While I have been very happy to highlight some parishioners who were selected by our parish council as V.I.P.'s (Very Important Parishioners) for the month and look forward to doing it in the future, I realized the other day that it has been rare that I have used this column to highlight the lives of "Saints" who have shown us how to follow Jesus and attain his kingdom in heaven.
Today, I want to speak about a saint whose feast was celebrated on Friday, July 23, St. Bridget of Sweden. Right away most of you can connect with Bridget who lived from 1303-1373 in the reality that she was a loving wife and mother of 8 children. Long before she accepted this vocation from God, it is said that she experienced visions of the crucified Christ beginning when she was seven years of age. In time she became committed to works of charity, especially for unwed mothers and their children. No doubt she taught her children the ways of charity and the many blessings that come when we imitate Christ in this important way. Sadly, her husband of 20 years died, and at some point, St. Bridget gave away all her possessions and entered the third order of St. Francis. Bridget dedicated the rest of her life to reforming religious life and establishing the "Bridgettines" also known as the "Order of The Most Holy Savior" that follows the rule of St. Augustine. What a woman St. Bridget was in her 70 years of life on this earth. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and Religious mother whose virtuous life no doubt inspired her children and many others. She is the patron saint of Sweden and co-patroness of Europe.
Though it is probably not known, I would be willing to guess that she gave most, if not all of her money and possessions to the needy without her children questioning why she didn't give it all to them. I hope she is an example to us of "Christ-like living" and inspire us to charity in our life and in what we plan after we have died. I am truly saddened when I have seen elderly people not use their money for their own adequate support in the name of leaving money and possessions to their loved ones after they die. St. Bridget had her daily needs met by the religious order she joined and chose to give her worldly money and possessions to the works of God. I pray all of us will learn from St. Bridget and so many others and consider those "most in need," which usually are not the family we leave behind in this world after we die. St. Bridget, model of charity, pray for us!
Today, I want to speak about a saint whose feast was celebrated on Friday, July 23, St. Bridget of Sweden. Right away most of you can connect with Bridget who lived from 1303-1373 in the reality that she was a loving wife and mother of 8 children. Long before she accepted this vocation from God, it is said that she experienced visions of the crucified Christ beginning when she was seven years of age. In time she became committed to works of charity, especially for unwed mothers and their children. No doubt she taught her children the ways of charity and the many blessings that come when we imitate Christ in this important way. Sadly, her husband of 20 years died, and at some point, St. Bridget gave away all her possessions and entered the third order of St. Francis. Bridget dedicated the rest of her life to reforming religious life and establishing the "Bridgettines" also known as the "Order of The Most Holy Savior" that follows the rule of St. Augustine. What a woman St. Bridget was in her 70 years of life on this earth. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and Religious mother whose virtuous life no doubt inspired her children and many others. She is the patron saint of Sweden and co-patroness of Europe.
Though it is probably not known, I would be willing to guess that she gave most, if not all of her money and possessions to the needy without her children questioning why she didn't give it all to them. I hope she is an example to us of "Christ-like living" and inspire us to charity in our life and in what we plan after we have died. I am truly saddened when I have seen elderly people not use their money for their own adequate support in the name of leaving money and possessions to their loved ones after they die. St. Bridget had her daily needs met by the religious order she joined and chose to give her worldly money and possessions to the works of God. I pray all of us will learn from St. Bridget and so many others and consider those "most in need," which usually are not the family we leave behind in this world after we die. St. Bridget, model of charity, pray for us!
As I follow-up to last weekend's pastor's column, I want to bring up another option you have when making choices for your funeral services. Before doing so, let me give you something else to think about with regard to having one's body present for the funeral even if you are choosing cremation. Having your body present gives those who are here AND especially those family and friends who are out of town or out of state the opportunity to truly grieve the loss of your physical presence from this world. Having an urn with your cremains in them, does not permit this for most, if not all family and friends.
As far as other choices you have with regard to the funeral liturgy, the Church does allow for remarks of remembrance at some point in our gathering together. While the liturgy may be the only time and place to do this (if there is no reception after the Mass). I encourage these "remembrances" of the deceased to be done at the reception after everyone has gotten their food and have had some time to eat it.
Something "extra" that, I believe is good and appropriate to do at a Mass of Resurrection is to have someone (even me) read a poem or composition like Marcie Margel had chosen before she died to be included at some point in the funeral liturgy. I found it so moving that I want to share it with you (see below). You may want to print it out and let us and your loved ones know that you want it or something else like it read at your funeral. It can say what you want your family to reflect upon in their time of grief (along with the words of faith and hope you have chosen in the readings and the songs of the Mass).
When tomorrow starts without me,
And I’m not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry,
The way you do each day,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn’t get to say.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you;
And each time that you think of me,
Please know I miss you too.
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an Angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand.
The Angel said a place was ready,
In heaven up above;
And that I’d have to leave behind,
All those I truly love.
I had so much to live for,
So much yet to do;
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.
When tomorrow starts without me,
Don’t think we’re far apart;
For every time you think of me,
I’m right here in your heart.
As far as other choices you have with regard to the funeral liturgy, the Church does allow for remarks of remembrance at some point in our gathering together. While the liturgy may be the only time and place to do this (if there is no reception after the Mass). I encourage these "remembrances" of the deceased to be done at the reception after everyone has gotten their food and have had some time to eat it.
Something "extra" that, I believe is good and appropriate to do at a Mass of Resurrection is to have someone (even me) read a poem or composition like Marcie Margel had chosen before she died to be included at some point in the funeral liturgy. I found it so moving that I want to share it with you (see below). You may want to print it out and let us and your loved ones know that you want it or something else like it read at your funeral. It can say what you want your family to reflect upon in their time of grief (along with the words of faith and hope you have chosen in the readings and the songs of the Mass).
When tomorrow starts without me,
And I’m not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry,
The way you do each day,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn’t get to say.
I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you;
And each time that you think of me,
Please know I miss you too.
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an Angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand.
The Angel said a place was ready,
In heaven up above;
And that I’d have to leave behind,
All those I truly love.
I had so much to live for,
So much yet to do;
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.
When tomorrow starts without me,
Don’t think we’re far apart;
For every time you think of me,
I’m right here in your heart.
The past two weeks I and those who have come to the funeral services for Marcie Margel and Ralph Melenson, have experienced someting that we don't see too much here at Sacred Heart Church, that being have their bodies present in a casket for viewing, visitation, the praying of the Rosary, and then the Mass of Resurrection. In both cases these two active parishioners have been sent off for the cremation and then at some point internment of the urn with their cremains AFTER the funeral Mass. I found (as the church teaches) that having their bodies present was truly a blessing for those who came to these funeral services. It allowed the family and our parish family members to grieve the loss of these two faithful and faith filled parishioners by looking at them and praying for them individually (before the Rosary and Mass) and together during these prayer times. We were able to place the white funeral pall over the casket that reminds us of their baptismal purity and innocence and in the case of Ralph, we put items on the casket (ie Rosary, prayer books, and crucifix) that spoke clearly of his faith life while on this earth. Since Ralph was a veteran (of the Army) we were able to drape the American flag on his casket after taking the funeral pall off after Mass and witness the military people take the flag off the casket so it could be folded and given to Phyllis, his widow.
While it is the case that there is an added cost to the family to have the body present for the funeral services before cremation takes place, (ie embalming, renting a casket, and transportation costs of the body being brought to and from the church), I pray that everyone who is planning for themselves or their loved one to be cremated after death, will reflect on the great value and blessing of honoring the body of the deceased that received baptism and many of the other sacraments in their faith life on this world. I know I can speak for Phyllis Melenson, who was very thankful that we did for Ralph WHAT the Church urgesus to do (in the order of Christian funerals) in most instances when cremation will be happening and utilize fully the rites and symbols used to commit the deceased person to the care of the Lord for all eternity.
While it is the case that there is an added cost to the family to have the body present for the funeral services before cremation takes place, (ie embalming, renting a casket, and transportation costs of the body being brought to and from the church), I pray that everyone who is planning for themselves or their loved one to be cremated after death, will reflect on the great value and blessing of honoring the body of the deceased that received baptism and many of the other sacraments in their faith life on this world. I know I can speak for Phyllis Melenson, who was very thankful that we did for Ralph WHAT the Church urgesus to do (in the order of Christian funerals) in most instances when cremation will be happening and utilize fully the rites and symbols used to commit the deceased person to the care of the Lord for all eternity.