REQIUM WITH SAINT CATHERINE
Agnus Dei Agnus Dei Qui Tolles Peccata Mundi Donna Nobis Requim. (Charlotte Church sings it gloriously--get the CD for Christmas.)
The Wonderful Counselor told me to get out of Dodge the Sunday before the Election madness to visit with my adorable two year old nephew, who was outfitted in his Curious George costume for neighborhood trick-or-treating in Connecticut. I went to All Soul's Day at Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in Riverside, Connecticut (next door to Greenwhich), http://www.stcath.org/- and knew all the songs. Probably annoyed the choir because I actually sung choir parts (ever so softly) Some mezzo-Soprano with an incredibly beautiful rich voice did her best at a Charlotte Church immitation and pulled it off. She should be on broadway- and might be-it's Greenwhich after all here.
The lovely Monsignor Alan Detscher delivered a great homily on praying for our relatives and parish friends who passed over reminding us that we all will one day leave these temples of the Holy Spirit and live hopefully "In the Spirit" with Him and in Him in a new and powerful way. I almost told him I saw the head of Saint Catherine in Sienna but then thought-hasn't everyone!
Two things I want to jump up and down and shout "Yahoo Horray For you!" for at that church;
The Samaritan's Purse Christmas shoe box drive and the Saint Luke's Life Works mission they sponsor.
The Samaritan's Purse is an eceumenical (religious non-partisan) organization that has an amazing ministry- this church accepts donations of empty shoe boxes (don't throw them out, send them here) and then parishioners take one and fill it with Christmas presents and goodies for either a girl or boy within an age appropriate range that they indicate on the box. Include a check for $7.00 for shipping and handling and the Samaritan's Purse foundation does the rest and gives some destitute child around the globe- all around the world a christmas present. www.Samaritanspurse.org
The Saint Luke's Life Works (www.stlukeslifeworks.org) is a leading social service org. in New England providing shelter, education, and support services to homeless folks- they are accepting now towels and sheets. There are kids in this program- families with kiddies. So if you have anything that your kids don't need or are tired of, send it along to them. They are looking for kiddies educational DVDs, gently used blankets, towels, bath rugs (not skanky please), all kinds of cleaning supplies, gift certificates, kids educational things like pens, pencils, colored paper, personal hygene stuff for men and women, batteries for kiddies toys and twin bed sheets.
So if you are looking for ways to be really helpful this Christmas, here are two ideas. Regardless of who gets elected.
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