Dear Brothers and Sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Thank you one and all for a blessed and energetic celebration of Holy Week. There seemed to be a very friendly vibe in the air at our many services. There were lots of you present at everything and that surely makes a huge difference.
There is a long list of those who need to be thanked: Our office staff, Roxanne and Mary Ann, who readied every worship aid and fretted every detail; the maintenance staff who readied our space and cleaned everything every day; the sacristans who were present every day and long into the night; everyone who decorated our church for each day of the Triduum and, especially, for the floral transformation that took one’s breath away on Easter Sunday; all lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, ushers, deacons and priests who once again stepped up.
Fr. Dan O’Neill, O.Carm.
If you were to add up all the persons I have just referenced, you would be at a hundred names already. And, I have yet to mention the choir with over thirty singers and musicians under the wonderful leadership of Andrea Covais. For the first time since I have known her, she actually admitted that she was tired on Easter Sunday morning. That was a long overdue concession.
Perhaps THE highlight of the entire Triduum was the reception of so many catechumens. Special thanks to Sr. Regina and her team for the year-long commitment to this vital ministry every year.
And, this Saturday, April 27, Bishop John Flesey confirmed forty-four of our young people. Elliot Guerra and his team spent months preparing these candidates. I deeply thank them and all parents who supported our demanding Confirmation program. We believe the young people are worth this priority of effort and we pray that their lives as confirmed Catholics will continue to be blessed.
I am sure you agree that I could go on and on with expressions of gratitude. But now we must look forward…
I want to stress that our next event in our journey of brotherhood with Temple Sinai will take place on Sunday afternoon, May 19, at 4:00 p.m. The day will begin in our church with a reflection led by Dr. Philip Cunningham from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. His theme will be “Five Decades on the Catholic-Jewish ‘Journey of Friendship’: Moving Toward Mutuality.” After the presentation we will share a meal together. If you are able to join us, please sign up with Mary Ann in the church office. Please see details on page 5 of this bulletin.
Do you agree that we are very blessed here at Mount Carmel? I hope so. And I have yet to name our greatest blessing. That would be you who are reading this right now. You are part of our church family and we could not carry on without you. Why do we carry on? We carry on because we are Catholic Christians trying to walk faithfully and humbly in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Onward, we still have a long way to go and lots to do.
Sincerely yours in Christ and Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
fr. Dan