How I became a weekday sacristan!

August 13, 2014

Dear Father Carl,

If the only thing we own is our sinfulness, then our forgetfulness, mess ups, mix ups are gifts from God and serve a purpose. Yes, Jesus asks us to be perfect as he is perfect. We're to strive for perfection in our daily lives but the kind of perfection Jesus is asking of us does not include forgetting to light the candles on the altar or messing up on the Tantum Ergo during benediction. Your parishioners have no mind to bother with these trivialities. All we want is you. We see your value and realize how blessed we are to have you, a fresh, intelligent, energetic, 21st century priest, so holy and devout, so upbeat and joyful.

You give your whole self to us, even when you're away; even when you're running or riding your bicycle; and when you’re too exhausted to fall asleep at night as well. You present yourself to God so you can give us to The Lord. Then comes another day for you to lead us to holiness.

Do you have faults? We can't see them. Are you forgetful? We don't care. Could you try harder? I doubt it.

I pray for you every day and sometimes I ask God to keep you joyful. Thanks for accepting us as we are while helping us to a greater love for God. Blessings, K

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for your encouraging words. I seemed to be struggling through the liturgy (Mass & Benediction) yesterday! It is taking some time getting used to having the responsibility for not only the bigger picture as administrator, but also keeping an eye on all the smaller details, like setting up for Mass and Adoration without the help of a sacristan! Prayers for Mr. Ingerman and his mother… as he is still in Wisconsin caring for her. God Bless You, Father Carl

November 8, 2015

Dear Father Carl,

I know you’re busy but some things I want to tell you are hard to ignore. Observations from Wednesday’s celebration Mass; November petitions of Pope Francis; First Saturday Mass; Consoling the Heart of Jesus.

When you became emotional at the end of Mass on Wednesday and told us you love us I thought of Pope Francis’s November petition to lift up our pastors that they may have a profound love for their people. People are praying for you all over the world. You can’t help but love us.

Friday before 3PM Divine Mercy I had a few minutes to read from “Consoling the Heart of Jesus” and by the time the others were ready to pray the chaplet, I felt it important to share what I had just read. Father Gaitly suggests we find the best way to console the heart of Jesus by finding out what is causing his desolation of heart. After taking us through a meditation on the Passion, Father Gaitly comes to the conclusion that it isn’t all the abuse and disrespect Jesus experienced or the sins of mankind that is causing his greatest desolation, but our lack of trust in him.

Putting our trust in Jesus is what your homily was about Saturday morning, reminding us that putting our trust in Jesus means turning our will over to him, but you added something important, “We can trust Jesus but can Jesus trust us.”

There’s another observation. At the end of the Meditation, Father Gaitly points out Mary at the foot of the cross. We’ve been struggling to climb the mountain to get to Jesus, almost giving up and turning back, until we see her. And when we reach the cros,s she lifts us up to kiss Jesus. I pictured Mary lifting me up and then I pictured her lifting you up. How did you get in my meditation? I suppose it was Pope Francis's petition again for us to lift up our pastors. This picture isn't so strange. After all we are only little souls,* as St Therese Lisieux calls us, and Father Gaitely reminds us that little souls give Jesus the most comfort. Blessings, K

* “In his book, Consoling the Heart of Jesus, Fr. Michael Gaitley discusses the way that St. Therese offers encouragement to "little souls," those of us too weak to make those great sacrifices that some of the saints offered to God. Instead, we must trust in God's mercy and have faith that instead of a steep stairway, Jesus offers us an elevator!”Blair’s Blessing

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for lifting me up. I will lift you up in my prayers this evening too! Together we'll grow closer to Christ and we'll grow in holiness too. Love of God and Love of Neighbor… it sounds pretty easy, but it is certainly a daily challenge. God bless, Fr. Carl