May 11, 2008

Dear friends in life and in ministry . . .

Over the last twenty-five years, Pat and I have been blessed with the opportunity to share in the ministry of travel. Thanks to a wonderful Christian ministry known as Educational Opportunities Tours, we have traveled to the Holy Land many times, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, Europe including Austria, Germany (Oberammergau Passion Play), England and Ireland.

As I plan for my June 2009 retirement from my current ministry as a pastoral administrator, it is now time to ready myself for life after retirement. Last week I was invited by Deacon Al Wilson to accompany him to a workshop in North Carolina sponsored by Educational Opportunities. Al will be retiring next year from the part-time travel ministry of working with Priests, deacons and lay people who accompany their parishioners and friends on pilgrimages to the Holy Land and many other places.

Patty and I will be assuming this ministry as well as reactivating our own twice yearly travel which in 2009 will take include a pilgrimage cruise to Egypt, the Holy Land and several sites that St. Paul visited in Greece and Turkey. On the lighter side, we'll also take a January Cruise to the "holy" Caribbean sites of St. Thomas, St Marteens and San Juan. On days that we will be "at sea" we'll attend scripture study classes on board. Let me know if you'd like to join us on either trip.

This morning, our Pentecost celebration at St. Mary's, Bath included ten children receiving their First Communion. The Holy Spirit was very much at work during this joyous liturgy.

God's Blessings to you and special blessings on those of you who share in the Ministry of Motherhood,

Deacon Ray

This week's Column: May 11, 2008 - The Spirit of Discipleship is Stewardship

This weekend we conclude the fifty days of Easter with the celebration of Pentecost, Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. This is the day that the Church also celebrates as its birthday. For it was on this day that the disciples left the upper room where they had gathered in fear and, reborn with the Holy Spirit, burst forth to confidently and courageously share the Good News of Jesus Christ with “all nations.”

Two weeks ago, parish council members Jim Gallagher and Bill MacNamara, parish council nominee Denise Crossett and I attended the Diocesan Stewardship Day. The event reinforced the understanding of Stewardship that we have been presenting over the past few years. That is that Stewardship and discipleship go hand in hand.

Stewardship is a true disciple’s response, born out of gratitude, in thanksgiving for the blessings one has received. It is not motivated by what the church needs. Rather, it is a way of living, gratefully aware of all that God has done for us. In return for God’s overflowing love and care for us, we give back to God a predetermined share of our time, talent and treasure. We do this first, trusting that God will truly provide for our needs as he promised us in scripture. “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil: 4:19).

As you continue to pray and reflect on these thoughts and our shared responsibility as Christian stewards, consider also this Stewardship prayer:

“My church is composed of people like me. I help to make it what it is.
It will be friendly, if I am.
Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them.
It will do great work, if I work.
It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.
It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I invite and bring them.
It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit,
if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things.
Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things I want my church to be.

Amen.”

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This week I mailed you information about the fund-raiser that will replace our International Food Fair for at least this year. If you’ve not yet read about the Saint Mary’s UNFAIR, please take a few moments to do so. We depend on making about $10,000 each year through a major fund-raiser like a Fair or Festival. If the UNFAIR is as successful as we hope it will be, we can meet that goal and perhaps exceed it. Only you can make this happen.
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A few months ago, I invited parishioners to consider serving on our Parish Council. So far, two candidates, Denise Crossett and Don Young have volunteered to fill the two openings that will occur when terms end in June. Next weekend we’ll print their biographies and give you an opportunity to affirm them as members of the Council.
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We still need a parishioner or two to represent us on the Central Steuben Catholic Parishes Implementation Committee which meets six times a year. This committee, which includes representatives and alternates from thee five parishes of our region (At. Mary’s, St. Gabriel’s. and the three ABC parishes) will soon begin work on our next pastoral plan. Without exaggeration, this committee will be instrumental in shaping the future of the parishes of our region for years to come. It will recommend to Bishop Clark ways in which the parishes of our region can meet the challenges of surviving (and hopefully growing in vitality) when perhaps only one priest is available to serve our region. If you have both a deep love for the Church and the vision to help guide our parish and region in preparing for the distinct challenges ahead, we need you to step forward now.

Have a good week. Serve one another well.

Deacon Ray

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Bulletin: May 11th, 2008