Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: October 29, 2017
When we use the word “miracle” we usually are thinking of great works of the Lord like His walking on water or healings of the sick. Sometimes we also use it to refer to more common but still awe-inspiring things, like the miracle of life that lets us snuggle newborn babies or the miracle of love that helps us find that perfect spouse or vocation. (And, as one friend of mine told me last week, “The miracle of a job for my college-graduate son, that will now let him move out of the house!”)
But I admit that the word “miracle” was also what went through my mind last weekend. The entire morning saw us endure one harsh rainstorm after another. During the 10 am Mass the electricity was flickering so much that Robbie decided it wasn’t smart to keep playing our grand gallery organ “Providence,” so he and the choir moved to the smaller Wickes organ by the ambry. Although I tried to keep smiling, inside I was preparing for the ordeal of celebrating our annual GRAND Day in possibly the worst conditions imaginable.
But the rain lightened to a drizzle by the time 12 noon Mass began, and during that next hour – while we celebrated a wonderful family Mass inside the Cathedral – stopped completely! Our GRAND Day celebration continued with no problems whatsoever: the KCs grilled the hamburgers and hotdogs outside without getting soaked, the streets were available for the little train and for pony rides, the petting zoo stayed outside (and popular with the kids!), folks could get to the ice-cream truck, etc., etc. Inside the Parish Hall food and drink was enjoyed, but so were balloons, face-painting, caricatures, Zydeco music, and more! And attendance, while maybe a little less than last year, was really wonderful, especially in the number of families and children who came! In short, a GRAND experience all the way around for GRAND Day!
I really have to thank not only Dan Bouy and the other KCs who spearheaded the food preparation and serving, but also Erick Swenson, Joy Weston, and the rest of the Development Committee who attended to all of the other details of GRAND Day as usual. This year the Committee’s chair, Mrs. Bobbie Carey, had to be absent due to her mother’s recent very serious illness, but she clearly was with us in spirit, helping us stay enthusiastic even during the early-morning deluge!
As Catholics, our prayerful worship and works of charity are the most important “defining elements” of our faith, but as members of a Parish family, our moments of community fellowship like GRAND Day are also vital. Our religion is not individualistic but always shared, and once again God has miraculously helped teach us that lesson! We’re already looking forward to a less nerve-wracking and even better GRAND Day next year!
Please re-read my column in last week’s issue of The Carpenter to make sure that you don’t miss any of the important events coming up in November of this year. From All Saints’ Day through to Thanksgiving, a lot happens here at the Cathedral during the month of the Holy Souls: you and your friends are always invited to be part of it all!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Paul
