This Week:
The Feast of Christ the King marked the last week of the liturgical year. The Family Mass team highlighted this in the introduction and reflection made at the 10.00 Mass.
It was also the week when the Altar lists of the Dead were opened and read. 208 families sent in lists of the names of their loved ones. These will be on the altar in Balally every first Friday for the next year. All these thousands of names are precious.
Some families also put in the names of teachers, work colleagues and priests. A person prayed for all the patients they had had to care for during their life. Another prayed for “all my old friends” . Many included the “unknown”, the “forgotten” those who died because of “accident, war or natural disaster” . Another mentioned “all those whose names I carry in my heart” . Families in Poland, the Philippines.
Catholic traditions that bring together the Church in pilgrimage (ourselves) the Church that purifies itself (those gone before us) and the Church that contemplates the face of God are so meaningful and made reality in these traditions like the Altar list of the dead.
We had to postpone the Child Safeguarding course. The diocese suggests that we do it in February (over two nights) so that we can assure that all involved in Young Peoples ministries are properly trained.
The new oven in the Parish Centre got great use this week. Scones were produced by the dozen and fuelled great chats in the parish Centre.
Photo Credit:
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John, Indiana. by Joey Lax-Salinas
