November 15th, 2008
A rainy Saturday morning gave way to sun as the Mass of Ordination for Friars Eric de la Peña and Justin Ross was ending. Many friars, family members, friends and parishioners gathered at Most Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn to witness the presbyteral ordination of our two confreres.
Bishop William Callahan, OFM Conv., Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee, presided over his first priestly ordination and based his homily on the Gospel of Jesus' triple questioning of Peter after the resurrection to remind those present that a personal love relationship with Jesus and the Church precedes the call to be a shepherd.
The music was led by Redemptorists Kevin O'Neil and James Dowd, along with the exceptional singing of the St. Alphonsus Schola accompanied by their Brass Quartet and Timpani.
For the week of November 23 (Thanksgiving):
For the next few weeks, the Social Justice Corner will be dedicated to offering alternatives to our society’s commercial Christmas. May the true Spirit of Christmas birth Christ in our hearts and lives!
The Christmas Pledge: Believing in the beauty and simplicity of Christmas, I commit myself to the following: 1. To remember those people who truly need my gifts; 2. To express my love for family and friends in more direct ways than presents; 3. To rededicate myself to the spiritual growth of my family; 4. To examine my holiday activities in light of the true spirit of Christmas; 5. To initiate one act of peacemaking within my circle of family and friends.—from Unplug the Christmas Machine, by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli as quoted in http://www.newcelebrations.com/Advent_Christmas_Pledge.htm
Before donating to any organization, you might want to use “Charity Navigator?” It’s an “independent charity evaluator, (that) works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities.” You can browse by category, view the top ten charities, and check out their rating system on-line at http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/content.view/cpid/518.htm
How about sending an organic Christmas bouquet? Organic Bouquet flowers are grown and harvested using practices that aim to improve the quality of farm working conditions, minimize damage to ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and enhance environmental quality for future generations. They educate consumers about the benefits of purchasing sustainably grown and certified organic flowers. With every flower or gift purchase, 10% of the sale will be donated to Co-op America. By partnering with Co-op America, they hope to assist in working for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all generations to come. Shop on line at www.organicbouquet.com/Info.aspx?pid=176 or ask for a catalog by phone 877/899-2468