautiful faith community and some friends from elsewhere... I was stunned! Folks knew Christmas could be a tight time, and wanted us to be able to celebrate with our family without stress... and how generous everyone was!

God certainly gave me a considerable pick-me-up!
We are definitely using the money and gifts as was intended... but a bit of it we are sharing with folks who have a whole heck of alot on their plates with which to deal... and it is in ways that each of you loving folks would support.

For close to a year, now, I have been praying in thanksgiving for all of you, and have asked God to help all of us be so very aware that he is holding us in the palm of his hands... your cheer, your prayers, your laughter and thoughts and many gifts of love and support have left us often speechless at your generosity and thoughtfulness. There is NO way we could begin to adequately thank you...

If I could give one gift this Christmas, I would take each of you to see The Nativity Story... and see how very real and ordinary were the people who lived out the events surrounding Christ's birth. To have a sense that even Mary and Joseph had very real, very worried, and even frightened reactions to what was happening to them, to see that they did not automatically know where they were going, or how to do what was required of them, and yet kept trying to follow God's path anyway, gave me great comfort. We are asked to follow in their footsteps... and to know that they did as God asked even as they did not always know exactly what it was they were doing was very reassuring.

God is HERE. God is NOW. And for some crazy reason, God is in love with us. May the coming of Christmas bring us all very much home to this reality. Thank you all. May God's laughter, love, peace and joy surround you... always.

Much love,
Mary Carol, Jim, and family

Have a blessed Christmas.  Serve each other well!

Deacon Ray