At Saint Brigid we are blessed to have a vibrant ministry for widows and widowers. Many widows and widowers from our parish come together in our parish hall generally on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month for dinner, community and fellowship.  They invite widows and widowers from other parishes.  Many of these widows and widowers were married more than 30 or 40 or 50 years.  During their marriages, they have lived; they have loved; they have served; they have forgiven.  They remember the first time they met their spouses, their wedding day, the birth of their first child, and other important events in their marriages.  They fondly recall the joy and warmth they shared with their spouses in so many special ways.  They recall the many sacrifices they made as they journeyed together. They remember their love for their spouses, and now their spouses have passed.

The publication, “Northwest Catholic”, in an article by Sarah Bartel, reported that Pope Francis encouraged widows to spend their remaining years purposefully, growing in love and prayer.  Our Holy Father stated, “The better we live on this earth, the greater the happiness we will be able to share with our loved ones in heaven.  The more we are able to mature and develop in this world, the more gifts we will be able to bring to the heavenly banquet.”  Ms. Bartel also stated in the article that, “Widows have an important place in the church. They have important work to do here, people to love and a witness to give. They have a difficult cross to bear, but a loving Savior to help them carry it.”

Recently we celebrated a Mass in our Day Chapel for the deceased spouses of our widows and widowers.  Approximately sixty widows and widowers were in attendance.  After the Mass, reflecting a fine example of collaborative ministry, the Men of Saint Brigid and the Knights of Columbus provided food and beverages, and served a special dinner for these widows and widowers.  They also provided a musical band, and parishioner Pat Sallarulo sang for all present.  The parish “Circle of Sisters” ministry prepared desserts.

We thank these groups and their leaders for their assistance on this wonderful evening as we reflect on the words of Our Holy Father and continue to strive to make our widows and widowers an integral part of our faith community.

Next Wednesday in the Church year is Ash Wednesday.  It is a day of fasting and abstinence.  Guidelines concerning fasting and abstinence can be found at the USCCB website.   Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of people as a reminder of human mortality, and as a sign of repentance and contrition.  It marks the beginning of the Lenten season.  Lent is the time, approximating forty days, of reflection and penance leading up to Easter.

Pope Francis stated that Lent is a time to spiritually challenge Christians and to help them see that God can give them strength to change their lives and their surroundings.  He stated in a recent Lenten Message, “I urge the members of the Church to take up the Lenten journey with enthusiasm, sustained by almsgiving, fasting and prayer.  If, at times, the flame of charity seems to die in our own hearts, know that this is never the case in the heart of God.  He constantly gives us a chance to begin life anew.”  Pope Francis also urged the faithful to “Return without fear to those outstretched, eager arms of your Father, who is rich in mercy, who awaits you.  Return without fear, for this is the favorable time to come home.”

As we reflect on these sentiments of Our Holy Father, we are encouraged to turn to God and seek renewal in heart, mind and body.  We can respond to the challenge to live a Christian life and truly turn away from sin and toward the living God, and we can avail ourselves of the sacrament of Reconciliation.  The sacrament is not here to punish us, but rather to get us closer to the God who loves us. It is here to heal, not to condemn, and to get us back on track spiritually.

As an aid to our Lenten journey, a schedule of important dates, events and liturgies during Lent and during Holy Week can be found on the Parish website.  This schedule also includes details concerning our Lenten Parish Mission, and the date of our Parish Penance Service. In addition this weekend, and on Ash Wednesday, we will have available a booklet called “The Cycle of the Mass and Your Life” which we hope will enhance your appreciation for and understanding of the Mass, and how it impacts your call to discipleship.  Please take a copy of the booklet as you leave the Church after Mass.  We invite you to contact Deacon Henry Hein in the Parish office if you have any questions about the booklet.

As we begin our Lenten journey, please take every opportunity to avail yourself of this special time of grace.

The very first tenet of Catholic social teaching is: “Human life is sacred and the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. We need to respect life in all its forms.” Following this tenet, Pope Francis invites us to recommit ourselves to the dignity and value of all human life. We are challenged to bear witness not only to value and sacredness of the unborn, but also to the elderly, and the physically and mentally challenged. We are urged to treat all our brothers and sisters, young and old, with the dignity we ourselves expect. Our Holy Father stated that this witness to life begins with the defense of the unborn child in the womb. He indicated that we must always welcome the unborn.

Recently the State of New York enacted a law called the Reproductive Health Act that essentially strips the unborn of virtually all of its protection and rights. It leaves the child defenseless. The law effectively allows the termination of pregnancy in the third trimester, up to the actual time of birth to protect, among other factors, the mental health of the mother. It also allows non-physicians such as nurses, physician assistants, and midwives to perform abortions. It also protects doctors and medical professionals who perform abortions from criminal prosecution. This law was passed not with anguish or regret, but rather with celebration. Other states have also considered or enacted similar type aggressive abortion laws.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, called this New York law gruesome and grotesque, a scourge against humanity and an affront to any sense of morality. He wondered how any moral person can celebrate a law that promotes death. Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, and national Catholic commentator called it a short route to chaos.

We are urged to stay informed concerning legislative developments in our nation which relate to the sanctity of life. We are also urged to review the comments of Cardinal Dolan and Bishop Barron, taken from articles on their respective websites, and reflect on the potential implications this particular law has on our Catholic faith and on our society as a whole. The links to these articles are posted on our Parish website. We are also invited to contact Cathy Schneider in our Respect Life Ministry for more information at respectlife.saintbrigid@gmail.com or visit our website.

 Pope Francis has consistently reminded us that we are challenged to reaffirm our commitment to welcome the joy of new life as a gift from God and to support the dignity of life from conception until natural death. He has asked us to promote alternatives to abortions, such as adoption, and to offer healing to women who have terminated their pregnancies. We are challenged to heed the call of Pope Francis to bear witness to the Gospel of Life in word and in action as we continue and persevere on our Christian journey of faith.

Many of our parishioners took this message to heart and recently participated in our Holy Hour for Life. We were pleased to see so many respond to the call of Our Holy Father. We are also asked to pray that God will change minds and hearts, and that laws such as this one in New York will be rescinded and that one day all human life will truly be respected.
Thank you for all you do to protect the sanctity of life.
May God continue to bless you and your families.

This weekend we initiate discussion of the Archbishop’s Annual Appeal for 2019 at our Masses.   The theme of the Appeal is “Go Therefore and Make Disciples.” (Matthew 28:19).  At this time, Catholics are invited to make a significant pledge so that we can meet the spiritual, educational, and temporal needs of our parishes and its people.

A substantial portion of our contributions to the Appeal provide funds that go directly to the training and support of future happy, holy, and healthy priests needed to serve the Church of tomorrow.  As you may know, Fr. Tri Nguyen, who served the people of Saint Brigid so well for many years, is now the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.  Our contributions assist  Fr. Tri as he guides our seminarians in their training and formation.  Currently, two of our parishioners, Robbie Cotta and Chris Jobe, are seminarians in the Vocations program for the Archdiocese.

Our contributions are also used for the training and formation of permanent deacons.  Last month, two of our parishioners, Randy Ortiz and Tim Tye, were ordained to the Permanent Diaconate.  They will assist in the sacramental and outreach needs of our Parish.  As you can see, our support of the Annual Appeal is clearly bearing fruit.  Through your generosity and your prayers, Saint Brigid benefits directly from the Appeal.

In addition, the Appeal supports Catholic Charities which is making an exerted effort this year to assist homeless military veterans in the Atlanta area and in other local counties to stabilize their lives with housing and employment assistance.  The Appeal also supports priest retirement programs as well as other Archdiocesan pastoral outreach, education, and formation programs that serve our Parish as well as our larger Church community.

We invite you to prayerfully consider making a pledge to the 2019 Appeal, and ask you to give generously and sacrificially.  We thank all who have already given via the mail or online.  For those who have not yet contributed, we ask you to make a commitment using a pledge envelope that will be provided during Mass this weekend.  Information about the Appeal has been provided in the Church Bulletin and on the Parish app and website.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are challenged to answer the call to “go therefore and make disciples.”  May we respond in faith.

Thank you for all you do to support our Church community.

Today we celebrate World Marriage Day and focus on the sacrament of marriage.  In the Book of Genesis, it is the Lord’s intention and ideal that two people who marry should become one flesh.  That ideal is found in the unbreakable union of Adam and Eve.  They were created for each other, and for no one else.

As previously indicated, this unbreakable union is also reflected in the sacrament of marriage.  In marriage, a man and a woman are not only joined to each other, they are also joined to Christ.  It is not just that Christ is a third party to this union.  It is much more profound than that.  Christ, who is the sign and sacrament of God’s presence in the world, is the foundation of that union.  The couple then joins Christ as an outward sign of the love of God.  They are able to open themselves to each other in love because God has first loved them.  In reflecting on a couple’s love for one another, well-known Catholic author, Matthew Kelly, stated that in marriage, couples do their best to give the gift of themselves as they strive within their human limitations to reflect the total giving of self by Christ on the cross.

Archbishop Gregory expressed his appreciation for those couples who have embraced the sacrament of marriage and who have honored their commitment.  He stated, in a column in The Georgia Bulletin, “Marriage and religious vows are relationships that are intended to mirror and witness to God’s perfect fidelity and enduring love.”  He further commented, “It is increasingly important to hold up those folks who have lived their vocational commitments – certainly not without mistakes, challenges and failures – but with fidelity and steadfastness.  We all know many wonderful people whose marriages or religious promises have not endured.  And we love them nonetheless.  However, in our society we also must hold up examples of people who have succeeded in fulfilling their commitments.”

As we reflect on these words, we also remember those friends, relatives and neighbors whose marriages are troubled.  We pray that they will turn to the Lord and seek reconciliation as they strive to address their difficulties.  We also remember those friends and relatives and neighbors whose marriages have not endured for one reason or another.  We pray that they may seek the healing they need, especially when appropriate through the process of annulment available through the Catholic Church.

This weekend many couples renewed their marriage vows here at Saint Brigid after the 5 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday.  They affirmed Christ as the foundation of their marriage.  They also affirmed their love for their spouse and most importantly their love for Christ.  We pray that many more couples, young and not so young, considering the vocation of marriage will follow their example.

Father in heaven, all creation rightly gives you praise,
For all life and holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom she who bore the Christ
in her womb was raised body and soul
in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

The feast of the Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation, and Catholics are obliged to attend Mass.  Here, at our Parish, we will have a Vigil Mass on Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. and Masses at convenient times during the day on Tuesday.   Please check the Church bulletin or website for details.

This past Friday, February 1st, marked the Feast day of Saint Brigid of Kildare, the patron saint of our Parish.   Saint Brigid is especially known for her Christian charity, for feeding the poor, and is celebrated for her generosity to those in need.   It was said that she could not bear to see anyone cold or hungry since she truly believed that Christ dwelt in every person.  She strived to work with the less fortunate with love and compassion.  Her love of God and love of neighbor were obvious to all who knew her.

Saint Brigid is also known for her great work in evangelization, working tirelessly to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She was an Irish Christian nun and abbess and founded many convents.  The publication, “Catholic News Agency” (CNA) stated, “St. Brigid directly influenced several other future saints of Ireland, and her many religious communities helped to secure the country’s conversion from paganism to the Catholic faith.”  Under her leadership, “Kildare played a major role in the successful Christianization of Ireland.  The abbess’ influence was felt in the subsequent era of the Irish Church, a time when the country became known for its many monasteries and their intellectual achievements.”  CNA also indicated that St. Brigid “…with an initial group of seven companions, is credited with organizing communal consecrated religious life for women in Ireland.”  She joins Saint Patrick as one of the patron saints of Ireland.  Saint Brigid lived in the fifth century and was a contemporary of Saint Patrick but there is no real evidence they ever met.

Saint Brigid was also a firm supporter of Catholic education, believing that the more we understood our faith, the more likely we would strive to truly live our faith.  She founded many schools and taught the faith by word and example.  She is recognized as the patron saint of students.

Saint Brigid truly embraced a life of prayer and service.  The following prayer asks for her intercession:

ASK FOR US ALL TODAY THE COURAGE TO DO GOD’S BIDDING

WHATEVER THE WORLD MAY SAY,

THE GRACE TO BE STRONG AND VALIENT

THE GRACE TO BE FIRM AND TRUE

THE GRACE TO BE FAITHFUL ALWAYS

TO GOD, GOD’S MOTHER AND YOU.

AMEN.

We are encouraged to learn more about Saint Brigid.  She can serve as a great role model for us.

Saint Brigid, intercede for us.

Saint Brigid, pray for us.

From our pastor, Father Neil Herlihy:

A Parish Mission can be viewed as an opportunity for spiritual healing, renewal, and reconciliation.  With an emphasis on love and mercy, it also can provide an opportunity to change hearts and transform lives as we renew and strengthen our relationship with Our Lord.  With this in mind, we are privileged to sponsor an Advent Parish Mission presented by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.  The Sisters clearly embrace the mission and spirit of Catholic teaching in word and example. 

As we know, Advent is a special time in the Church year as we prepare for the coming of the Lord.  Advent holds out the hope and desire to see the light of Christ shine thorough the darkness of our world.  At this special time, we are urged to remain watchful and vigilant as we wait in joyful anticipation for the coming of the Lord.  He is ready to come more fully into our homes. He is ready to come more fully into our lives.  He is ready to come more fully into our hearts.  This Christmas we are invited to give the Lord the gift of a pure heart.  During our Mission, the Sisters will focus on the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith.  They will also focus on the spiritual integrity of mind and body reminding us that we are born to eternal life.  They will speak of the gift of the Christ Child that awaits us. They will help us to spiritually prepare for the coming of the Lord.

We invite you to come to this Mission.  Please invite your friends, especially those Catholics who may have been away from the Church for some time and for some reason.  Through God’s grace, you may be instrumental in getting your friends to return to the precious faith we love and cherish.

The Parish Mission will take place this Monday to Wednesday, December 9th to 11th.  There will be both morning and evening sessions for your convenience.  Then on Thursday, December 12th, we will have a Penance Service for all those in need of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  There will be priests from various parts of the Archdiocese who will hear confessions and extend the Lord’s pardon, mercy, and forgiveness.  Details concerning the Mission and Penance Service can be obtained from the Parish bulletin and website as well as from the Parish office.

I pray that you will participate in the Parish Mission and in the Penance Service and avail yourself of these special times of grace.

This Friday we celebrate the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is a holy day of obligation this year in the United States, and provides us with another opportunity to honor the Virgin Mary.   Mary is the mother of Jesus, the mother of our Church, and our mother.  She is a model of faithful discipleship.

Our Catechism states that “…the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.  The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians.”

Our late Holy Father, Pope Francis, had a strong devotion to Mary.  Shortly before his death he encouraged Catholics to attend Mass, or visit a Marian shrine or pray before a statue of Mary, or acknowledge her in some special way on the feast of the Assumption.  Commenting on this feast, the media outlet, “Catholic News Agency”, reported that Pope Francis “reminded us that we are not alone on our journey, and are accompanied by Mary who ended her earthly pilgrimage with her Assumption into heaven.”  Pope Francis stated, “The Blessed Virgin is she who goes before us on the journey, reminding us all that our life is also a continuous journey toward the horizon of the final encounter with the Lord.”

The following “Our Lady of the Assumption” prayer encourages us to ask for Mary’s intercession as we continue on our journey:

O Mary, God’s Son became your Son
and you became both our Mother and our Queen.
From your heavenly throne,
intercede for your subjects
who are daily confronted with life’s trials.
Help us to find comfort in our recourse to you
and bring us closer to your Divine Son
whose glory and honor we proclaim forever
Amen

As we reflect on this prayer, we are reminded that we will have Masses at convenient time to celebrate this feast day.  Please check the Church bulletin or website for details.
Encouraged by the Assumption of Mary, we are challenged to keep our focus on the example of Mary as we continue on our journey of faith.

Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, intercede for us.

Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us.