The Pastor's Pen

 
September 25, 2022, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

A Great Gift: Words of gratitude are due to Joe and Marion Mooney, Terry Daly, Jeanne Dennis, and Deb Journalist for their many efforts to plan  and conduct yet another successful CTK Charitable l Golf Tournament and to Willow Bend Country Club for their  fine hospitality on September 12th. .   All  participants can be very proud of the fact that the finds raised through this annual event are being devoted to charity. A gift of $25,000 from proceeds of the Golf Tournament was presented for use by the CTK  Resources and Financial Assistance Ministry, designated for housing needs especially for  those who are being displaced from long term rentals in the current real estate market  and  often need help with some portion of the  first, last and security deposits required  in order to relocate. Those who turn to the parish for such assistance will be able to be better helped thanks to all who were part of this enjoyable, effective and much needed  annual fund raiser for charity. 

Light in Darkness:   As the anniversary of  9/11, the infamous day of  terrorist attacks was observed this year, there was a documentary aired on one of the cable networks that focused on the story of  what happened to commercial airliners and their passengers that were grounded on that day when it was realized that  highjacked planes were being used as weapons. The special focused on the town of Gander in , Newfoundland, a town of less than 10,000 residents, but one which because of its strategic location on the North Atlantic coast  had an extensive airstrip  dating back to the Second World War. It was there that  some 38  airliners being  diverted inflight from scheduled landings in the United States  were instructed to land until further notice. At first, some 7000 passengers and crew were kept on the planes on the tarmac, but as the situation unfolded in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania that day, it became  clear that these flights were not going to be taking off anytime soon, and so  conditions on the airliners were becoming quite uncomfortable. The population of Gander and other surrounding towns were  nearly doubled when all the passengers and crew were eventually  taken off the planes. What do you do when  some 7,000 unexpected guests arrive? Amazingly, the people of  this region  sprang into action to provide hospitality by  making sure there would be shelter at various public buildings ,churches, community halls and private homes, and food was prepared around the clock,  not professionally catered food mainly, but homemade! Sleeping bags and cots were gathered from homes and disaster relief centers in the general area;  people lent or gave   people clothing, provided transportation to stores and pharmacies; and  organized  recreation and entertainment. One woman resident of Gander who was  interviewed said:  “I knew that they were fortunate to be stranded here, because surely we would look after them. “  That they did and then some as they  worked  day and night to  provide for their guests and  even formed enduring  bonds of friendship with the “plane people”  as the Newfoundlanders  came to call their guests..   The remembrance of this quite unusual experience and amazing display of human kindness and hospitality is preserved in a popular musical theatre production entitled “Come From Away”  which has won  several Tony awards on Broadway. Yet what the television documentary  clearly shows is that the people of Gander rose to the overwhelming challenge they were  quite unexpectedly presented because of  a spirit of community and care that already existed among them. Indeed neighborly care and concern in action was  what they were already well  practiced at showing one another especially  in times of sadness or  hardship.  Thus when 7000 strangers got stranded in their midst  they just did more of it all at the same time to be sure that their unexpected guests  would be  welcomed and  made as comfortable as possible and be well fed and entertained  during  their time there..  When the flights resumed  a few  days later, sincere bonds of friendship had formed and there were genuine tears shed as guests and hosts bid farewell to one another. 

Certainly, many terrible things happen in our world on account of the   forces of darkness that can invade and permeate human minds and hearts and these events often. grab the  headlines.   Yet ,we should be certain that even though we do not necessarily hear of the good as much as  we do the bad, that in the midst of any darkness  there is usually  light shining from minds and hearts imbued with the Holy Spirt of God. The  story of Gander and its neighboring towns is thankfully being made known through a  Broadway musical and a television documentary, revealing  one fine example of that divine light and goodness which should both inspire us to be hopeful and encourage us to also  be sources of light, agents of  God’s goodness,  in the world’s darkness that can  cast its shadows  even our own small corner of this world. 

  . 

Blessing of Animals :   Sunday October 2, 2022, at noon time  in  the front yard of the Rectory in front of the Statue of St Francis of Assisi,   Please bring dogs on a leash, and cats safely protected in cat carriers so that the brief blessing ceremony is safe.

Surviving Divorce:   A  support program for those enduring the  pain of divorce will be held at Our Lady of Victory  Parish  in Centerville, beginning on September 22nd but new participants will be welcome to join even up to October 6th.   Those interested in further information should contact Frank Patch, who coordinates and moderates the sessions  and may do so by  calling 207-337-2076 or emailing f.h.patch@gmail,com