Wednesday, March 31, 2010

EASTER OUTREACH

PARISH OUTREACH ON EASTER SUNDAY
Denise Levy and her family are organizing an outreach project for Little Portion Friary. The Levy's are putting together traditional Easter baskets and delivering them on Easter Sunday.  Can you help out?  Email her at dmlevy@verizon.net.

Denise and her family are bringing the following food items:
Dyed, hard boiled eggs - 3 to 4 dozen
Rye bread - 2 to 3 loaves
Butter lambs - 2 to 3
Whole fruit (I've done a mixture of bananas, apples and oranges in the past)
Yogurt
Orange juice - 2 1/2 gallons (the men there really seem to go through this)

Can you give something too?  Please help out this Easter.  Thank you Denise and family for your generous spirit!  You are a blessing to our parish.

Easter is the greatest Christian holyday. We celebrate Jesus’ Passover from death to life (Mt. 28). Many of the foods traditionally blessed are those of the ancient Passover meal – lamb, bread, wine and bitter herbs (Exodus 12).   Read more about the symbolism of traditional Easter foods...

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Spirituality 101 Talk N. Erie Vicariate Lecture

If anyone is interested, here are my notes from last night's lecture at St. John the Baptist R.C. Church. I didn't do any formatting here - if you want a Word document instead just send me an email - deaconhynes@gmail.com. peace!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Looking back this week

The homily this weekend was a tough one. Moral homilies are rare today and they are always difficult to preach, and I suspect, to hear. In fact I wish I didn't have to preach them at all, but I know they must be preached when the Gospel and/or Liturgy of the Word takes me there in prayer. Many parishioners pointed out that, painful as they may be for some people to hear, some things need to be said. It's so hard to voice Christ and His Church's moral teaching in a culture that simply doesn't recognize sin as problem. For many Jesus is just a nice guy, not a teacher. It's hard to be a disciple (a student) of Christ anymore; we all want to teach Him and the Church instead! It was a Lenten penance for me to preach this last homily. Thank you for your prayer.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Praying & Thinking Time

I do most of my thinking about spiritual things at night. Much of what happens in a parish like St. Benedict's is behind the scenes, unseen for the most part. It's all in the preparation, and night time is prep time for me!

Here are parish things I am thinking about and working on tonight: 1. this weekend's homily, 2. Monday's "Spirituality 101" Lecture at St. John the Baptist Church in Kenmore [7:30 pm -I hope you can make it] and 3. RCIA and Holy Week liturgies.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Homily - 5th Sun. Lent (C)

I'm up to preach this coming weekend. At this point, I am leaning toward doing an Ignatian "representation of place," meaning that I will ask us to put ourselves "into" the scene. Then I'd like to make some application to our real lives today - sin, shame, sexuality, Jesus' compassion, Holy Week, etc.

What are your thoughts? I'd love to read them. Contact me at deaconhynes@gmail.com.

Deacon Bill+

Friday, March 12, 2010

Reaching Out!

Praised Be Jesus Christ!

What are your dreams for St. Benedict's Church? I ask myself this question often.

I hope this blog will help us realize that it is our turn to spread the Gospel to our friends, family and neighbors. It's our turn to be living Gospels for the world to read. Wherever we are on our faith journey, we can take the next step and grow spiritually. Paradoxically, we grow spiritually by sharing the Good News. That's because we become more like Jesus when we do that.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Welcome

Welcome to the latest idea from the St. Benedict Tech Committee. We hope to bring you new venue for understanding your Catholic faith and the opportunities available at St. Benedict. Bear with us as we find our way. If you have any suggestions, please email us at rectory@saintbenedicts.com.

Welcome

Welcome to the St. Benedict's Blog. Here you will read reflections, from...