This week we celebrated the founding of the country. In my seventh year here, I have come to appreciate the fanfare and the events that the city uses to celebrate the courage of the founders and the first citizens. In some ways, they deserved the description of “radical people”. Their ideas were about freedom and the desire to rule themselves using a democratic process of governance by qualified elected people. The final lines of the Declaration of Independence come to my mind when I think of what the founders were hoping for and prepared to do for one another. It reads, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Although they had personal disagreements then, they were able to put them aside for the good of the nation they hoped to form. We too rely on Divine Providence to accomplish what we are doing here in the parish. I would not compare the enormity of what they accomplished to what we are doing; however, the idea is somewhat parallel. All of us coming together, whether to forge a new nation or a new way of being a church first need the help of God and then the best of one another to make this successful. But it takes all of us and our faithful intention to follow Jesus with everything to get where God wants us to go.
I don’t always agree with either of the major parties, and I don’t see the minor candidates as being capable of governing from their positions, but what I admire in all of them is the capacity to have a vision and to be convinced that there is a path that can make us all better at whatever task we set ourselves to do. I have read and enjoyed reading numerous biographies and autobiographies of many of the presidents. Although I am far from a scholar in this area, one of the things that they seem to have in common is the desire to share their vision with others. They hear of the vision and then also work with them. From George Washington’s initial leadership to Abraham Lincoln’s vision of freedom from slavery to Teddy Roosevelt’s Man in the Arena, there is an inspirational thread that can be followed right to this day.
We are called as a church to have a vision too. From the day of Pentecost to today, we are called to be a “radical people” who proclaim the love of God in Jesus Christ. And so as we move into summer, let us not forget our task to proclaim to all of Salem that Jesus Christ is Lord, using the same enthusiasm that the city uses to remember our founding fathers. I hope someday that we will be accused of this, that we were so radical that people opted to join our Church and to offer, with the help of Divine Providence, the Holy Spirit, to dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ and follow him with the same radical love with which he showed to us.
Peace,
Father Murray
Congratulations to Allyson Kapoli and Andrew Allen, and as well to Januario Carriero and Juliette Erath! They were married last week at Immaculate Conception. We wish both new couples a lifetime of joy and love.
Congratulations and thanks to all those who have supported the Catholic Appeal. This week we were informed that we had reached our goal and in fact have gone a little over. Thanks to Deb Adair for her leadership this year. Each year, the Catholic Appeal office asks us to choose a person or persons to be the spokesperson. We have had success each year and I believe it is because we have great people asking great people for help. On behalf of the cardinal, thanks again for your generosity.
Building news: This week I will meet with the company that did the restoration of the arches on the front of the building. I am not pleased at all with the final product. The company also admits that there are some “uneven” spots and so will have to return. Luckily, we have not paid them the final payment, so that is in our favor. The front of the church is beautiful in all its detail. I expect it will be returned to its magnificence.