Sept 25, 2016

Last Sunday (September 18), the Sts Leo-Seton Knights of Columbus hosted a back to school Pancake Breakfast in the Family Center from 9-10:30 am. The Breakfast was a great success. It was a pleasure for me to visit after the 8:15 am Mass with everyone for a few minutes. My appreciation to all the Knights, who prepared the Family Center and did all the cooking and serving for the Breakfast. I commend the Knights of Columbus for their many good works and service to the Church locally and nationally.  Our Council here is growing and I am grateful to all the efforts being made to build up the spirit of community and fellowship.  I was able to enjoy a few pancakes for lunch, especially the special happy face pancake.  Congratulations to the KCs for their Pancake Breakfast!

Almost every week, we as Catholics observe the feast day of some of the canonized Saints in the history of our Church. This week we have the feast days of two of my favorite Saints and the three Archangels; St. Vincent de Paul on Tuesday, the three Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael on Thursday and St. Jerome on Friday.

Today I want to reflect briefly on the life of St. Vincent de Paul. In his day, St. Vincent was like St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta!  St. Vincent de Paul was born in France in 1580 to a relatively poor family. As a gifted and talented person, he felt called to the Priesthood. He was ordained at a young age and had personal ambitions to be a successful clergyman and be in the higher levels of society. His life as a Priest was radically changed when he was called to visit a peasant and hear his confession. Through the grace of the Lord, Vincent de Paul came to realize that his vocation as a Catholic Priest was to be dedicated to the service of the poor, the needy, the sick, the mentally ill and to prisoners.  St. Vincent de Paul lived his life in doing the corporal works of mercy. During his lifetime, he established hospitals, orphanages and homes for the dying and destitute. St. Vincent de Paul founded an order of Priests, the Vincentians, to preach the Gospel and to help the poor and homeless. Along with St. Louise de Marillac, he founded the Daughters of Charity.  These two religious orders are still vital today and deeply involved in the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The roots of St. Vincent de Paul’s life and ministry were the encounter of Christ in the needs of our neighbor. Among his memorable words to his confreres: “Since God surely loves the poor, he also loves those who love and serve the poor. The poor are our masters and we are their servants.”  Today and for many years, the name of St. Vincent de Paul is synonymous with service to the poor and the needy.  Our Church Parish has a St. Vincent de Paul Society that assists the poor and the needy of our local area.  There are thousands of such groups of men and women in our country and all around the world who offer help, counsel, assistance and guidance to the hungry, the homeless, the needy and the struggling in the name of St. Vincent de Paul.  I thank all of you who support the works of our St. Vincent de Paul group with your prayers and your donations when we have a collection for poor and the needy those four weekends a year when there is a fifth weekend in some months.  In the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, in the example of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and in union with Pope Francis, in this Year of Mercy, may we become more aware and more personally involved in caring for the poor, the sick, the elderly, prisoners, the mentally ill and those who need our kindness, our time, our faith and our resources.  St. Vincent de Paul and St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

My prayers, best wishes, love and gratitude to you and to your loved ones, for who you are and for all you do for the Lord and for the good of St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish.

May we take to heart the words of St. Paul to Timothy, his young protégé, “But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Compete well for the faith.”  In all that we do, may we indeed be faithful, devoted to what is right and just, patient, gentle and gracious to one another.  SHALOM!

Fr. Gary

Homework for the week of Sept 25 - Oct 1
Luke 9:46-50