"FATHER, FORGIVE THEM THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO"

Wow!

On the Feast of Pentecost, a feast dedicated to the gifts of the Holy Spirit sent to the First Apostles from the risen and ascended Christ, gifts that include wisdom, understanding, and right judgment, a child of God, serving as an usher in his Lutheran church, was gunned down in cold blood!

GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD!!!!

Read that sentence again, slowly and purposefully:

A CHILD OF GOD WAS GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD!!!

And, this was done in a place meant to be one of peace, fellowship, and community...HIS CHURCH.

There is NO excuse for this...NO valid explanation...NO rationale.

Another child of God, today decided he was not satisfied with simply being a CHILD of God...he too, wanted to BE God.

And, the result now is that two families, the faith community, the Wichita, Kansas community, the Pro-Choice community, the Pro-Life community, and our entire country have been thrown into devastation and turmoil.

There is much blame to go around for ALL. Many tears will and should be shed by ALL over this unspeakable act.

I have written in this space before that "We will NEVER win the fight against abortion if our motives and our methods are not PURE."

WHEN WILL WE LEARN??

"WHO CARES ABOUT THE SAINTS?"

Today, I received a flyer in the mail about a new DVD based on Father James Martin's bestselling book: "My Life With the Saints."

The DVD is called: "Who Cares About The Saints?" It consists of 12 episodes on the lives of: The Blessed Mother, Joseph, Peter, Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc, Ignatius Loyola, Bernadette Soubirous, Therese of Liseux, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa, and Pope John XXIII.

I went to the website and found Father James Martin, SJ.

Affable, humorous, warm and inviting, Father Martin and Loyola Productions have made a DVD that will be a wonderful addition to any parish, school, or home video collection.

I ordered my copy this afternoon.







If you enjoyed these snippets from the DVD visit WHO CARES ABOUT THE SAINTS?

ALWAYS REMEMBER...NEVER FORGET...OUR FREEDOM DOES NOT COME WITHOUT COST!

Today is Memorial Day. This weekend traditionally marks the beginning of summer. As you enjoy the beach, picnics, barbecues, reunions with friends and relatives, etc., please do not forget the original purpose of this day: to remember and pray for the brave men and women who have fought and died in unspeakable atrocity to keep us safe here at home.

Whatever your beliefs about war, those men and women called to service by our government need and deserve our prayers and respect. Please take a moment, today at 3PM to say a special prayer for those who have died so we can live free. Take another moment to pray for our soldiers putting their lives on the line right now. Pray that they may all return home to their families and friends safely and in one piece. Lastly, pray for peace in our time, so our children may never know firsthand the atrocities of war.



To my own Uncle Lou,
I never knew you. Long before I was born, on 25 June 1944 you died a hero in France. Buried there by our government, you did not come home to rest until 1948. What a journey you had in life and too, in death. I pray for you this day and all your fallen comrades, then and now, who gave their all so we may live free.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

"SMILE, SMILE, SMILE...YOU'LL FORGET ABOUT ALL YOUR TRIALS!"

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. ~Mother Teresa

Rev. Bosco Peters (@Liturgy on Twitter) alerted us all to this wonderful short film called Validation.

Go on, SMILE, you may never know what it means to the person on the other side of it!



Peace begins with a smile. ~Mother Teresa

MY MORNING PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Your humble servant comes before you imperfect in spirit, mind, and body.
Yet, I am ready, willing, and, with the power of your grace, able to do your will.

Fill me up, Lord, pressed down and overflowing.
Use me, Lord, to glorify your name and lead your people home to you,
today, tomorrow and as long as I shall live.

This I ask through your Son our Lord, Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.

Amen.

IS IT A "NEED" OR MERELY A "WANT?" IT REALLY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

This week, I have found myself saying over and over again: "If we would just set our priorities straight, and properly distinguish between what we NEED and what we simply WANT, the world would be a better place!!"

Over the last couple of weekends 90 boys and girls received First Holy Communion. Next weekend 5 more boys and girls in our Spanish community will receive for the first time as well.

The pastor requests that the congregation refrain from taking pictures during the mass. We have a photographer who takes a picture of each child as father elevates the host in front of them. Usually, this goes very smoothly and after the pictures are taken, I crop them and bring them to our local wholesale club where I purchase 3 5x7 pictures of each child. These are presented to the families with the certificates and crosses at the parish celebration we hold for the children the weekend after first communions.

Unfortunately, this year, the photographer had equipment problems. Our pastor and the photographer were very accommodating, and new pictures were taken of the children affected by the malfunction, at the parish celebration mass. After mass, when everyone went downstairs for coffee and cake, and to pick up the pictures and certificates, I found out that one child's pictures were missing.

I told the mom, who was very upset, that I had all the pictures on the disk the photographer had given me and, we could look through that during the week to find her child. She wanted to do it then and there Saturday evening. The problem was I don't have the software in my office to work on the pictures. That is something I do in my spare time at home. Hence, the disk was not at church with me.

Mom was not a happy camper, to say the least.

I brought the disk in on Monday, and on Tuesday morning mom came in to the secretary, but, unfortunately, there was no picture of her child on the disk. When I got into the office, there was a voicemail message from a very annoyed mom saying she "NEEDED" the picture of her son!?

I really do understand mom's frustration; however, we NEED God, we NEED sustenance, we NEED relationship, we NEED love, we NEED a roof over our head, we NEED a job to sustain ourselves...we DO NOT NEED PICTURES.

Mom WANTS a picture...I understand the desire; but, NEED is a strong term used indiscriminately in our day to day life.

Today, I did come up with a solution with dad, and with the pastor's help we will recreate the original scene and mom will get a picture. No problem really, and such a small thing to get so worked up over.

Now, last night I held our End of the Year Catechist meeting. Again, I was reminded of how we skew "NEED" and "WANT" in our day to day lives.

I teach the Level 8 Confirmation class. It has been this way for 8 years and, I have no plan of changing it any time soon. I enjoy working with the boys and girls and, more importantly I know that I get through to them.

So, in preparation for last night's meeting, I put together the Level 8 calendar and syllabus. Because, our celebration of Confirmation will be held in March, I arranged with our Music Minister for a music rehearsal at one of our last classes. I also have a CD of the music we use in the celebration that I play each week as the boys and girls gather to help familiarize them with the music.

Mostly, however, I teach the boys and girls about the virtues, the Acts of Mercy, respect life issues, social justice issues, and chastity. Level 8 is a well rounded faith experience for our young people complete with guest speakers, retreat, and my favorite experience: The Hunger Banquet.

After I had distributed the calendar, one of the catechists walked over to another and began a hushed exchange. Soon, she turned to me and said: "We just changed your schedule!"

My reply was, "No, You Did Not!"

The catechist explained that we would be singing with the boys and girls each week so that on the day of Confirmation they would know the songs.

(REALLY, WE WOULD?!? Quite a declaration from a person who will be facilitating Level 8 for the very first time...has no clue as to how the program is organized...and, oh yes...IS NOT THE DRE!!)

I told her and her compatriot that we would NOT. That class is 45 minutes long, and I have much to impart to the boys and girls in that limited amount of time.

Again, what is NEEDED and what is WANTED are two very different things.

Part of the problem, is time; part of the problem is that the boys and girls are not interested in singing...are not members of their school chorus...and, most importantly are at an age where they do not want to appear foolish in front of their peers.

I understand this; apparently, my catechist has forgotten how difficult it is to be in eighth grade.

The other part of the problem is the same as the problem I see with weddings: I am preparing the boys and girls for a life of confirmed faith NOT a one hour celebration where they smile, or in this case sing "purty" and get big bucks at the party afterward!!

While I too, might WANT to hear the boys and girls sing as if they were in High School Musical XXVIII, we do NOT NEED for them to perfectly lift their voices in song.

What we NEED is for them to lift their lives in service as committed, confirmed Catholic young people!

That will not be accomplished by replacing sound faith formation with singing lessons.

The difference between "NEED" and "WANT" is really very simple; and yet, it is an unclear understanding of this difference that colors our vision of our world, each other, and our faith!

So, how are YOU doing today?

Are YOU struggling to attain your NEEDS?

Or, could YOU make your life easier with a reevaluation of your WANTS?

It really is THAT SIMPLE!!

"COME HOLY SPIRIT, FILL THE HEARTS OF YOUR FAITHFUL AND KINDLE IN THEM THE FIRE OF YOUR LOVE..."

This Thursday, we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. On the fortieth day after Easter, we remember Jesus being taken up to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:2,9).

Before He went, Jesus told the disciples that He would send The Holy Spirit to guide them on their appointed mission. Jesus instructed the disciples to devote themselves to prayer.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples went, from what Tradition tells us is Mount Olivet, back to Jerusalem and the Upper Room. It is there that they waited and prayed for nine days, until The Holy Spirit descended upon them with the gifts they needed to carry out the work for which Jesus had chosen them. It is from these nine days in the Upper Room that the popular devotion of novena arose.

A novena is nine days of public or private prayer requesting special graces. This Friday, many of us will follow in the prayer-steps of the first disciples and begin the Novena to The Holy Spirit in anticipation of the Feast of Pentecost.

Won't YOU join us?
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

WHY "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES" HAD ME FEELING DESPERATE LAST NIGHT

Last night on "Desperate Housewives," Lynette Scavo thought she may be having a recurrence of cancer. We watched her make an appointment with her doctor, and then we saw her in the doctor's office awaiting the results of her tests.

When the doctor came in, and told her they had found something, she was distraught.

The following exchange took place:

Lynette: "The cancer is back, isn't it?"

Doctor: "No, the cancer isn't back. You are pregnant."

Lynette (even more distraught now): "I'm pregnant?! Are you sure the cancer isn't back?"

This exchange pointed out to me once again how warped our society has truly become.

We have forgotten that a zygote, an embryo, a fetus, or any other scientific name you would prefer to use rather than BABY, carries with it this definition: a living organism, i.e. LIFE, growing under a woman's heart!

UNDER HER HEART!!!

If every little girl was taught from the earliest age, that babies grow under her heart maybe, just maybe, attitudes would change.

Maybe, abortion on demand would become a thing of the past.

Maybe, abusive mothers would become extinct.

Maybe, screenwriters would not write words that suggest cancer is preferable to pregnancy.

Maybe, respect for life in ALL its forms from conception to natural death, would be a way of life in our world, and not just a seemingly impossible dream!

MAYBE...JUST MAYBE.

A MORALITY LESSON AT THE LOCAL WHOLESALE CLUB

On Sunday afternoon, I went to our local wholesale club. I needed to order a sheet cake for the celebration we are having Saturday for all our First Communicants. The boys and girls come back for 5PM Mass, father gives them a special blessing, and they receive a cross and their certificates. Because we have our First Communion celebrations in separate masses, it is a way for the entire parish family to celebrate with the children. Mass will be packed!

While I was at the wholesale club on Sunday, I picked up a few things for my family. The parish pays for my club membership. Ninety percent of the purchases I make are parish related, so the club card has a tax exempt feature. Sunday, I did not have any purchases for the parish so I told the cashier that the items were not tax exempt. He was training but I watched him push the button.

The cashier proceeded to ring up my items and then gave me the total. I wrote a check and when I received my receipt began to walk away. The cashier told me I needed to sign the tax exempt form. I reminded him that my order was NOT tax exempt and that I could not sign. He told the trainer that I did say at the start that the items were not tax exempt; and, that he pushed the button.

I told the trainer that I could not sign. That we would have to void the sale and begin again. That I must pay sales tax. The trainer called a manager over. The manager asked if it would be okay if he cancelled the two items that were taxable and ring them up separately. That sounded reasonable, until he told me to sign the tax exempt form!

I explained that I could not sign the tax exempt form because the purchases were not tax exempt...they were personal. He told me the only way to fix the problem was for me to sign the form. I refused. I told him that if I signed the form I would be signing my name to a lie...that my name is my bond...and I would not do that.

The manager became incensed at me. He told me the way to solve the problem was to sign. I told him that he would have to find another way...VOID the sale and begin again. He again told me to sign. Of course, by now the line behind me was very long. People were craning their necks to watch and listen to our exchange.

I told the manager that he was asking me to do something immoral by signing that form. He was incredulous. He told me it was not immoral to sign the form. He muttered something about sex having nothing to do with signing that form. I explained that saying my purchases were tax exempt, when in fact they were not, was lying; and, lying is a sin. That abusing the privilege I was given with that card by purchasing personal items and not paying tax, was a sin. And, that SIN IS IMMORAL.

The manager angrily pushed some buttons...gave me back the check I had given the cashier...and, angrily told me that I should tell them at work that they should take the exempt feature off my card! I explained that I mostly use the card for exempt purchases, and that NO they would not be taking that feature off the card. He stomped away in a fit of anger.

I feel very badly for him. He is still clueless that immorality is not limited to sexual improprieties but is sin in all it's varied forms.

As for the new cashier...after, my order was re-rung and a new check issued, I told him to remember me...that I was probably the only person he would ever meet in his new job that would insist he charge them MORE! And, that's really very sad!

I received the following e-mail this evening on this very topic. My question is simply this:

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

A successful businessman was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you."

The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Tom, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.

After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Tom kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Tom didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Tom's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Tom didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - he so wanted the seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Tom told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Tom felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.

He took his empty pot to the board room. When Tom arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Tom put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Tom just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Tom at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Tom was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Tom got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed -Tom told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Tom. He looked at Tom, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Tom!"

Tom couldn't believe it. Tom couldn't even grow his seed. "How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Tom, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Tom was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest.


What are you reaping, today?

What would you like to reap?

To get it what do you have to sow?

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

POPE BENEDICT XVI ADDRESSING CROWD IN JERUSALEM

May We See Peace In The Middle East During Our Lifetime,
We Pray To The Lord...

Lord, Hear Our Prayer.

SANCTUS BELLS

At the First Holy Communion Celebrations in our parish, our pastor calls the boys and girls up around the altar before he consecrates the host. He has the two altar servers stand on either side of the altar, near the candles, so the boys and girls can't get hurt.

It is really a beautiful sight to see the children gather around the Table of Our Lord, just as the Twelve Apostles gathered with Jesus, so long ago.

At the first celebration last Saturday, with the altar servers guarding the candles, there were no Sanctus bells at the consecration.

Afterward, I asked father if he would like me to ring the bells for the next celebration. His "yes" made me joyful. I asked one of my favorite 16 year old parishioners (an experienced altar server, lector, AND catechist whom everyone has watched grow up in our parish family) to give me a quick lesson.

You see, I grew up in the 60's and 70's, we had ALTAR BOYS not Altar Servers. I knew when the bells were to be rung, just not how. With a quick lesson, (she told me to ring them loud, and as father began to bring the host and chalice back down to the altar, to let them linger), I was ready, willing, able, and waiting to announce the presence of our Lord at the exact moment of transubstantiation.

My first time!

What a thrill!

What an honor!!

Having grown up in the 60's and 70's, I attended many years of Latin Mass at OLBS. To this day, when the host and chalice are lifted high, and the Sanctus bells ring, if I am in a standing position, I bow my body to my Lord. If, I am in a kneeling position, I bow my head.

Either way my heart, my soul, and my mind pray: "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Lord Jesus, come to me: body and blood, soul and divinity - cleanse me of my sins, heal me of my iniquities. Fill me up, Lord pressed down and overflowing, so I may do the Father's will."

I don't know if that whole prayer is the prayer everyone prays in their souls at that moment; or, if it is even THE accepted church prayer for that moment...but, it is the prayer that works for me...and apparently, for Jesus.

This week, we again had two altar servers for our celebrations.

I was so excited! I would be able to ring the bells, and announce the presence of our Lord, not once, but TWICE!!

At the first celebration one of the altar servers said to me, almost incredulously: "Father said, you're gonna ring the bells."

I smiled and said: "YES, I AM!"

At the second celebration the other altar server told me: "Father said, you do a pretty good job with those bells."

My smile was even broader, then!

I would ring those bells at every mass, every single day of the week, if I was allowed!

To be able to announce the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to the congregation is a phenomenal thing!


To announce the presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to the world is equally spectacular!


This week, how will YOU announce Jesus' presence to those you meet?


This week, how will YOU model Jesus' presence to those around you?


This week, how will YOU recognize the presence of Jesus in others, without the help of bells?


How Will I?


For more information on the use of Sanctus bells go to:
Sanctus Bells Their History And Use In The Catholic Church

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

As a little girl in Catholic School (Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Bayside, Queens...YEA OLBS!) I won a raffle. The raffle tickets were 10 cents each (oops is my age showing?). The prize was an 18 inch cream colored plastic statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary donated by one of the other children's dad.

It became my prized possession!

Every year, after I won that statue, I would set up a May Altar in my bedroom with fresh lilacs from the bush in the backyard of the garden apartment we lived in at the time. I prayed to Mary every single day...still do.

The Blessed Mother is perfect! She is the shining example of what women and especially mothers should be. Her "yes" to God saved us all!

The Blessed Virgin Mary is Mother of us all!

For those of us, whose mothers can't or won't be present to us at times or always, due to death, mental illness, drug abuse, family drama, or other circumstances beyond their or our control, I assure you The Blessed Mother is present for you ALWAYS!

And, what better mother could you ask for?

Several years ago, the Knights of Columbus in our parish erected a beautiful grotto for the Blessed Mother. I love this statue even more than my 18 inch prize.

This Blessed Mother is life size. I can stand before her and pray and imagine myself talking face to face with my holy mother. It is incredible.

As I drive by the statue each morning, I say this quick prayer: "Blessed Mother, please intercede for me this day, with your beloved Son."

If you cannot be with your biological mother today, for whatever reason, and this day is difficult for you because of that...Pray To The Blessed Mother.

Tell Mary, your cares, your woes, your concerns, your goals, whatever it is that is on your heart.

She will listen.

You will find peace.

And, best of all she has an "IN" with our beloved Lord, Jesus Christ!

What more could you ask for in a mother??

Do it, I guarantee you'll feel better about yourself and your world!

God Bless You!

WELCOME HOME, CORPORAL CHRIS LEVI AND... THANK YOU!!

"On Saturday, May 16th Corporal Chris Levi, a Holbrook native and former
Sachem student, will be coming home to Holbrook, after a long recuperation at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.

Chris, 26 years old, suffered the loss of both his legs above the knees, and the use of his right arm, during combat in Iraq.

Chris will be arriving at LI McArthur Airport at 12:30 pm on Saturday, the
16th of May.

With the efforts of the Holbrook FD and the local communities,
we would like the streets to be lined with people, starting from Mollie Blvd
in Holbrook, all the way down Broadway Ave to Vet's Hwy, greeting Chris home.

Please let's all make every effort to pass the word, and to be there to
welcome this brave young man and soldier home, and show him how much we
appreciate his service and sacrifice, and how proud we are of him.

American flags will also be passed out to all.

For more information, pleae call 631-484-3197."

CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS...

If you have SAT scores of at least 1050 or ACT scores of at least 21 and are interested in attending a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College in Texas go to:

Our Lady of Corpus Christi.

Check out what a Roman Catholic Liberal Arts College can do for your future.

They still have 10 Scholarships available for the coming year!

Meet Fr. Samuel Medley, the inspiring, faith-filled chaplain at OLCC, in the video I posted on May 7, 2009.

If you are interested in one of those 10 Scholarships, please leave a comment below, include your e-mail address, and I will be happy to pass it on to Fr. Medley.

I Wish God's Bountiful Blessings Upon All The Graduates Of 2009!!

WITHIN YOU IS THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR WORLD!!

"SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL DEFEND US IN BATTLE. BE OUR PROTECTION AGAINST THE WICKEDNESS AND SNARES OF THE DEVIL..."

Those who see dollar signs where there are NONE; those who value money more than human relationships; and, those who justify hurting others because of their own past hurts are NOT of God.

Love of worldly goods and love of retribution, over love of one another, is of Satan and his minions, NOT of God and his Church.

Let us all remember: Satan DID NOT CREATE God.

GOD CREATED he who became Satan.

Satan and his minions WILL NEVER OVERCOME God and the God loving!

GOD AND THE GOD LOVING WILL ALWAYS OVERCOME SATAN AND HIS MINIONS!

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live...." Deuteronomy 30:19

FR. SAMUEL MEDLEY: "EVERYBODY ON THIS EARTH HAS AN URGE...THE DEEPEST URGE WITHIN US IS LIFE ETERNAL...THAT IS GOD!"

Rev. Samuel Medley is a Roman Catholic Priest in the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. He is the Chaplain and Formation Servant at Our Lady of Corpus Christi, Texas. Fr. Medley teaches in plain language...his fervent faith makes me smile.

Fr. Medley's website can be found at:
Theology of the Body Taught at the Street Level

FRANK S. CAVA: MAY 24, 1916 - MAY 6, 2009

I first met Frank Cava in the summer of 2001 when I began working in the parish.

He was a pistol.

A member of the Fighting 69th he had many medals as proof of his courage. He brought some in one day to proudly show me. He was also proud of the movie they made about his battalion.

Every Sunday, Frank opened the church for the 9 o'clock Mass. He would get in around 7 - 7:30 AM and sit in the Fellowship Area waiting patiently for the rest of us. I think this was his quiet time with the Lord.

Every First Communion and every Confirmation Frank was at his post at the center doors of the church kibitzing with people about tickets. Whenever I would walk through for this or that last minute detail, he would put up his hand for me to Stop and say, "Ticket, please!" I would always grab his hand or high five it and tell him "I don't have one, guess I have to go home...you're in charge."

This past Saturday, was the first time in 8 years that Frank was not at his post. It wasn't the same at lunch in between celebrations without Frank's jovial demeanor.

As a dedicated, long term member of the Knights of Columbus, Frank would be there early every first Wednesday, with cake and cookies, to make the coffee for the other Knights. I remember one hot summer night, he mixed it up a little and brought ice cream and fixings to make sundaes for his brother knights. Another time, he came with a spaghetti dinner. He would always say he had to do something to get the guys to come to meetings.

I guess his motto could have been, "If you feed them, they will come!"

Frank would always talk about his days at Madison Square Garden and the different celebrities and people he had met there in his security post.

Frank always had great stories.

But, nothing meant more to him than his family and his wife, Susie.

A mutual friend told me a story about how he would ask her to call Susie to make sure she was okay. He worried about her so, but didn't want to be a nuisance. The friend called Susie and told her that Frank asked her to call. Susie told her Frank worried too much.

Such a cute man, such a beautiful wife, such a loving couple and wonderful family....Frank Cava will be sorely missed by his parish family.

Frank, may you rest in peace in the comfort of Christ's loving arms.

We love you!

THE AWESOMENESS OF GOD'S CREATION!

I DON'T KNOW WHO'S MORE ADORABLE: THE KID OR THE CAPYBARA!



FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CAPLINROUS GO TO: GiantHamster.com

FROM MY E-MAIL: ANOTHER TAKE ON WHY WE GO TO CHURCH!

I received this in my e-mail tonight. I don't know who wrote it. But, it is definitely worth repeating:

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this!

If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it.

If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

"I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"


When you are DOWN to nothing, God is UP to something!

Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

PLEASE HELP ME FIND A GOOD HOME FOR THIS SWEET SIAMESE TWOSOME!

THIS IS GINGER. SHE IS FIVE YEARS OLD...VERY SWEET...WELL TRAINED. SHE IS ONE OF MY AUNT'S BELOVED CATS. SHE NEEDS A NEW HOME WITH HER FRIEND JIMMY. MY SON AND I ARE VERY ALLERGIC; AND, I AM WORRIED MY DOGS WILL NOT BE HAPPY IF I BRING GINGER AND JIMMY TO MY HOUSE. THEY ARE THE SWEETEST TWOSOME I HAVE EVER SEEN. SHE IS A CHOCOLATE SIAMESE AND HE IS A SILVER POINT SIAMESE.



THIS IS JIMMY...HE IS FIVE YEARS OLD, TOO. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW CAN GIVE THESE LITTLE SWEETHEARTS A GOOD HOME PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THEY HAVE LIVED TOGETHER THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND MUST STAY TOGETHER. THEY ARE INDOOR ONLY PETS. PLEASE HELP ME FIND A GOOD HOME FOR THEM...I PROMISED AUNTIE DEE I WOULD!!

HOW IS IT THAT YOU MUST DECREASE...SO GOD CAN INCREASE?

Saturday night, we went to a concert by the Huntington Men's Chorus. They were wonderful, and our very own deacon had a solo, which was simply incredible. I told him afterward that he must sing EVERYTHING from now on...homilies, lessons, voicemail messages...EVERYTHING!

During the show, I spotted an elderly man, across the aisle, enjoying himself immensely. During the entire concert, he kept tapping the tips of his fingers together in time to the music. He was too cute. The smile on his face, that never dimmed the entire time, was infectious.

I can't get that man out of my mind. He simply glowed with the excitement of a little child! He came to enjoy himself and that is what he did! He had a way about him that reminded me of a young boy enjoying a new toy. Watching him enjoy the program made my enjoyment of the show increase.

I imagine that is how God feels when he watches us. His enjoyment of creation and humanity must increase when he sees us enjoying and taking good care of it and each other.

I think of the commercial, when I was a little girl, of the Native American man looking out over litter strewn along the highway, and garbage ruining the lake...the commercial ended with a tear streaming down that man's cheek.

I wonder, how many more times, God's enjoyment decreases by our actions and our words in relation to the created world and each other.

We have been told, and know it to be true that we must decrease so God may increase.

What are YOU doing today, that might increase God's enjoyment?

What are YOU doing that might bring a tear, instead, like the one in that long ago commercial?

How is it that YOU must decrease...so God can increase?