Triduum workshop - Principal Search - Rectory/Office project - MARCH 31, 2007

Thank you to all who participated in the Triduum workshop with Blessed Sacrament last Sunday. The spirit of the day was so joyful as we reflected on the beauty of the Triduum. It is my hope that the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil liturgies be celebrated with great dignity and spirit this year. We will be receiving Susan Grieve and Carol Baggott into the Catholic Church as well as confirming them in our faith at the Vigil.

The search committee for the new principal is well on its way. We have narrowed the candidates down to four. By Easter we will hopefully have an announcement to make. It is very gratifying to know that there are so many talented people interested in Catholic education.

Finally on April 12 there will be a meeting concerning the rectory/office project. William Amberg (trustee), David Loftus (trustee), Paul Languirand (finance chair) and Carol Nelson from the Diocese will be in attendance. Work will begin once we have secured the necessary permits and have evaluated the various bids for the project. A big thank you to all whose contributions make this renovation possible.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 31, 2007

Fostering a deeper appreciation of Holy Week - MARCH 17, 2007

Fourth Station of the Cross

On the next two Sundays we will be offering workshops that will foster a deeper appreciation of Holy Week. Next Sunday, March 25, from 3 -5 p.m. there will be a joint workshop with Blessed Sacrament for our liturgical ministries. It will take place in our parish hall and will highlight the key aspects of the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil services. On Palm Sunday, April 1, after the 11:30 liturgy we will have the “Wonder Trail” workshop in the school hall. This will be sponsored by the young mother’s group in our parish. The purpose of the workshop will be to highlight our Easter traditions. Key symbols of our faith: the Easter egg, lily, the lamb, etc. will be on display. At Advent we had a workshop that centered around the wreath. This was such a success we wanted to offer another growth opportunity for our young families.

A few months back we resurrected the ministry of greeter here at St. Luke’s. The following prayer expresses our desire to be a parish of welcome and hospitality:

“Welcoming God, teach us to be generous in offering hospitality. Help us to be welcoming as you are welcoming with reverence and care, mindfulness and respect. May our greetings be marked by sincerity and our actions be marked by tenderness. May all that we do for ourselves and others invite happiness and promise delight, seek peace and offer healing, encourage simplicity and share affection, acknowledge faith and extend friendship. Enlarge our hearts to embrace all people with love and bless our efforts to be hospitable.”
(Charlotte Zalot, O.S.B., The Fire of Peace)

Fr. Bob Hawkins MARCH 17, 2007

Photo by Caji from Kuwait via flickr under Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 )

God’s presence revealed in burning bush experiences - MARCH 11, 2007

In today’s reading from Exodus we encounter Moses and the burning bush. For Moses this is a deep religious experience as God reminds him that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We all have had burning bush experiences in our life; the birth of a child, our wedding or ordination day. Lent is a good time to slow down enough to notice the signs of God’s presence and love all around us. Maybe it’s a matter of enjoying a sunset or delighting in a snowfall. Maybe God’s presence is revealed to you through family and friends. Maybe it’s a matter of setting time aside for prayer to listen to the voice of God. Whatever your burning bush is, don’t pass it by. Let it reveal God to you. Then your life will be changed. Then you will at least begin to reform and better reveal God’s presence to others.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 11, 2007

Burning Bush Photo from Lenthall Chapel by Gill Poole via flickr

Thank-you - Twice MARCH 3, 2007

As I write this brief note on Wednesday morning, I have just finished sorting through a mountain of mail. Most of the mail these days consists of sympathy cards. I never knew there were so many types of sympathy cards. Yet what all of them have in common is how lucky I am to have so many friends. Last year I received a thank you after attending a funeral. This note expresses the thoughts of my family.

“Perhaps you sent a lovely card, or sat in a chair.
Perhaps you sent us
beautiful flowers. If so, we saw them there.
Perhaps you spoke the kindest
words that any friend could say.
Perhaps you were not there at all, just
thought of us that day.
Whatever you did to console our hearts,
We thank you so much, whatever your part.”

Thank you to all who attended Father Creedon’s mission this week. Please keep me in your prayers as I preach a mission at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston. Also, the search committee will meet for the first time this Thursday. Please keep that as well in your prayer intentions.
Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 3, 2007