It is with great pleasure and excitement I announce our new Director of Liturgical Arts Gene Garcia effective January 1, 2018. In his new role Gene will be responsible for all areas of our worship experience including liturgy, music and creative arts.
Gene will serve with a very competent team including Dennis Brown who will continue as Deacon and will also be instrumental in supporting Gene as he assumes his new liturgical responsibilities. Judy Petrie has also assumed additional administrative responsibilities supporting liturgy as well as her current administrative position in music. Sherry DeLuca will also provide liturgical support with her presence at weekend liturgies. We will continue to expand the department as needed to provide and enhance our Liturgical experience.
Pastoral Care previously a part of Liturgical Life is now a separate major ministering Community under the direction of Fr. Rich Jakubik, who will do a wonderful job of directing and guiding the advancement of the Ministry. Mimi Ferlita will continue as Associate Director.
These changes are significant in the ongoing delivery of our mission and vision as a unique, welcoming and vibrant Catholic Community. Please join me in congratulating Gene.
This weekend we celebrate perhaps my favorite feast of the year. The Epiphany story provides a beautiful way to help each of us embrace the personal call that God has for us – for you. As I have mentioned so many times before, and many scripture scholars suggest, a very effective way to pray with a scripture passage is to take the part of one of the characters. In the Epiphany story, try to put yourself in the place of one of the wise men or kings. They had some astrology background and they were attentive to the stars that lit up the night sky. One particular star caught their attention. They responded by following it. Their response connected them with the journey of others who had similar passions and interests – they were following the same star.
But there was something really special about this certain star right from the start. It encouraged them to pack up a gift that represented their homeland. This gift was a natural resource from the area they were from and for some reason the star not only caught their attention, it motivated them to give that valuable something, that important treasure, away.
The narrative of the story continues. These kings/astrologers did not travel alone; they traveled with others. Their path was along the terrain of the land with sturdy, steady animals carrying them. They held in their hands gifts that represented who they had come to believe they were, and they were guided by a special star, one that had something to do with royalty. They kept their eyes on the star. They allowed themselves to be led so they trusted in the goodness of where they were being led. When they came close to their destination they made a bad assumption. They assumed that the star was leading them to the King in the city of Jerusalem. That assumption took them off course. The real destination was a surprise; Bethlehem, a little town nearby. The real King was another surprise, not an authoritarian ruler in fine robes, but an innocent baby born to first time nervous parents who couldn’t find anywhere to stay, but also trusted in the deep spiritual dimension of the unfolding of these surprises.
As much as these magi/king/astrologer/wise men knew about the stars, they never confused the star with its purpose. The star was not the destination. The star was the guide and Jesus is the destination. The star led them to their savior. When they arrived and saw – they were amazed and inspired. They were motivated by the innocence and holiness of the child/King and they were moved by the simple yet warm love of his parents. This moved them to give their gifts away, and in giving their treasures they were really giving themselves.
What is your star? Who is your star? What or who is it that you may, at times, confuse with the destination, but ultimately leads you to your savior? My star is priesthood. It is what continually leads me to the savior. It is what inspires me to give my talents away.
I am so honored to travel with all of you and at times, when I get off course, perhaps by making assumptions, I am equally grateful for the times that you help me to get back on track and to be led to the true destination which is Jesus Christ. I am also consistently inspired by the way that so many of you follow various stars that lead you to the Savior.
Let’s continue to be led by our stars. Let’s continue to travel together and not alone. Let’s keep our eye on the star and not confuse it with its true purpose—it will lead us to THE SAVIOR!