Nov 2009
From the Pastor
November/25/2009
Welcome to the holy season of Advent! This is that wonderful time of year for quiet hope and preparation. It is also the time of year when the hours of darkness are greatest for those of us in the northern Hemisphere. The early darkness is marked by the winter solstice, when the sun’s hours begin to gradually increase. When Advent ends at Christmas, we celebrate the gift of God’s own Son to us. Jesus is the Light of the world, which the darkness cannot overcome!
The late, great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, loved the story of the birth of Christ. In fact, he argued in his book, “The Grand Miracle,” that every other miracle of Scripture resulted from or prepared for or demonstrated the mystery of the Incarnation (the Word becomes Flesh). Lewis classified a miracle as “an interference with Nature by supernatural powers.”
We thank God that He does interfere in our world! Left to our own instincts, we would go our own way. But God became one of us because He yearns to make us one with Him. That’s why God has been miraculously interfering with us for thousands of years; He is constantly working miracles in our life. The problem is that we rarely stop to contemplate the depth of this fact. So, the season of Advent is the perfect time to do so. Even though God is somehow hidden in these miracles, none of these is as remarkable as the mystery of God becoming man in a tiny body, like any other, that a mother would hold, cherish and nourish. As we begin the season of Advent, and the start of the Church’s liturgical year, let’s recall the nearness of God to us through Jesus’ coming into our world. May the Great Miracle of God that happens once again at this time show you the miracles God wants to work in your life.
Next Sunday, December 6th, at 2:30 in the afternoon in our church, we will offer the musical drama, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” This one-act Advent-Christmas presentation will be a delight for you and the family, and is an excellent way to prepare us for the Advent-Christmas seasons. We will have one performance only. Our choir and cast have been rehearsing their parts so as to make this a most memorable event. We invite you to invite your families to join us and witness this spectacular program in our sanctuary. No tickets will be sold, and no special seating will be reserved. A free-will collection will be taken up that day to assist in defraying the costs. We guarantee that you will be moved by the beauty and content of the message it brings.
Congratulations to our high school honor students who have done very well in the first quarter. From Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton, we have the following honor students: Principal’s List – Emily Sama; First Honors – Lindsay Brammer, Clare Brinkman, John Churey, Caroline Cook, Rachel Day, Arthur Drexler, Bianca Loreti, Timothy Marten, Nicholas McNamara, Michael Porter, Christina Richardson, Charles Roussin, Katherine Roussin, Stephanie Schappert, Alyssa Skehan, Holly Stryjek, and Gerald Williston; Second Honors - Collin Transleau. From Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, we have: First Honors – Christine Delgado, Jennifer Grant, Alec Therien, Elise Therien; Second Honors – Arielle Routhier and Allison Swank.
THANK YOU for your support in trying to help us reach our goal in the annual Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA). As many of you hear the testimony from Deacon Chris last weekend, the support you give to this program will enable young men, such as him, to reach the priesthood through support of our St. Vincent de Paul Seminary. Additional funds help support the poorest schools of our diocese, and help maintain Catholic Charities activities, including a counseling center on our campus, day care programs for the children of migrant workers, religious education programs in our poorest parishes and the supplying of nutritious food for poor young children. We are getting closer to reaching our goal (which we haven’t done in over 6 years). You can use a DSA envelope in the back of the church or an envelope in the pews marked for special collections. Just write the words DSA on the envelope so that we can get proper credit. Then, when all the results come in, we won’t have to take from operating expenses to reach our goal.
Very Rev. Canon Tom
The late, great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, loved the story of the birth of Christ. In fact, he argued in his book, “The Grand Miracle,” that every other miracle of Scripture resulted from or prepared for or demonstrated the mystery of the Incarnation (the Word becomes Flesh). Lewis classified a miracle as “an interference with Nature by supernatural powers.”
We thank God that He does interfere in our world! Left to our own instincts, we would go our own way. But God became one of us because He yearns to make us one with Him. That’s why God has been miraculously interfering with us for thousands of years; He is constantly working miracles in our life. The problem is that we rarely stop to contemplate the depth of this fact. So, the season of Advent is the perfect time to do so. Even though God is somehow hidden in these miracles, none of these is as remarkable as the mystery of God becoming man in a tiny body, like any other, that a mother would hold, cherish and nourish. As we begin the season of Advent, and the start of the Church’s liturgical year, let’s recall the nearness of God to us through Jesus’ coming into our world. May the Great Miracle of God that happens once again at this time show you the miracles God wants to work in your life.
Next Sunday, December 6th, at 2:30 in the afternoon in our church, we will offer the musical drama, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” This one-act Advent-Christmas presentation will be a delight for you and the family, and is an excellent way to prepare us for the Advent-Christmas seasons. We will have one performance only. Our choir and cast have been rehearsing their parts so as to make this a most memorable event. We invite you to invite your families to join us and witness this spectacular program in our sanctuary. No tickets will be sold, and no special seating will be reserved. A free-will collection will be taken up that day to assist in defraying the costs. We guarantee that you will be moved by the beauty and content of the message it brings.
Congratulations to our high school honor students who have done very well in the first quarter. From Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton, we have the following honor students: Principal’s List – Emily Sama; First Honors – Lindsay Brammer, Clare Brinkman, John Churey, Caroline Cook, Rachel Day, Arthur Drexler, Bianca Loreti, Timothy Marten, Nicholas McNamara, Michael Porter, Christina Richardson, Charles Roussin, Katherine Roussin, Stephanie Schappert, Alyssa Skehan, Holly Stryjek, and Gerald Williston; Second Honors - Collin Transleau. From Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach, we have: First Honors – Christine Delgado, Jennifer Grant, Alec Therien, Elise Therien; Second Honors – Arielle Routhier and Allison Swank.
THANK YOU for your support in trying to help us reach our goal in the annual Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA). As many of you hear the testimony from Deacon Chris last weekend, the support you give to this program will enable young men, such as him, to reach the priesthood through support of our St. Vincent de Paul Seminary. Additional funds help support the poorest schools of our diocese, and help maintain Catholic Charities activities, including a counseling center on our campus, day care programs for the children of migrant workers, religious education programs in our poorest parishes and the supplying of nutritious food for poor young children. We are getting closer to reaching our goal (which we haven’t done in over 6 years). You can use a DSA envelope in the back of the church or an envelope in the pews marked for special collections. Just write the words DSA on the envelope so that we can get proper credit. Then, when all the results come in, we won’t have to take from operating expenses to reach our goal.
Very Rev. Canon Tom
From the Pastor
November/19/2009
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Most of us haven’t met a real king “in the flesh” (though some have reported “Elvis sightings” and the like). Nonetheless, since we do acknowledge Jesus as our Ruler, Shepherd, Guardian and Guide, we are, essentially, making Him our King (in the fullest sense of the word), vanquishing our foes and leading us to the Kingdom. May He always be the most important figure guiding us through this life to the next.
Thank you for making and honoring your pledge to the DSA (Diocesan Services Appeal). As we draw nearer to our goal for this year, there is less likelihood that we’ll have to draw from our savings (as so many other parishes have had to do-and as we have done for the last half-dozen or so years), and will be able to come closer to balancing the parish budget. Your good stewardship of the gifts God has given us is the best way to make this possible.
The religious musical presentation of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” will be performed in two weeks in our church on the 2nd Sunday of Advent (December 6th), at 2:30 p.m. We invite you to invite your family and friends to attend this touching spiritual program. CAUTION: You may want to bring some extra kleenex with you!
Once again, we are privileged to host the annual Delray Beach Thanksgiving Ecumenical Prayer Service in our church. This year, it will be held on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. When you come to join us in prayer for the community, please bring along, if possible, a canned or non-perishable food good for the poor as your offering.
During the American Bishops' Fall General Assembly in Baltimore this past week, they issued an important document on married life titled: "Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan" The letter is another component in the bishops' National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage, which began in November 2004. The bishops said they addressed this letter "first and foremost to the Catholic faithful in the United States" but also offered it to others "in the hope of inspiring them to embrace this teaching." Though there is much more to read in the letter, a summary follows: The document encourages the use of natural family planning, which the bishops say promotes "an attitude of respect and wonder ... and fosters the true intimacy that only such respect can bring." Among other things, it calls contraceptive practices "objectively wrong" and "essentially opposed to God's plan for marriage and proper human development." The letter also quotes the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying, "Cohabitation involves the serious sin of fornication. It doesn’t conform to God's plan for marriage and is always wrong and objectively sinful." It also names divorce and same-sex unions as two other "fundamental challenges to the nature and purpose of marriage." The bishops say divorce conflicts with "God's plan for marriage," but added that in some cases, "divorce may be the only solution to a morally unacceptable situation," such as when the safety of a spouse or children is at risk." They also encourage those who have divorced and remarried civilly to "participate in parish life and attend the Sunday Eucharist, even though they cannot receive Holy Communion."
The moves to legally recognize same-sex unions pose "a multifaceted threat to the very fabric of society, striking at the source from which society and culture come and which they are meant to serve," the bishops say. "Such recognition affects all people, married and non-married, not only at the fundamental levels of the good of the spouses, the good of children, the intrinsic dignity of every human person and the common good, but also at the levels of education, cultural imagination and influence, and religious freedom.”
To oppose the legal recognition of same-sex unions is not discriminatory nor a matter of fairness. The document says. "To promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman is itself a matter of justice. In fact, it would be a grave injustice if the state ignored the unique and proper place of husbands and wives, the place of mothers and fathers and the rights of children, who deserve from society clear guidance as they grow to sexual maturity."
To couples facing "modern stresses upon marriage," such as "the conflict between work and home, economic hardships and social expectations," the bishops urge them to "turn to the Lord for help" and to utilize church programs and ministries "that can help save marriages, even those in serious difficulty." "The vision of married life and love that we have presented in this pastoral letter is meant to be a foundation and reference point for the many works of evangelization, catechesis, pastoral care, education and advocacy carried on in our dioceses, parishes, schools, agencies, movements and programs," says the document's closing section, called a "commitment to ministry."
Very Rev. Canon Tom
Thank you for making and honoring your pledge to the DSA (Diocesan Services Appeal). As we draw nearer to our goal for this year, there is less likelihood that we’ll have to draw from our savings (as so many other parishes have had to do-and as we have done for the last half-dozen or so years), and will be able to come closer to balancing the parish budget. Your good stewardship of the gifts God has given us is the best way to make this possible.
The religious musical presentation of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” will be performed in two weeks in our church on the 2nd Sunday of Advent (December 6th), at 2:30 p.m. We invite you to invite your family and friends to attend this touching spiritual program. CAUTION: You may want to bring some extra kleenex with you!
Once again, we are privileged to host the annual Delray Beach Thanksgiving Ecumenical Prayer Service in our church. This year, it will be held on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. When you come to join us in prayer for the community, please bring along, if possible, a canned or non-perishable food good for the poor as your offering.
During the American Bishops' Fall General Assembly in Baltimore this past week, they issued an important document on married life titled: "Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan" The letter is another component in the bishops' National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage, which began in November 2004. The bishops said they addressed this letter "first and foremost to the Catholic faithful in the United States" but also offered it to others "in the hope of inspiring them to embrace this teaching." Though there is much more to read in the letter, a summary follows: The document encourages the use of natural family planning, which the bishops say promotes "an attitude of respect and wonder ... and fosters the true intimacy that only such respect can bring." Among other things, it calls contraceptive practices "objectively wrong" and "essentially opposed to God's plan for marriage and proper human development." The letter also quotes the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying, "Cohabitation involves the serious sin of fornication. It doesn’t conform to God's plan for marriage and is always wrong and objectively sinful." It also names divorce and same-sex unions as two other "fundamental challenges to the nature and purpose of marriage." The bishops say divorce conflicts with "God's plan for marriage," but added that in some cases, "divorce may be the only solution to a morally unacceptable situation," such as when the safety of a spouse or children is at risk." They also encourage those who have divorced and remarried civilly to "participate in parish life and attend the Sunday Eucharist, even though they cannot receive Holy Communion."
The moves to legally recognize same-sex unions pose "a multifaceted threat to the very fabric of society, striking at the source from which society and culture come and which they are meant to serve," the bishops say. "Such recognition affects all people, married and non-married, not only at the fundamental levels of the good of the spouses, the good of children, the intrinsic dignity of every human person and the common good, but also at the levels of education, cultural imagination and influence, and religious freedom.”
To oppose the legal recognition of same-sex unions is not discriminatory nor a matter of fairness. The document says. "To promote and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman is itself a matter of justice. In fact, it would be a grave injustice if the state ignored the unique and proper place of husbands and wives, the place of mothers and fathers and the rights of children, who deserve from society clear guidance as they grow to sexual maturity."
To couples facing "modern stresses upon marriage," such as "the conflict between work and home, economic hardships and social expectations," the bishops urge them to "turn to the Lord for help" and to utilize church programs and ministries "that can help save marriages, even those in serious difficulty." "The vision of married life and love that we have presented in this pastoral letter is meant to be a foundation and reference point for the many works of evangelization, catechesis, pastoral care, education and advocacy carried on in our dioceses, parishes, schools, agencies, movements and programs," says the document's closing section, called a "commitment to ministry."
Very Rev. Canon Tom
From the Pastor
November/13/2009
Members of our recently-formed Parish Development Committee will address our own congregation at Masses this weekend concerning our approach to stewardship of our parish. They have been preparing their thoughts (after listening to your ideas and suggestions) on how to better help our parish grow and serve the large number of parishioners and guests that depend on St. Vincent Ferrer for spiritual, emotional and educational sustenance. Knowing how to balance their own stewardship of time, talent and treasure seems to enable them to approach so many of these matters in a collaborative effort, and to advise the Parish Pastoral Council and me on how to put forward a strategic plan of action dealing with our finances and investments for our parish for the next several years. I’m grateful that they not only take an interest, but also the time and energy needed to help us succeed. God bless them, and may they continue to serve us with such a generous and willing spirit.
Congratulations to Heather Hackett and her team of volunteers who sponsored our diocesan-wide Middle School Youth Group Rally this past Saturday. Considering all the preparation and work with our own youth that Heather undertakes, this was no easy feat to host the additional teens that came to enjoy a spiritual uplift with worship and praise music, Holy Mass and a number of other wonderful activities during the day. I hope that all those who participated in the rally will be “spiritually charged” as they return to energize their own parishes and parish youth programs.
Our one act Advent-Christmas musical presentation “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” is rapidly approaching. We will have one performance only, on Sunday afternoon, December 6th at 2:30 P.M. in our church. Our choir and cast have been rehearsing their parts so as to make this a most memorable presentation. We invite you to invite your families to witness this spectacular program in our sanctuary. No tickets will be sold, and no special seating will be reserved. A free-will collection will be taken up that day to assist in defraying the costs. We guarantee you will be moved by the beauty and content of the message contained therein (you may want to bring some Kleenex along!).
We welcome Mother Hedwig Cierpinska and her assistant, Sister Dorothy Baranowska in their official visit to our parish this week. Like all good religious superiors, it’s necessary to go out to the various missions of their congregation periodically to “inquire and inspire.” May they feel most welcome by our hospitality.
Fr. Jimmy’s reception will take place next Sunday in Kelleghan Hall, after he celebrates the 11:30 Mass in our church. This will be a special opportunity to thank him for his service here and to wish him well in his new assignment at St. Joan of Arc Parish. At a special commissioning ceremony this past week, we had several new Altar Servers receive their blessing as servers in our parish. I congratulate them, and especially thank Chris and Susan Grant, as well as Lee and Alice Levenson, who help prepare the new servers and keep watch over them in their service to our parish.
Please keep in your prayerful remembrance Claudia Hilaire, the 29-year old sister of one of our two Haitian seminarians, Wesler Hilaire, who worked here this past summer. She died suddenly, two weeks ago in Haiti. In the past year, Wesler has lost his father and sister, preceded three years earlier by his mother. During all this, he continues to study and to advance toward priestly service in our diocese. May his resolve to be a good priest be strengthened by God’s grace as well as his own efforts to persevere through all the difficulties that he must face.
Next September, I am planning to make the pilgrimage to the Alpine areas of Germany and Austria, to see the famous Passion Play in Oberammergau (given once every 10 years), and to travel the “Sound of Music” tour in and around Salzburg. I hope to include a side trip to the infamous concentration camp at Dachau, the birthplace of Pope Benedict, and several beautiful shrines and other sights in that area. If you are interested in joining in the pilgrimage, please contact me or submit your name through our parish office. The duration of the trip will be about 12 days, depending on how many special side trips we will make. More information will follow.
Very Rev. Canon Tom
Congratulations to Heather Hackett and her team of volunteers who sponsored our diocesan-wide Middle School Youth Group Rally this past Saturday. Considering all the preparation and work with our own youth that Heather undertakes, this was no easy feat to host the additional teens that came to enjoy a spiritual uplift with worship and praise music, Holy Mass and a number of other wonderful activities during the day. I hope that all those who participated in the rally will be “spiritually charged” as they return to energize their own parishes and parish youth programs.
Our one act Advent-Christmas musical presentation “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” is rapidly approaching. We will have one performance only, on Sunday afternoon, December 6th at 2:30 P.M. in our church. Our choir and cast have been rehearsing their parts so as to make this a most memorable presentation. We invite you to invite your families to witness this spectacular program in our sanctuary. No tickets will be sold, and no special seating will be reserved. A free-will collection will be taken up that day to assist in defraying the costs. We guarantee you will be moved by the beauty and content of the message contained therein (you may want to bring some Kleenex along!).
We welcome Mother Hedwig Cierpinska and her assistant, Sister Dorothy Baranowska in their official visit to our parish this week. Like all good religious superiors, it’s necessary to go out to the various missions of their congregation periodically to “inquire and inspire.” May they feel most welcome by our hospitality.
Fr. Jimmy’s reception will take place next Sunday in Kelleghan Hall, after he celebrates the 11:30 Mass in our church. This will be a special opportunity to thank him for his service here and to wish him well in his new assignment at St. Joan of Arc Parish. At a special commissioning ceremony this past week, we had several new Altar Servers receive their blessing as servers in our parish. I congratulate them, and especially thank Chris and Susan Grant, as well as Lee and Alice Levenson, who help prepare the new servers and keep watch over them in their service to our parish.
Please keep in your prayerful remembrance Claudia Hilaire, the 29-year old sister of one of our two Haitian seminarians, Wesler Hilaire, who worked here this past summer. She died suddenly, two weeks ago in Haiti. In the past year, Wesler has lost his father and sister, preceded three years earlier by his mother. During all this, he continues to study and to advance toward priestly service in our diocese. May his resolve to be a good priest be strengthened by God’s grace as well as his own efforts to persevere through all the difficulties that he must face.
Next September, I am planning to make the pilgrimage to the Alpine areas of Germany and Austria, to see the famous Passion Play in Oberammergau (given once every 10 years), and to travel the “Sound of Music” tour in and around Salzburg. I hope to include a side trip to the infamous concentration camp at Dachau, the birthplace of Pope Benedict, and several beautiful shrines and other sights in that area. If you are interested in joining in the pilgrimage, please contact me or submit your name through our parish office. The duration of the trip will be about 12 days, depending on how many special side trips we will make. More information will follow.
Very Rev. Canon Tom
From the Pastor
November/05/2009
With much gratitude, I want to thank the many women and men who helped prepare the great Auction-Dinner-Dance on Saturday night, November 7th. They made a full fledged effort to bring about beautiful results, including preparing the elegant setting, gathering and preparing the gift baskets and other prizes, sending the invitations, and more. There is another part of this bulletin that’s been set aside to list the names of the people who were responsible for its success.
We have something of special pre-Christmas significance to bring to your attention that will be taking place soon. St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Delray Beach will be one of the only churches in southeast Florida this year to host this special type of religious-themed musical event. Join us on Sunday, December 6th at 2:30 in the afternoon, as we host a beautiful Advent-Christmas themed musical performance in the church sanctuary. This one-time, hour-long presentation is a modern- day take on several medieval mystery plays performed in the churches before Christmas, such as “Herod” or “Daniel,” and is produced as an English-language opera. The popular work, entitled “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” tells the apocryphal story of a penniless widow and her young crippled shepherd boy who are visited by the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem. The opera composer was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, Gian Carlo Menotti, who died less than three years ago in Monaco. The roles of the shepherds and the chorus will be sung by members of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Choir. We offer this program as both a timely form of spiritual preparation for Christmas, and a meditative reflection on the ongoing conflict between virtue and vice in life. We guarantee that the lasting sentiments generated by this performance will stay with you for a long time. There is no admission charge, but a suggested donation of at least ten dollars will be received during that performance to cover the production costs. A light-snack reception will then follow in the parish center, whereby you can meet the performers.
Friday night of the previous weekend was a delightful occasion for a lot of the young people of our parish, as their parents sponsored “Trunk or Treat,” a tail-gate type of Halloween gathering in our parking lot. The children safely went “trick-or-treating” from car-to-car, to garner goodies, while their parents enjoyed the camaraderie that such a gathering engendered. We hope that this type of fellowship will continue to build up the spirit of the parish and its school. Thank you to all who put this one together. May your next ventures be as enjoyable and successful!
On Sunday, November 22nd, following the 11:30 A.M. Mass, which he will celebrate, Father Jimmy will receive well-wishers at a parish-sponsored reception in Kellaghan Hall, as he says his farewells to the parish where he has spent almost two years in service. Right now, he’s on a trip to the Holy Land. We wish him well in his new assignment at St. Joan of Arc in Boca Raton.
Catholic critics have reacted to a HBO Sunday night show called, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” that recently had a scene showing a painting of Jesus being urinated on, and which also mocked Catholic devotion to Jesus. They have questioned an apparent double standard in the treatment of religions and have called for an apology from the show’s producers. Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, criticized the episode, accusing HBO of only liking to “dump on Catholics.” “Last night’s episode demonstrates that Larry David’s best years are behind him. He ought to quit while he’s ahead.” Deal Hudson, editor of InsideCatholic.com, wondered why people are allowed to show such public disrespect for Christian symbols. “If the same thing was done to a symbol of any other religions -- Jewish or Muslim -- there'd be a huge outcry! It's simply not a level playing field," Hudson told Fox News. "When is it going to stop?” I believe it will stop when you notify HBO that you’re cancelling our subscription because of such blatantly anti-Christian productions on its network! Know for sure that we don’t subscribe!
As of this printing of this bulletin, I’m not sure if any Health Care Reform bill will make its way through Congress, but you can be sure that the one being rammed by Nancy Pelosi and her cohorts is not acceptable. Genuine health care reform should protect the life and dignity of all people from the moment of conception until natural death. The U.S. Bishops’ Conference has concluded that all committee-approved bills are seriously deficient on the issues of abortion and conscience, and do not provide adequate access to health care for legal immigrants and the poor. The bills will have to change or the bishops have pledged to oppose them. You can tell Congress: “Remove Abortion Funding & Mandates from Needed Health Care Reform!” You can contact Members through e-mail, phone calls or FAX letters. To send a prewritten, instant e-mail to Congress, go to www.usccb.org/action. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices. MESSAGE to SENATE: “During floor debate on the health care reform bill, please support an amendment to incorporate longstanding policies against abortion funding and in favor of conscience rights. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed.” MESSAGE to HOUSE: “Please support the Stupak Amendment that addresses essential pro-life concerns on abortion funding and conscience rights in the health care reform bill. Help ensure that the Rule for the bill allows a vote on this amendment. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed.” Both House and Senate are preparing for floor votes now. Act today! Thank you!
Very Rev. Canon Tom
We have something of special pre-Christmas significance to bring to your attention that will be taking place soon. St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Delray Beach will be one of the only churches in southeast Florida this year to host this special type of religious-themed musical event. Join us on Sunday, December 6th at 2:30 in the afternoon, as we host a beautiful Advent-Christmas themed musical performance in the church sanctuary. This one-time, hour-long presentation is a modern- day take on several medieval mystery plays performed in the churches before Christmas, such as “Herod” or “Daniel,” and is produced as an English-language opera. The popular work, entitled “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” tells the apocryphal story of a penniless widow and her young crippled shepherd boy who are visited by the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem. The opera composer was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, Gian Carlo Menotti, who died less than three years ago in Monaco. The roles of the shepherds and the chorus will be sung by members of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Choir. We offer this program as both a timely form of spiritual preparation for Christmas, and a meditative reflection on the ongoing conflict between virtue and vice in life. We guarantee that the lasting sentiments generated by this performance will stay with you for a long time. There is no admission charge, but a suggested donation of at least ten dollars will be received during that performance to cover the production costs. A light-snack reception will then follow in the parish center, whereby you can meet the performers.
Friday night of the previous weekend was a delightful occasion for a lot of the young people of our parish, as their parents sponsored “Trunk or Treat,” a tail-gate type of Halloween gathering in our parking lot. The children safely went “trick-or-treating” from car-to-car, to garner goodies, while their parents enjoyed the camaraderie that such a gathering engendered. We hope that this type of fellowship will continue to build up the spirit of the parish and its school. Thank you to all who put this one together. May your next ventures be as enjoyable and successful!
On Sunday, November 22nd, following the 11:30 A.M. Mass, which he will celebrate, Father Jimmy will receive well-wishers at a parish-sponsored reception in Kellaghan Hall, as he says his farewells to the parish where he has spent almost two years in service. Right now, he’s on a trip to the Holy Land. We wish him well in his new assignment at St. Joan of Arc in Boca Raton.
Catholic critics have reacted to a HBO Sunday night show called, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” that recently had a scene showing a painting of Jesus being urinated on, and which also mocked Catholic devotion to Jesus. They have questioned an apparent double standard in the treatment of religions and have called for an apology from the show’s producers. Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, criticized the episode, accusing HBO of only liking to “dump on Catholics.” “Last night’s episode demonstrates that Larry David’s best years are behind him. He ought to quit while he’s ahead.” Deal Hudson, editor of InsideCatholic.com, wondered why people are allowed to show such public disrespect for Christian symbols. “If the same thing was done to a symbol of any other religions -- Jewish or Muslim -- there'd be a huge outcry! It's simply not a level playing field," Hudson told Fox News. "When is it going to stop?” I believe it will stop when you notify HBO that you’re cancelling our subscription because of such blatantly anti-Christian productions on its network! Know for sure that we don’t subscribe!
As of this printing of this bulletin, I’m not sure if any Health Care Reform bill will make its way through Congress, but you can be sure that the one being rammed by Nancy Pelosi and her cohorts is not acceptable. Genuine health care reform should protect the life and dignity of all people from the moment of conception until natural death. The U.S. Bishops’ Conference has concluded that all committee-approved bills are seriously deficient on the issues of abortion and conscience, and do not provide adequate access to health care for legal immigrants and the poor. The bills will have to change or the bishops have pledged to oppose them. You can tell Congress: “Remove Abortion Funding & Mandates from Needed Health Care Reform!” You can contact Members through e-mail, phone calls or FAX letters. To send a prewritten, instant e-mail to Congress, go to www.usccb.org/action. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at: 202-224-3121, or call your Members’ local offices. MESSAGE to SENATE: “During floor debate on the health care reform bill, please support an amendment to incorporate longstanding policies against abortion funding and in favor of conscience rights. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed.” MESSAGE to HOUSE: “Please support the Stupak Amendment that addresses essential pro-life concerns on abortion funding and conscience rights in the health care reform bill. Help ensure that the Rule for the bill allows a vote on this amendment. If these serious concerns are not addressed, the final bill should be opposed.” Both House and Senate are preparing for floor votes now. Act today! Thank you!
Very Rev. Canon Tom