From Father Tim's Desk
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19: 20-21
September 12, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 will be recognized this coming weekend on Saturday. It is hard to believe that 20 years have already passed by since that terrible day. We easily remember what we were doing on the day when our nation collectively experienced a momentous moment of either tragedy or celebration. For instance, I was very young but I still remember watching on television the funeral of President John F. Kennedy. What I remember most was seeing my mother cry when little John, Jr. saluted his father’s coffin. I also remember what I was doing when the news broke that Neil Armstrong had stepped onto the surface of the moon. We heard the announcement on the radio and it seemed like everybody stopped for a moment to look up in the sky. And, of course, I remember the moment when the first plane flew into the World Trade Center Tower. It was my day off and I was just eating some cereal while watching the morning news. The first plane hit the north tower at 8:46 AM and the south tower was hit by the second plane at 9:03 AM, and by 10:28 AM both towers collapsed in complete rubble. In the end, a total of 2,996 people died, which includes both towers, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania plane crash. And an additional 6,000 people were injured as a result of these attacks.
I read a story from Christian author Max Lucado who had visited New York City just a few days after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Lucado told of riding in a taxi and asking the driver if his life was any different since the attacks. The driver replied, “I keep getting lost.” He explained that he had always looked to the World Trade Center Towers to get his bearings while driving around the city. Now that the giant towers are gone, he said, “I can’t get my bearings anymore.” Most of us, I think, can relate to that driver’s problem. Any sudden tragedy in our lives can make us feel like we can’t get our bearings anymore either. In this week’s Gospel, the Apostle Peter has a hard time accepting the “tragedy” of the Cross that Jesus must face. Peter’s bearings are all out of kilter, and Jesus rebukes Peter to get behind him and not be an obstacle in front of him. You see, Peter lost his bearings when he got in front of Jesus and made himself the way. But we know that there is only One who is “The Way,” who knows the way and can show us the way, especially during times of tragedy, pain, sorrow, and loss. May we, therefore, always keep Jesus in the forefront as the ultimate guidepost for direction, meaning, and purpose in our lives. That is especially true during times of tragedy.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 will be recognized this coming weekend on Saturday. It is hard to believe that 20 years have already passed by since that terrible day. We easily remember what we were doing on the day when our nation collectively experienced a momentous moment of either tragedy or celebration. For instance, I was very young but I still remember watching on television the funeral of President John F. Kennedy. What I remember most was seeing my mother cry when little John, Jr. saluted his father’s coffin. I also remember what I was doing when the news broke that Neil Armstrong had stepped onto the surface of the moon. We heard the announcement on the radio and it seemed like everybody stopped for a moment to look up in the sky. And, of course, I remember the moment when the first plane flew into the World Trade Center Tower. It was my day off and I was just eating some cereal while watching the morning news. The first plane hit the north tower at 8:46 AM and the south tower was hit by the second plane at 9:03 AM, and by 10:28 AM both towers collapsed in complete rubble. In the end, a total of 2,996 people died, which includes both towers, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania plane crash. And an additional 6,000 people were injured as a result of these attacks.
I read a story from Christian author Max Lucado who had visited New York City just a few days after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Lucado told of riding in a taxi and asking the driver if his life was any different since the attacks. The driver replied, “I keep getting lost.” He explained that he had always looked to the World Trade Center Towers to get his bearings while driving around the city. Now that the giant towers are gone, he said, “I can’t get my bearings anymore.” Most of us, I think, can relate to that driver’s problem. Any sudden tragedy in our lives can make us feel like we can’t get our bearings anymore either. In this week’s Gospel, the Apostle Peter has a hard time accepting the “tragedy” of the Cross that Jesus must face. Peter’s bearings are all out of kilter, and Jesus rebukes Peter to get behind him and not be an obstacle in front of him. You see, Peter lost his bearings when he got in front of Jesus and made himself the way. But we know that there is only One who is “The Way,” who knows the way and can show us the way, especially during times of tragedy, pain, sorrow, and loss. May we, therefore, always keep Jesus in the forefront as the ultimate guidepost for direction, meaning, and purpose in our lives. That is especially true during times of tragedy.
Peace.
Father Tim
September 5, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
I mentioned at the end of last week’s bulletin message that I would fill you in this week on the organ situation. If you recall, our 15-year-old organ was badly damaged by a recent storm, and technicians could not guarantee that attempts to repair it would be successful. We felt at that point that taking such a financial chance would be a poor investment. A
new organ with the necessary musical capabilities, safety protections, and quality guarantees was a more appropriate choice for our needs. The instrument we chose is a Rodgers 343 model, Inspire Series, 3 manual organ. It is not the top of the line, or at the bottom, but more in the middle. However, the retail price of even a middle-of-the-road organ is nothing to sneeze at; in this case, $75,565. The store has done business with me a number of times over the years and they gave me a generous discount, marking down the total to $62,065. I was further able to whittle it down to $60,665. That was the final cost of the organ, which included installation and voicing (i.e., sound adjustments). And by the time you read this message, we should have our new organ fully installed and ready to play for the weekend Masses.
All of this happened within a three-week period, from organ meltdown to brand new organ. That is a new record for me. But this could not have happened without your incredible generosity. Two parish families in particular came forward to donate sizable amounts to cover most of the cost. One of them wished to remain anonymous, but the other did not say. So, at the risk of embarrassing him, I would like to publicly thank Mr. Robert Schmidt. Indeed, on behalf of everyone at St. Brendan’s, I want to sincerely thank both of our major donors for their extremely generous gifts, and may God bless you abundantly for the blessing you have given to us for many years to come. Some others gave generously as well; they too are remembered in prayer and truly appreciated. Of course, none of them did it to be recognized. As the Lord said, “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing” (Mt 6:3). That’s just the type of people they are, like so many folks at St. Brendan’s. God bless you all!
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
I mentioned at the end of last week’s bulletin message that I would fill you in this week on the organ situation. If you recall, our 15-year-old organ was badly damaged by a recent storm, and technicians could not guarantee that attempts to repair it would be successful. We felt at that point that taking such a financial chance would be a poor investment. A
new organ with the necessary musical capabilities, safety protections, and quality guarantees was a more appropriate choice for our needs. The instrument we chose is a Rodgers 343 model, Inspire Series, 3 manual organ. It is not the top of the line, or at the bottom, but more in the middle. However, the retail price of even a middle-of-the-road organ is nothing to sneeze at; in this case, $75,565. The store has done business with me a number of times over the years and they gave me a generous discount, marking down the total to $62,065. I was further able to whittle it down to $60,665. That was the final cost of the organ, which included installation and voicing (i.e., sound adjustments). And by the time you read this message, we should have our new organ fully installed and ready to play for the weekend Masses.
All of this happened within a three-week period, from organ meltdown to brand new organ. That is a new record for me. But this could not have happened without your incredible generosity. Two parish families in particular came forward to donate sizable amounts to cover most of the cost. One of them wished to remain anonymous, but the other did not say. So, at the risk of embarrassing him, I would like to publicly thank Mr. Robert Schmidt. Indeed, on behalf of everyone at St. Brendan’s, I want to sincerely thank both of our major donors for their extremely generous gifts, and may God bless you abundantly for the blessing you have given to us for many years to come. Some others gave generously as well; they too are remembered in prayer and truly appreciated. Of course, none of them did it to be recognized. As the Lord said, “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing” (Mt 6:3). That’s just the type of people they are, like so many folks at St. Brendan’s. God bless you all!
Peace.
Father Tim
August 29, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
Hopefully in this bulletin you can see two renderings of our parish renovation project. One drawing shows a front view of the baptismal font as a person walks into the church from the front doors. This new font will incorporate a lighted Ambry for the Holy Oils and a stand for the Pascal Candle. Part of the marble type and tile inlay will also include blue hues to tie the parish’s close proximity with the Gulf. The other drawing shows the back wall where the viewing window will be located for the dual purpose Cry & Bridal Room. That space will be completely renovated with a remote controlled roller blind when used for weddings. The confessional will also be renovated but it will not be enlarged as originally planned.
The architect is supposed to send the final blueprints for review any day now. I may have them by the time you read this message. After review, the contractor will have to get permits from the City of Clearwater and final approval from the Diocese to begin construction. I do not suspect that process will take too long, at least I hope not. And once we have the final blueprints the contractor can also give me the final numbers on the cost. The earlier estimate was a little over $91,000 but that will likely change. That also includes the electrical panel work in the church and front overhead door repair. My guess is that it may be closer to $100,000. The good news is that I already have half the money from some generous parishioners. That was before I even publicly asked for your help! Simply amazing, and thank you so much! So now I am “officially” asking for your financial help to pay the rest of the amount. Let’s wrap this up and stamp it “Paid in Full.” Those words are music to a pastor’s ears.
Speaking of music, most of you heard by now about the demise of our organ. That is an unexpected and rather costly expenditure that needs to be replaced. I will talk more about that in next week’s bulletin. All this financial need reminds me of a quote from St. Teresa of Avila. She was questioned once about how she could start so many convents with so little money. St. Teresa replied: “Teresa and a couple of pennies is nothing, but Teresa, a couple of pennies, and God, that is everything one needs.” May God be with us and help provide the extra pennies needed for St. Brendan’s.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
Hopefully in this bulletin you can see two renderings of our parish renovation project. One drawing shows a front view of the baptismal font as a person walks into the church from the front doors. This new font will incorporate a lighted Ambry for the Holy Oils and a stand for the Pascal Candle. Part of the marble type and tile inlay will also include blue hues to tie the parish’s close proximity with the Gulf. The other drawing shows the back wall where the viewing window will be located for the dual purpose Cry & Bridal Room. That space will be completely renovated with a remote controlled roller blind when used for weddings. The confessional will also be renovated but it will not be enlarged as originally planned.
The architect is supposed to send the final blueprints for review any day now. I may have them by the time you read this message. After review, the contractor will have to get permits from the City of Clearwater and final approval from the Diocese to begin construction. I do not suspect that process will take too long, at least I hope not. And once we have the final blueprints the contractor can also give me the final numbers on the cost. The earlier estimate was a little over $91,000 but that will likely change. That also includes the electrical panel work in the church and front overhead door repair. My guess is that it may be closer to $100,000. The good news is that I already have half the money from some generous parishioners. That was before I even publicly asked for your help! Simply amazing, and thank you so much! So now I am “officially” asking for your financial help to pay the rest of the amount. Let’s wrap this up and stamp it “Paid in Full.” Those words are music to a pastor’s ears.
Speaking of music, most of you heard by now about the demise of our organ. That is an unexpected and rather costly expenditure that needs to be replaced. I will talk more about that in next week’s bulletin. All this financial need reminds me of a quote from St. Teresa of Avila. She was questioned once about how she could start so many convents with so little money. St. Teresa replied: “Teresa and a couple of pennies is nothing, but Teresa, a couple of pennies, and God, that is everything one needs.” May God be with us and help provide the extra pennies needed for St. Brendan’s.
Peace.
Father Tim
August 22, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
I normally take a walk every day for the benefit of both prayer and exercise. One of my routes includes walking to the top of the Causeway Bridge. What a nice view at the top! However, a couple of weeks ago I saw a sad sight while ascending the bridge. Down below on the right side were countless dead fish laying on the shore. It reminded me that the marine life has been dealing with their own terrible pandemic. Like the plagues of Egypt, Ride Tide has turned the water into blood and brought death to so many fish in the Tampa Bay area. It was heartbreaking for me to see, especially knowing that we continue to exacerbate the problem. Pope Francis stated in his encyclical letter Laudato Si that care for our common home “is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.”
Thankfully, that is not all I see on my walks to the Causeway Bridge, particularly in the evenings. I love to start my ascent at the bridge when the sun is going down below the horizon because that is the time when all the birds are flying to their night roost. It is an incredible sight, at least for me, since few people seem to notice. An endless swarm of birds, mostly crows, flying from as far as the eye can see, coming from the mainland and crossing over the bridge heading to the island known as Mysterious Island. As I continue up the bridge, I often see yet another large swarm crossing parallel to the bridge at a distance over the intracoastal waterway and heading to that same island. From the top I can see other groups of birds, like pelicans, egrets, and ibises, making their way to join the crows and black birds. It is a veritable “Bird Condominium” to watch and listen as so many birds come together from various directions to settle for the night. I thank God each time I behold the spectacle, and I pray that the little island will always remain their sanctuary. Maybe it could be made an official preserve and change the name to “Bird Island.”
All living creatures need a home to go to at the end of the day. It is amazing that even the birds know where to go to at sunset. In our Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples if they were going to leave him, like others who left to their former lives. But Peter responded, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Faith tells us that we not only need a home on earth but also an eternal home. That is why Peter knew that faith in Jesus was so important. The hope of an everlasting home would be gone if he walked away. May our words also echo that of Peter’s: “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
I normally take a walk every day for the benefit of both prayer and exercise. One of my routes includes walking to the top of the Causeway Bridge. What a nice view at the top! However, a couple of weeks ago I saw a sad sight while ascending the bridge. Down below on the right side were countless dead fish laying on the shore. It reminded me that the marine life has been dealing with their own terrible pandemic. Like the plagues of Egypt, Ride Tide has turned the water into blood and brought death to so many fish in the Tampa Bay area. It was heartbreaking for me to see, especially knowing that we continue to exacerbate the problem. Pope Francis stated in his encyclical letter Laudato Si that care for our common home “is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.”
Thankfully, that is not all I see on my walks to the Causeway Bridge, particularly in the evenings. I love to start my ascent at the bridge when the sun is going down below the horizon because that is the time when all the birds are flying to their night roost. It is an incredible sight, at least for me, since few people seem to notice. An endless swarm of birds, mostly crows, flying from as far as the eye can see, coming from the mainland and crossing over the bridge heading to the island known as Mysterious Island. As I continue up the bridge, I often see yet another large swarm crossing parallel to the bridge at a distance over the intracoastal waterway and heading to that same island. From the top I can see other groups of birds, like pelicans, egrets, and ibises, making their way to join the crows and black birds. It is a veritable “Bird Condominium” to watch and listen as so many birds come together from various directions to settle for the night. I thank God each time I behold the spectacle, and I pray that the little island will always remain their sanctuary. Maybe it could be made an official preserve and change the name to “Bird Island.”
All living creatures need a home to go to at the end of the day. It is amazing that even the birds know where to go to at sunset. In our Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples if they were going to leave him, like others who left to their former lives. But Peter responded, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Faith tells us that we not only need a home on earth but also an eternal home. That is why Peter knew that faith in Jesus was so important. The hope of an everlasting home would be gone if he walked away. May our words also echo that of Peter’s: “We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”
Peace.
Father Tim
August 13, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
First I want to briefly mention our parish’s response to the ongoing situation with Covid-19 and its Delta variant. The diocesan guidelines from May 22nd are still in place, which in part encourages wearing a face mask or shield when entering and existing the church and when processing to and from communion. As you know, we had followed these and other recommendations for some time here until the restrictions were finally relaxed. Then the unwelcomed Delta variant came to complicate our slow but steady progress. The bottom line with the diocesan guidelines is that they are recommendations and left to the discretion of the pastor. At St. Brendan’s, all ministers distributing Holy Communion, both lay and clergy, will continue to wear a mask and sanitize their hands. The other protocols still in place are no passing the collection basket, no bringing up the gifts, and no receiving from the cup. But wearing a mask or not I will leave for you to decide. Hopefully the spike in cases will decrease soon and these remaining protocols will also come to an end.
On a different note, I want to take this opportunity to say from the bottom of my heart “Thank You!” to Carol Shea for having served as our Visitation Ministry Coordinator. Carol has decided to step down from the coordinator position after 11 years, though she will continue to serve as a visitation minister. Thank you, Carol, for your dedication and pastoral leadership in a very important ministry to our sick and homebound, which included training other ministers and managing schedules. Though I have only been here a year, I am truly grateful for the tremendous help you have given to this parish and to me. With that, I also heartily welcome Paula Mainieri as our new Visitation Ministry Coordinator. Paula comes highly recommended with extensive pastoral experience, particularly in areas of hospital and nursing home visitation, and as a teacher for the diocese in compassionate interpersonal communication. I find her to be a very spiritual person, with a Franciscan heart, and perfect for the ministry. We are fortunate to have her. May God bless both Carol and Paula with an abundance of grace for their willingness to serve our parish.
By the way, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone of the wonderful ministry we have to the sick and homebound within our parish boundaries. We come to those who are unable to come to church themselves. I usually make the first visit and then forward the information to our coordinator for scheduling if applicable. If you know someone who is sick or homebound and would like a visit from the church, please have that person call the parish office and I will schedule a time to go as soon as possible. Let us know, for God said it is not good for a person to be alone (Gen 2:18).
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
First I want to briefly mention our parish’s response to the ongoing situation with Covid-19 and its Delta variant. The diocesan guidelines from May 22nd are still in place, which in part encourages wearing a face mask or shield when entering and existing the church and when processing to and from communion. As you know, we had followed these and other recommendations for some time here until the restrictions were finally relaxed. Then the unwelcomed Delta variant came to complicate our slow but steady progress. The bottom line with the diocesan guidelines is that they are recommendations and left to the discretion of the pastor. At St. Brendan’s, all ministers distributing Holy Communion, both lay and clergy, will continue to wear a mask and sanitize their hands. The other protocols still in place are no passing the collection basket, no bringing up the gifts, and no receiving from the cup. But wearing a mask or not I will leave for you to decide. Hopefully the spike in cases will decrease soon and these remaining protocols will also come to an end.
On a different note, I want to take this opportunity to say from the bottom of my heart “Thank You!” to Carol Shea for having served as our Visitation Ministry Coordinator. Carol has decided to step down from the coordinator position after 11 years, though she will continue to serve as a visitation minister. Thank you, Carol, for your dedication and pastoral leadership in a very important ministry to our sick and homebound, which included training other ministers and managing schedules. Though I have only been here a year, I am truly grateful for the tremendous help you have given to this parish and to me. With that, I also heartily welcome Paula Mainieri as our new Visitation Ministry Coordinator. Paula comes highly recommended with extensive pastoral experience, particularly in areas of hospital and nursing home visitation, and as a teacher for the diocese in compassionate interpersonal communication. I find her to be a very spiritual person, with a Franciscan heart, and perfect for the ministry. We are fortunate to have her. May God bless both Carol and Paula with an abundance of grace for their willingness to serve our parish.
By the way, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone of the wonderful ministry we have to the sick and homebound within our parish boundaries. We come to those who are unable to come to church themselves. I usually make the first visit and then forward the information to our coordinator for scheduling if applicable. If you know someone who is sick or homebound and would like a visit from the church, please have that person call the parish office and I will schedule a time to go as soon as possible. Let us know, for God said it is not good for a person to be alone (Gen 2:18).
Peace.
Father Tim
August 8, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
A study done by the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that serving garlic bread with spaghetti helped families get along better. In the experiment, those families who smelled and ate garlic bread not only cut down on the number of negative interactions between family members by nearly 25%, but positive interactions actually increased by 7.4%. They concluded that serving garlic bread at dinner enhanced the quality of family interactions and may have use as an adjunct to family therapy.
Jesus continues to offer us some “food for thought” in the 6th chapter of John’s Gospel this Sunday with the Bread of Life discourse. He reiterates, “I am the bread of life . . . whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Breaking bread with someone in Jesus’ time and culture was an expression of intimacy and bonding. Jesus offers himself to the world as the “living bread that came down from heaven,” and becomes the means through which God and humanity are divinely reconciled and eternally bonded. That’s what I call family therapy! How apropos is the responsorial psalm: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”
By the way, I think it was the smell of garlic breath that cut down on the number of negative interactions between family members in the experiment. They mostly kept their mouths shut.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
A study done by the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that serving garlic bread with spaghetti helped families get along better. In the experiment, those families who smelled and ate garlic bread not only cut down on the number of negative interactions between family members by nearly 25%, but positive interactions actually increased by 7.4%. They concluded that serving garlic bread at dinner enhanced the quality of family interactions and may have use as an adjunct to family therapy.
Jesus continues to offer us some “food for thought” in the 6th chapter of John’s Gospel this Sunday with the Bread of Life discourse. He reiterates, “I am the bread of life . . . whoever eats this bread will live forever.” Breaking bread with someone in Jesus’ time and culture was an expression of intimacy and bonding. Jesus offers himself to the world as the “living bread that came down from heaven,” and becomes the means through which God and humanity are divinely reconciled and eternally bonded. That’s what I call family therapy! How apropos is the responsorial psalm: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”
By the way, I think it was the smell of garlic breath that cut down on the number of negative interactions between family members in the experiment. They mostly kept their mouths shut.
Peace.
Father Tim
August 1, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
Msgr. Devine has left for the Emerald Isle and he will be away for the next three months. I suspect the reason for the long duration is to make up for last year when he was unable to travel due to Covid-19. This year will also be his 90th birthday and he wants to celebrate it on the actual day (Oct. 4th) with family and friends in Ireland. May the Lord grant him a safe trip and an enjoyable time away. Meanwhile, Fr. Tony Plathe will fill in more on the Mass schedule, which I am grateful for his extra help.
Traveling overseas reminded me of something I once read about the difference between a traveler and a tourist. No, this isn’t a joke. A traveler, in times past, was active, who strenuously went in search of people, adventure, and experience. A tourist (which is a relatively new term) is passive, who expects interesting things to happen to him/her, like when sightseeing. The roots of these words also reveal an interesting insight. “Travel” comes from the same root as “travail,” meaning trouble, work, or even torment. Whereas “tour” comes from a Latin root that literally means “one who goes in circles.” A typical ten-day tour itinerary that begins and ends at the same place comes to mind.
From a spiritual perspective, are we traveling this journey of life by actively working toward our ultimate goal and overcoming challenges along the way? Or are we more like the passive tourist who is moving in circles and ends in the same place? I call the latter an act of complacency. But be warned, complacency is a killer to the spiritual life. We can never be complacent anywhere along the way in our spiritual life. St. Teresa of Calcutta taught that the saint and the sinner both fall down, but the saint keeps getting back up. The idea being that both fall because of sin, but the saint keeps the focus on Christ, rather than on self, and does not stop until reaching final union with our Lord. May God give us the grace of always being “traveling” disciples of Him who is The Way.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
Msgr. Devine has left for the Emerald Isle and he will be away for the next three months. I suspect the reason for the long duration is to make up for last year when he was unable to travel due to Covid-19. This year will also be his 90th birthday and he wants to celebrate it on the actual day (Oct. 4th) with family and friends in Ireland. May the Lord grant him a safe trip and an enjoyable time away. Meanwhile, Fr. Tony Plathe will fill in more on the Mass schedule, which I am grateful for his extra help.
Traveling overseas reminded me of something I once read about the difference between a traveler and a tourist. No, this isn’t a joke. A traveler, in times past, was active, who strenuously went in search of people, adventure, and experience. A tourist (which is a relatively new term) is passive, who expects interesting things to happen to him/her, like when sightseeing. The roots of these words also reveal an interesting insight. “Travel” comes from the same root as “travail,” meaning trouble, work, or even torment. Whereas “tour” comes from a Latin root that literally means “one who goes in circles.” A typical ten-day tour itinerary that begins and ends at the same place comes to mind.
From a spiritual perspective, are we traveling this journey of life by actively working toward our ultimate goal and overcoming challenges along the way? Or are we more like the passive tourist who is moving in circles and ends in the same place? I call the latter an act of complacency. But be warned, complacency is a killer to the spiritual life. We can never be complacent anywhere along the way in our spiritual life. St. Teresa of Calcutta taught that the saint and the sinner both fall down, but the saint keeps getting back up. The idea being that both fall because of sin, but the saint keeps the focus on Christ, rather than on self, and does not stop until reaching final union with our Lord. May God give us the grace of always being “traveling” disciples of Him who is The Way.
Peace.
Father Tim
July 25, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
Some of you have been asking me about the church renovation project. So it might be a good time to give a little bit of an update. For those who may not know, I wrote in another bulletin on May 23rd (Pentecost Sunday) about the need to redesign the baptismal font so that it can be both functional as well as beautiful, to create a dual purpose room to serve as a bridal room for weddings and a cry room for Sunday Masses, to remodel a neglected confessional room, and to upgrade the church’s main electrical light switch panel (which was already archaic when the church was built!). Some smaller side jobs are included as well.
I have been working with a contractor and met with a couple of architects who specialize in church designs and are associated with other projects in our diocese. Right now I am waiting on the proposal designs, and I was told to expect something by the end of this week. Most of the remodeling is fairly straightforward. The one tricky part in this plan is making a new baptismal font that is simple and attractive.
I will be sure to share the architectural rendering in the bulletin when it is available. At that time, I will also ask for your financial help to pay for the cost of the project. This is not that big of a cost as far as construction projects go. The initial estimate from the contractor is a little over $91,000, though that will likely change somewhat when construction is complete. I already have one big donor who has promised to help and to whom I am sincerely grateful. Hopefully many other parishioners will help support this “parish” project too. My best guess is that it will start by the end of August and last for about eight weeks. The sooner it starts the better as far as I’m concerned. Like I said before, St. Brendan Church is alive and well!
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
Some of you have been asking me about the church renovation project. So it might be a good time to give a little bit of an update. For those who may not know, I wrote in another bulletin on May 23rd (Pentecost Sunday) about the need to redesign the baptismal font so that it can be both functional as well as beautiful, to create a dual purpose room to serve as a bridal room for weddings and a cry room for Sunday Masses, to remodel a neglected confessional room, and to upgrade the church’s main electrical light switch panel (which was already archaic when the church was built!). Some smaller side jobs are included as well.
I have been working with a contractor and met with a couple of architects who specialize in church designs and are associated with other projects in our diocese. Right now I am waiting on the proposal designs, and I was told to expect something by the end of this week. Most of the remodeling is fairly straightforward. The one tricky part in this plan is making a new baptismal font that is simple and attractive.
I will be sure to share the architectural rendering in the bulletin when it is available. At that time, I will also ask for your financial help to pay for the cost of the project. This is not that big of a cost as far as construction projects go. The initial estimate from the contractor is a little over $91,000, though that will likely change somewhat when construction is complete. I already have one big donor who has promised to help and to whom I am sincerely grateful. Hopefully many other parishioners will help support this “parish” project too. My best guess is that it will start by the end of August and last for about eight weeks. The sooner it starts the better as far as I’m concerned. Like I said before, St. Brendan Church is alive and well!
Peace.
Father Tim
July 18, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
An interesting article caught my eye in the Sunday newspaper a couple of weeks ago. There was an academic study commissioned recently that asked, “How kind is America?” A non-profit organization called Kindness.org, whose mission is to educate and inspire acts of kindness, worked on a unique research study to find out and rank the kindness level of all 50 U.S. States. According to their study, the top 10 states are: 1. Kentucky, 2. New Mexico, 3. Oklahoma, 4. Georgia, 5. North Dakota,
6. Alaska, 7. New Hampshire, 8. Missouri, 9. West Virginia, 10. Wyoming.
Perhaps you noticed that Florida was not part of the top ten list. In fact, Florida was ranked near the bottom at number 47. That may or may not surprise you. But what I was more curious about was the type of methodology and criteria they used, the questions they asked, and what they meant by kindness that ultimately led them to their conclusions.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for anything that promotes kindness in our day and age. More acts of kindness in our world is certainly a good thing. But it is also important to know what kindness is and why we should do it. From a biblical and theological perspective, kindness is a virtue, one of the nine Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. That non-profit organization sees kindness as “always an action,” like in “acts of altruism, empathy, justice, respect, and more,” whereas a virtue is ultimately seen as being a quality of character and possessed not externally but internally. We “practice” virtue to acquire the qualities of character through its corresponding actions. For instance, a person takes on the character of kindness by practicing kindness; the quality of behavior eventually becomes the quality of the self. Part of the essence of the spiritual life is to continually strive by God’s grace to live more like Christ. Kindness, and the many other virtues, enlighten and inspire us of that ultimate purpose and the tremendous human capacity for good.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
An interesting article caught my eye in the Sunday newspaper a couple of weeks ago. There was an academic study commissioned recently that asked, “How kind is America?” A non-profit organization called Kindness.org, whose mission is to educate and inspire acts of kindness, worked on a unique research study to find out and rank the kindness level of all 50 U.S. States. According to their study, the top 10 states are: 1. Kentucky, 2. New Mexico, 3. Oklahoma, 4. Georgia, 5. North Dakota,
6. Alaska, 7. New Hampshire, 8. Missouri, 9. West Virginia, 10. Wyoming.
Perhaps you noticed that Florida was not part of the top ten list. In fact, Florida was ranked near the bottom at number 47. That may or may not surprise you. But what I was more curious about was the type of methodology and criteria they used, the questions they asked, and what they meant by kindness that ultimately led them to their conclusions.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for anything that promotes kindness in our day and age. More acts of kindness in our world is certainly a good thing. But it is also important to know what kindness is and why we should do it. From a biblical and theological perspective, kindness is a virtue, one of the nine Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. That non-profit organization sees kindness as “always an action,” like in “acts of altruism, empathy, justice, respect, and more,” whereas a virtue is ultimately seen as being a quality of character and possessed not externally but internally. We “practice” virtue to acquire the qualities of character through its corresponding actions. For instance, a person takes on the character of kindness by practicing kindness; the quality of behavior eventually becomes the quality of the self. Part of the essence of the spiritual life is to continually strive by God’s grace to live more like Christ. Kindness, and the many other virtues, enlighten and inspire us of that ultimate purpose and the tremendous human capacity for good.
Peace.
Father Tim
July 11, 2021
Dear Parishioners,
I mentioned to our folks at the weekday morning Mass on July 1st that I reached the one-year anniversary of my arrival to St. Brendan’s. Time flies when you’re having fun. The Covid-19 experience has made this adjustment unique, and I find myself still acclimating to the parish. For one thing, there are still plenty of registered members that I have not met yet. I may have heard of them or read correspondences from them but, for various reasons, have not connected faces with names at this point. Hopefully my second year will rectify this discrepancy and things can finally settle into a normal parish feel for me. It’s moving in that direction already.
That reminds me of studies that claim it is easier to learn names by connecting them to faces. I suppose that is why we generally remember a person’s face before we remember his or her name. And how many people do you know really well but you do not know their faces? But in the Gospels, there is not even one description of Jesus. His face is unknown. We do have a brief description from Josephus, a historian and contemporary of Jesus, but nothing biblical. And yet, his face is known and reflected in and through the people he met during his public ministry. Indeed, the whole New Testament is a picture of Jesus that goes beyond describing the color of his eyes and hair. And like the disciples who were sent out, we too reflect a family resemblance, marked with the sign of faith, and sent to be the face of Jesus in the world.
Peace.
Father Tim
Dear Parishioners,
I mentioned to our folks at the weekday morning Mass on July 1st that I reached the one-year anniversary of my arrival to St. Brendan’s. Time flies when you’re having fun. The Covid-19 experience has made this adjustment unique, and I find myself still acclimating to the parish. For one thing, there are still plenty of registered members that I have not met yet. I may have heard of them or read correspondences from them but, for various reasons, have not connected faces with names at this point. Hopefully my second year will rectify this discrepancy and things can finally settle into a normal parish feel for me. It’s moving in that direction already.
That reminds me of studies that claim it is easier to learn names by connecting them to faces. I suppose that is why we generally remember a person’s face before we remember his or her name. And how many people do you know really well but you do not know their faces? But in the Gospels, there is not even one description of Jesus. His face is unknown. We do have a brief description from Josephus, a historian and contemporary of Jesus, but nothing biblical. And yet, his face is known and reflected in and through the people he met during his public ministry. Indeed, the whole New Testament is a picture of Jesus that goes beyond describing the color of his eyes and hair. And like the disciples who were sent out, we too reflect a family resemblance, marked with the sign of faith, and sent to be the face of Jesus in the world.
Peace.
Father Tim