January 29, 2012
Operation Orphan 2012
As most of you know, our parish has a long–standing relationship with Mustard Seed. Many parishioners have experienced the spiritual power of mission by taking part in a Mustard Seed mission trip. Two groups of our parishioners will travel to Nicaragua in February to offer their hearts and their muscles…in the work of providing for the poorest of the poor with the poorest of the poor.
This weekend, please join our parish’s efforts with Operation Orphan 2012. The needs of the communities served by Mustard Seed are incredible and varied. The second collection this weekend will go to assist this outreach. Additionally, the Mustard Seed ministry at Saint Brigid will be handing out donation tags outside Corbett Hall after all the Masses this weekend. They will collect all donations next weekend (4-5 February). Go and pick up a donation tag after you have received the blessed gift of Holy Eucharist. Be a gift to the Lord’s poor, in obedience to His call…to love one another. Please contact Charlotte Cox with any question on donations or Operation Orphan (kmmcj@bellsouth.net, 770-623-3965).
***
As I mentioned in last week’s bulletin, I want to learn what youthink about our parish, about our liturgies, about our catechesis and outreach, about our clergy and our lay-leadership. And importantly, I need to know what you think about the discernment of all the leadership at Saint Brigid…that we need to build a new Pastoral Life Center, to offer our parish family space for ministry, for meetings, for the care and formation of our youth, for needed adult ongoing formation in discipleship. We are working with experts in the field to offer you an online survey. Our hope is to have this survey ready for use next month. Stay tuned!
***
Please know that the coordinators of the many ministries of the parish are assisting me in revamping our Parish Council. Our hope is that within a few months, we will have transformed the existing Parish Council into a new Pastoral Council, a body that will assist the ministries of the parish through ongoing communication and will serve as a needed voice of the parish, offering me advice and counsel in any future project we might undertake. With this new Pastoral Council, you will be invited to participate. Ten of the twelve members of the new Council will be at large members…chosen from the applications that you…the parishioners of Saint Brigid…have offered, as a way of service. Word on how you might apply to serve on the Pastoral Council will be forthcoming.
***
The Book Study and Discussion group that I offer is winding down our study of Ralph Martin’s The Fulfillment of All Desires. We have studied the writings of several Doctors of the Church, saints that can be trusted for their understanding of the spiritual life. Let me close this week’s column with an insight by Cistercian monk, St. Bernard (+1153): to be Redeemed (forgiven in Christ) is to be truly human. We recover the Image of our creation through the Image that lived among us…Jesus of Nazareth…brother, Lord, Savior.
AMDG