As many of you have heard, this past
year I was very moved by a book suggested to me by another priest, Rebuilt by Fr. Michael White and Tom
Cocoran. I got it from the public
library and read it on my retreat and decided right then to make use of it in
the life of our Parish and School. Those
who have had a chance to read it have heard many of its themes in my homilies.
Once I read the book, I immediately
started to read it again. While I was
deciding how many copies to purchase, I received a copy of it in the mail. At first, I thought I had accidentally
“one-clicked” a purchase, but it turned out that it was ordered for me by a
former parishioner from another parish where I had served. I gave that book away so someone else could
read it. I bought 95 copies the first
time. A number of them, I gave away to
priests in the parishes of our local deanery.
Then, I made a list of the folks who are members of our staff and of the
various committees in our parish, the active leadership, and gave away the rest
of my copies on Pentecost. Since then, I
have put in a couple more orders for multiple copies to give away.
If you are interested in reading the
book, several copies are available in the vestibule. If you have already received a copy and read
it, and someone asks about it who has not received one, give away your copy and
I will give you another. It is my
sincere hope that as many members of our community who can will read the book
and be influenced by its message.
The central idea that strikes me is that we are all meant to be disciples of the Lord who invite others to become disciples. We are ministers of the Gospel in the name of the Lord, not consumers of religious practices and services made available for a price. Our “job description,” given by the Lord Himself, is to “go out to all the world and tell the Good News.” This involves everyone in one way or another. For all of us, it will involve a real conversion, a change in the way we see things and do things in our parish and school.
Another idea that has struck me from
the book Rebuilt is the emphasis on
Sunday mornings as the center of our life as Catholics. We have to be ready to welcome all who come
to us and to lead them into a living encounter with Jesus. We are not meant to come in as isolated
individuals or families and to leave the way we came. Rather, we are to be transformed by Word and
Sacrament, and to become a living force for good in the world.
If you have the book, be sure to
read it and see what applies to you. If
you do not have the book, you can pick up a copy (and return the index card
with your name on it) or you can order it from Ave Maria Press. Whatever you may decide to do yourself, be
ready to say yes to what the Lord has in store for us. This is an exciting time to be a member of
St. Timothy Parish. The world is waiting
for the Message we hear every day. We
are witnesses to the grace God is pouring out on the world.
Check out online information about Rebuilt at http://rebuiltparish.com/.
Year of Faith October
11, 2012 – November 24, 2013
We continue our journey through the Year
of Faith. As one way of observing
this year, each week a small section of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church is read before the start of Mass.
CHAPTER THREE MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD
ARTICLE 1 I BELIEVE I. The Obedience
of Faith
148 The Virgin Mary most
perfectly embodies the obedience of faith. By faith Mary welcomes the tidings
and promise brought by the angel Gabriel, believing that “with God nothing will
be impossible” and so giving her assent: “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord;
let it be done to me according to your word.”
(Luke 1:37-38; cf. Genesis 18:14.) Elizabeth greeted her: “Blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the
Lord.” (Luke 1:45.) It is for
this faith that all generations have called Mary blessed. (Cf. Luke
1:48.)
149 Throughout her life and until
her last ordeal (Cf. Luke 2:35.)
when Jesus her son died on the cross, Mary’s faith never wavered. She never
ceased to believe in the fulfillment of God’s word. And so the Church venerates
in Mary the purest realization of faith.
Comment: Mary, the Mother of
Jesus, was a woman of Faith. She
believed and trusted that what God had promised to her people would be
fulfilled. She said “Yes” to God’s Will
because of her Faith. And now, from her
place in the Light of Glory, she helps us along the way of Faith. How has Mary’s witness served to enliven your
Faith? Do you realize her role in your
own life of Faith?
Focolare Word of Life for September 2013:
“Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and
action.” (1 Jn 3:18)http://www.focolare.org/en/news/category/parola-di-vita/
In response to Rebuilt, it has been suggested that members
of our Parish and School community be invited to share something of their own
journey of Faith among us. The first to
offer some reflections is Sue Gardiner, who teaches in St.
Timothy School
Greetings Fellow St. Tim Parishioners!
I want to tell you of my faith journey here at
St. Tim’s. I was hired to teach in the school in 1979. At the time, I was told
by people who were not members of the parish and school that I would find it
very hard to feel welcome. However, before school even started in late August
of 1979, I realized that was far from the truth! The entire school staff
welcomed me with open arms. Parents came in and helped me figure out the
Science program. It was an amazing experience. I felt more a part of this
parish than I ever did at any other parish to which I had belonged, and I was
not even a member of this parish yet!
By the time my daughter, Carie, was in fifth
grade, I knew I needed to become a member of this parish. This was the first
parish where I realized that the people were what truly made the parish what it
was, and still is. It wasn't the pastor, the principal, the school staff, the
men's or women's clubs, the religious ed program, or any other single entity.
The people of St. Timothy's have made this parish what it is, and continue to
do so.
We are all the ministers of this parish. We have
all taken ownership in this parish because we are the ones who make it what it
is. God's presence is in each and every one of us, and I have seen Him in all
of you in so many ways. The open arms when I was hired here in 1979. The open
arms when I chose to bring my family here in 1985. The open hearts when I have
seen births, deaths, illnesses, weddings, joys and struggles of all kinds. This
parish, St. Timothy Parish, has been a vital part of my faith journey, and I am
so grateful that each of you has been a part of it. Please share your faith
journey with others in the parish, and with others around you.
I wish you all Peace!
Sue Gardiner
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