Many of you have seen the film, “The Shawshank Redemption.” I have seen it numerous times and often return to the scene where Andy Dufrane writes his best friend “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you and finds you well.”
As St. Bridget’s moves closer to joining a family with three other north-end parishes, I find myself on occasion a bit overwhelmed by the change that is coming. Whenever that happens, God always blesses me with reasons for hope. Let me share three things I have recently discovered.
Last Saturday at our 5:00 pm Mass, a gentleman read for the first time as a lector. I came to discover that he has been a member of one of our sister parishes for a while but has decided to offer his ministry as a lector to us and the other parishes in our family as a way of engaging the community in our new model of parish life.
The next day after our 9:30 am Mass, two women came up to introduce themselves to me. They are on staff at one of our sister parishes and on their own initiative came to check out our community. I am happy to report they felt very welcome and at home at St. Bridget’s. I trust that you will feel the same if you visit their parish or one of the others in our new family.
This past Monday, I participated in our latest “Synod Listening Session” attended by 18 of our parish members. I was touched by the honesty and sincerity of what people shared. Several expressed their continued hope that the Catholic Church become a more welcoming and inclusive community, that celebrates the gifts of all its members, including the leadership of women. As I write this, later today I will join 150 people who will gather at St. Bridget’s to continue conversation on this topic at the invitation of the Discerning Deacons Organization.
Andy Dufrane is quite right. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. I hope this finds you well.
Blessings of peace,
Fr. William Heric, Pastor