From Fr. Brian

05-08-2020Letters From Fr. BrianRev. Brian F. Manning

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Mary,

As the days lengthen with the beauty of the sunlight and warmth, most of us are desiring to gather with family and friends on weekends to enjoy their love and friendship, but it is still not yet possible. The outside temperature has started to warm u during the day, but still it is cool enough to dampen about of the desire for the outdoors. The wheel of life and time continues to turn and we know that this Sunday, May 10, 2020 is Mother’s Day. On this day we honor all those who cared for us as our Mothers. This is the wonderful remembrance day of “Mother’s Day.” Also, hidden a little bit in our unconscious is that this is the season for First Communion’s, Weddings and Graduations.

I feel the disappointment of our beautiful young ones who will not be able to make their First Communion at this time. For two years they have been attending Religious Education Classes to help them to prepare. They have learned of God’s love for them, of the Holy Mass, of Holy Communion and many of the wonderful truths and gifts found in the Catholic Tradition and Church. Hopefully, their parents have been taking them to Mass before this quarantine and that they know the beauty of the ritual and rhythm of Mass. These young ones in many ways are “the most important parishioners this year” in our Parish. After their First Communion, each Sunday when their parents will be able to take them to Mass, they will participate fully at Mass by receiving the Lord Jesus. By example and action their parents will allow their child(ren) to receive each week the greatest spiritual gift we have, the Body of Christ. All of us are saddened by this loss for most of us remember with fondness our own First Communion. When we put aside the silly stories that we tell about Church etc., we know how sacred this gift of Holy Communion is. These young ones will in the Fall have a great and wonderful First Communion, marked with love, joy and song. We will help them celebrate and remember the First Communion, this great gift of our God.

The hopes and dreams of couples who were planning to marry this coming season have been diminished by this quarantine. As the American custom to have large and expensive wedding receptions influences wedding plans, those who had planned to marry at Saint Mary’s this season have had to readjust everything. Some have decided to delay the Wedding Ceremony and Reception for one year. Others have chosen to have the 10 person Wedding Ceremony now and then in the future have the major party. Wedding Receptions are celebrations for loved ones to mark a great event to honor the couple with hopes and wishes of a happy life together. Sometimes this gets “lost in the wash”. There is, in fact, no one correct decision regarding these weddings. It appears that the critical deciding factor is whether the Reception Facility, Music People, Florist, Limo Companies etc.  will refund their often sizable deposit and void the contract or insist that they reschedule and keep everything. Unfortunately this money issue obscures for so many that marriage is a sacrament and is a wondrous, but serious matter. To enter into a loving religious marriage can get lost in the deposit/contract matters. No matter what, we will as a parish staff try to help the couple in rescheduling their plans. Our Church does not need to be one more problem for folks.

We need to acknowledge the feelings of our people who are confused by the lack of a Graduation Ceremony to mark their achievement of an educational level. From Pre-K’s to Graduate Schools, many people feel the void of a ritual to mark the end and also the new beginning in life before them. It is not only high school seniors who are experiencing a loss, although this is a very large group of young people in our Town and Parish who are experiencing this loss.  Graduation marks a destination point in life and also the beginning of a new journey. We are sorry for the loss of celebrating at reaching an important destination, but we hope and pray that your next journey be surrounded with God’s grace and light. May you take the Catholic Way of Life with you as you begin your next trip.

I have noticed the appearance of more outdoor deck furniture and gas grills around the parish. We are all beginning the good weather style of cooking outside and gathering with love and laughter as we watch the food “burn” on the grill. Perhaps at this time you can only yell over a distance to your neighbors to say hello and talk, but know that gathering now in these days with your family and sharing a meal is a special gift which before the quarantine was often lacking in our lives. The busyness of our lives kept us from sharing and living our lives with our loved ones. The quarantine allows us to begin again making the ones we love the center of our time and life.

I receive many emails each week which tell me about how much folks appreciate the spiritual richness of Catholic TV ( catholictv.org ). The Masses, Prayer Services, the Rosary, the talk shows all contribute to a strong spiritual support. We are blessed in the Archdiocese to have this as a special spiritual gift in these days of quarantine. Their Masses cannot be equaled.

Thank you for your constant support of our  Saint Vincent’s in their mission of aiding those in need. You have faithfully dropped necessary items to the wooden side door of the church building at the top of the driveway and also have mailed in financial donations to the Rectory. Your constant and faithful support of our Parish of Saint Mary is impressive. I am grateful to who have thoughtfully sent financial support to our Parish via on-line giving (found at stmarysfranklin.org) or mailed in or dropped through the Rectory mail slot.

This week we lift up in prayer our mothers who are with us and we also thank our God for those who have gone before us. We make this prayer through the intercession of Mary, Mother of God and also our special patron, Saint Rocco. May Saint Rocco protect those who are ill and keep us all safe and well.

God bless,
Father Brian

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