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6/20/21 Father Owen's Bulletin Message
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Dear Parishioners,
A year ago, our beloved parishioner, Mary Jane Belsole died very suddenly in her home. At the time, I celebrated a beautiful mass for her at her sister’s parish in Bergen County. Her sister, Joan recently sold Jane’s house and gave us a beautiful gift of a church pew. This is an old pew which Jane had lovingly restored and was actually used in her dining room. We have placed it lovingly in the narthex and I know many people who sit on this old pew will
remember Jane.
Fr. Hubert and I were delighted to welcome Bishop Kevin Sweeney to our parish last Thursday evening. As you are aware, Deacon Ray is on vacation and we were thrilled to have Fr. Mike concelebrate with us. Congratulations to our 48 young people who received the sacrament. I look forward to seeing many of these young people in church and invite them to consider serving as readers, extraordinary ministers and ushers. Congratulations to their parents who by their own loving care and example have now helped the Confirmandi complete their faith initiation. A big thank you to Maureen, Nina and our catechists for the years of hard work and dedication they have given and continue to give to our parish.
As we gather this weekend, we offer our prayers and intentions for our dads and grandfathers who are living. We remember our deceased fathers and grandfathers with great love. I am happy to see that in the last forty years, the role of Dad has changed. I remember growing up in Ireland at a time when men didn’t carry babies and didn’t push strollers. They truly loved their babies and children, but it wasn’t considered manly to do chores. How sad!!! Thankfully these days in Ireland as in our own beloved America are over and dads now enjoy the role of being a nurturer. They assist their wives in delivery, and they hold newborn babies in their arms. They help with feeding and burping, bathing, changing the diapers and all the while, grow in a deeper relationship with their child and children. These special moments with the little one forges a connection that lasts forever. Nowadays too, men and women share the task of parenting. They are often co-equal breadwinners and often share the chores of cooking, cleaning and laundry. In many ways my friends, the old saying, what goes around comes around, is true. When dad is able to be present in the lives of their children, they know him. They don’t see him as the austere figure but rather the cook, cleaner and teacher who helps them to learn and develop those skills. I remember before my beloved Dad passed away, trying to find nice cards for Father’s Day. So many of the cards were ridiculous and portrayed a middle-aged man sitting in front of a television with a beer. My view of a dad is of a man holding his baby in church, walking with a 2nd grader to the tabernacle to kneel and pray, explaining to his fifth grader who the saints in the church really are and teaching his children, be they little or big, how to bow their heads before God who has created them. God bless our Dads on this your special day. As your families hug and kiss you on this your day, feel the love and indeed, the privilege of molding your children and helping them to make God’s world a more loving and just place for future generations to live. Happy Father’s Day, Dads!
Fr. Owen