My Dear Friends,
This weekend, the Church throughout the world is invited to think, to thank, and to pray for and about vocations to the Consecrated Life.
In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted “World Day for Consecrated Life” as a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed, symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is celebrated in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church.
Those of us of a certain age were very familiar with the female and male Religious who populated the parochial schools, secondary schools, and Religious Education programs of our youth. In many ways, they were the Church for us. They shared their Faith and their enthusiasm with us and we were enamored of them. We are the practicing Catholics that we are today mainly through their efforts and our parents’ example. We as individuals and as a Church owe these good women and men a tremendous debt of thanks.
The story and the history of these dedicated Religious has yet to be written. When it is, I recommend this as the title of the work: All This, and Long Division Too.
Here at St. David Parish we are blessed to have the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, ministering in our school and in our parish. As you remember the Sisters and Brothers of your youth, please take a moment to think about them, to thank them and to pray for them. You can be sure that they prayed for you then and that they still do. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God’s gift of their vocation.
God Bless You,
Father Kennedy