October 2010

Pet Blessing memories

Community Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

Check out this article from the Neighborhood Files at EastMeadowPatch along with some great photos by author, Kim Plummer: Animal Instincts: Pets Receive Blessings at St. Francis Church

Residents and parishioners gather at St. Francis Church with their cats, dogs and fish for the annual blessing of the animals.

Residents, parishioners, cats, dogs and fish gathered at St. Francis Catholic Church on Saturday for the blessing of the animals.

Saint Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals and the environment. Traditionally, Catholic churches hold ceremonies to bless animals during the Feast of St. Francis on Oct. 4.

“Saint Francis referred to all animals as brothers and sisters, and it was reported that wild animals had no fear of him,” Thomas Kompa, parishoner, said during the ceremony.

St. Francis Catholic Church holds the annual event on the weekend so that more community members can attend. The church has held the blessing annually for the past 20 years.

Father Andrew Koterba said a prayer for all of the animals in attendance, as well as blessings for sick animals. In the spirit of St. Francis, Father Koterba encouraged those in attendance to help animals and our environment however they can: build a bird feeder, donate to an animal shelter, grow a garden or recycle.

For Joan McGratti of Wantagh having their cats blessed with her husband and daughters has become an annual tradition. Joan, her husband, Bill, and their two daughters, Lana and Laura, as well as each of their cats have been attending the ceremony for the past six years.

“It’s a beautiful and inviting Church, and it’s great that our cats are invited to be here, too, inside of the Church,” said Joan McGratti while holding her black cat, Raven.

For other pet owners it was their first time having their animals blessed. Jiselle MacDonald and her daughter Natalie brought their cat, Vinnie. Vinnie was dressed appropriately with a collar and black bow tie for the event.

“Vinnie is like a member of our family,” said Jiselle MacDonald, an East Meadow resident who moved here two years ago. “This morning my daughter was asking me if this was his Christening.”

Like MacDonald, most pet owners consider the ceremony an important way to strengthen bonds between a family and their pet. Carlo and Carla Calabrese, with their daughter Adrianna, brought their 2-year-old dog Daisy to be blessed for the third time.

“We want her to be protected fully. This is kind of like her baptism,” Carla Calabrese said. “Daisy is a major part of our family.”

Pet Blessing memories Read More »

Reflection for 30th Sunday Ordinary Time – C

From the Pastor /

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, from now on a merited crown awaits me.

All the time most of us are amazed by good athletes like: Michael Jordan, the Williams Sisters, Aggasi, Nadal, and many others. We are amazed by what they achieved, and some of us wish to be as good as they are. But I do not think that many times we realize how many hours they have to spend in practice in order to have those good results.

A couple years ago there was interview with Andre Agasi, who at that time was number one in the world. The year before he was number 120 in the world. One of the question was: What happened that you fell so much in the ranking. Agasi said that he thought that the talent which he has will be enough, that he does not have to put too much effort toward his training. When he started go lower and lower with his ranking he blamed everybody around but not himself. He blamed his coach. But one day he realized what his coach said long time ago: “TALENT ISTSELF IS NOT ENOUGH AND IF HE WANTS TO BE A BETTER PLAYER, HAS TO PRACTICE MORE OFTEN.”

We can change this sentence and put it into our life: “IF I WANT TO BE A GOOD CHRISTIAN I HAVE TO LISTEN TO MY COACH, I HAVE TO PRACTICE MORE OFTEN.”

But who is my coach?

Jesus Christ is our coach, good religious books can be our coach, the Bible is our coach, and Holy Sprit is our coach. Many times our coach is very tough on us because he wants us to exercise every day, and we would claim that we do not have time for this, or we do not want to have time for the SPIRITUAL EXERCISE. We would rather spend our time with our friends, next to TV, or other ways.

Parents are supposed to be the good example of good Christian life to their children, youth to their friends, and we as Christians to the world. In order to be a good Christian we have to have knowledge about our faith, about Jesus Christ. To have up-to-date knowledge we have to read the Bible, and good religious books. To be good Christians we have to exercise our faith. Even the best athlete without exercise will very soon become one of the worst, will be the outsider. The same can happen to us.

Ghandi, the great leader of India said that: Christianity is the most beautiful religion that he ever saw. But when he was asked why he did not convert to Christianity, if Christianity is such a good religion, Ghandi Answered: “I have never met a Christian who spends life according to Christian’s rules.”

It is sad, but maybe Ghandi met only those Christians who never practiced or stopped to practice their religion, maybe he met only outsiders.

So let us start to exercise more seriously our religion, our faith, than we will be able to repeat after St. Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, from now on a merited crown awaits me.” Amen.

Reflection for 30th Sunday Ordinary Time – C Read More »

Reflection for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time – C

From the Pastor /

In today’s Gospel we see Jesus who is compassionate, Loving God. He forgives, and He cures. But we can see that this loving and compassionate God wants our gratitude toward Him.

When we do something good for others, deep in our hearts we look for the word “thanks”. In our society there are too many people like the ungrateful nine who were cured but did not express their thanks.

Since last Sunday’s Mass how often did we thank God? Even when we attended Mass, how often is the thought of thanks in our heart? It should be because Holy Mass is the perfect place of giving thanks for God’s blessings in our lives.

The very word Eucharist, another word for Mass, means THANSKIVING. The first purpose of sacrifice is to give glory to God. Praise is giving thanks.

The grateful leper returned to Christ who had healed him, was “praising God with a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus, giving Him Thanks.” That is exactly what we do in every Holy Mass.

I do not know if you noticed how often during the Holy Mass we use the word “THANKS”.

  • In the GLORIA: “we give you thanks… for your glory.”
  • Often the opening prayer includes a word of thanks for the feast or mystery we are celebrating.
  • The Preface begins: “Father, all powerful and everlasting God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
  • Right before the consecration the priest recalls that Jesus took bread and gave thanks to His heavenly Father.
  • We thank God through mouth of the Priest for counting us worthy to stand in the presence of God.
  • When we receive Holy Communion We should praise and adore Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, All of us should be like the man in the Gospel – ready to come back again and again to Jesus, to give thanks.

We can not take example of those nine lepers, that once their prayers were answered, they went away from Jesus, and never came back.

We have to take the example of that one leper, who made the effort to come back and gave praise and thanks to God.

My friends we have easier way to do. We do not have walk long distance to Jesus. He is here in this Tabernacle, on this Altar during every Mass. He awaits us every day. Let’s come as often as we can to give Him thanks and praise.

May God bless you and Mary always keep you in her prayers.

Reflection for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time – C Read More »

Åš+P Zachary B. Rosales

From the Pastor /

On August 8th Fr. Andrew celebrated a Requiem Holy Mass in memory of Zach B. Rosales who was tragically killed. During Holy Mass Zach’s whole family and his friends prayed for him, and for love and peace in our families, our neighborhood, and our world.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Dale, Señor, el descanso eterno. Brille para él la luz perpetua.
Descanse en paz. Amén.

Åš+P Zachary B. Rosales Read More »

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