Holy Spirit Catholic Community

"Embrace The Spirit of Holy Spirit"

Street Address---4400 Continental Drive---Mailing Address--3930 East Lake Butte, Montana 59701

406-494-5078---Fax 406-494-5726

Weekend Mass Schedule:  Saturday 6:00 PM, Sunday 9:00 AM; Reconciliation, 1st Sunday of every month 8:15-8:45 AM---Weekday Mass Schecule---. Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM---Friday 11:00 AM at the Waterford Retirment Center

Come And Journey With Us

In June of 2005, Carol and I were discussing our journey. What prompted the morning chat was the beginning of my second three year term of service as your Pastoral Administrator of Holy Spirit Parish. As I spoke about the richness of this past three years, Carol reminded me that the stories and life experiences that we have shared have been moments of awakening of the human spirit that thrives on caring about others. It is in that light that we wish to share some of these stories with you.

Click on the appropriate link

January-2007 to Current

Come Journey with us---September 16^, 2007

Come Here! Come Hear! Which one is more inviting?

“Are you smarter than a 5th grader?”  Last week we decided to watch the show because of a promo that we saw. How difficult could the questions be for heaven’s sake? The degree of difficulty rose with each question and the contestant was able to use several sources of help…the closest being a panel of fifth graders. We chuckled at the lack of self- confidence in the contestants as they nervously gave an answer and then retreated to a fifth grader to make sure they had it right. We were amazed at how much we learned… that we thought we already knew. Needless to say, we were glad the camera wasn’t recording us. When you think about it, there is much that we forget as we get older. Our priorities become clouded as a result of our need to “get it right”. The things we may have learned and forgotten since fifth grade are endless and yet, they are what formed our education and strengthened our skills at living life.

Last Sunday we had our reconnect breakfast for the Parish to come together (in a warm place) to share the goodness of our community and feed each other…(Just like the picnic…without the snow.)  Thanks to all the energy that went into the set-up and preparation and clean up we shared the goodness of our parish. The breakfast was well attended and the food was wonderful. After the meal, we played Bible Trivia. Most of us are pretty secure in the formation of our Catholic faith and what we were taught since being small children.  And for most of the questions we thought it was a no-brainer.  But it is amazing how often we were “not sure” of our answer or we were “sure” and we were wrong.

A great time was had by all…and an added bonus…we learned something. Everyone has a story.  Often we are not compelled to tell it because we don’t think we matter…or someone else is more interesting than “just me”.

How lucky we are to need each other…and how rich we are when we experience that closeness.  We pause to ask, “what is wrong with the world today?” The list can be overwhelming. But ask yourself, “What is right with the world today?” What is listed in your heart? The greatest thing we have going for us is our need to touch each other and show our compassion to the young and the old…to the mighty and the weak…to the sick and the healthy…to the rich and the poor.  When we gather at table…be it anywhere we break bread and share, we fill that hunger to “sit with the world’s pain” and pray for answers as we share our life stories. When working in youth ministry we would invite the youth to come at least once to our gathering. Most of them came back because they were invited and not because they were “expected” by someone else’s need. Most of us busily trek through life and we often refuse an invitation that makes us pause and reflect. We become overwhelmed with the “pace” of life that we overlook the opportunity to have the “peace” in life. 

In October we will begin our Whole Community Catechesis Program. One Sunday of each month we will break bread again sharing breakfast with each other and share our “story”. That is what Catechesis really encompasses…learning and teaching. No wrong questions…no wrong answers. We hear and we digest and we share all of that with everyone we touch. On Oct. 14th come to breakfast after the 9:00 liturgy.…stay for the rich experience of learning more about our selves and each other. What does it mean…to “BE”? Invite a friend. We’ll supply the food...you supply your faith stories and questions.

Please Come Hear!

 Deacon Dan and Carol

Come Journey with us---September 9, 2007

When all is said and done, we pause at the end of the day to think about the people who have touched our lives in some way and how that contact has changed us.  Having the opportunity to dialyze in Butte for the summer, we have felt the release of pressure from the three travel days to and from Missoula. One of the most wonderful aspects of all that travel was experiencing the goodness of every person who provided transportation each day. The conversations and the concern and the deep faith of the journey will never be forgotten. As of August, I have a permanent dialysis chair in Butte and therefore no longer have to face the long drives and the winter roads. Dialysis is a miraculous treatment for people who cannot filter the toxins in their body. We have great respect for the miracle of the human body. God didn’t just give us the basics like plumbing and sight and taste. He figured out a way for our kidneys to filter the impurities in our blood that are a natural result of metabolism and life’s process. Most of us were born with two kidneys.  Amazingly…we only need one to live. And some of us, during our lifetime, have kidney failure, which eliminates the function of both kidneys. It is a humbling experience to be told that in order to live, you must schedule your life around a three and a half hour process three days per week attached to a machine that will take all of your blood from your body, send it through a filter, and return it to your veins and arteries cleansed. We have shared with many of you the wonderful stories of people we have met who are involved in that process.  At first…going into the dialysis unit…one feels foreign and out of place. There is a varying degree of serious illness and conditions that at first sight we (I) thought… I don’t belong here. My condition cannot be that bad. Some are aged…some are quite young. But all are special lights of hope to each other and are loved as family. Each time that I have entered this sacred place I have experienced a profound example of courage and deep faith and cheerful greetings…a thumbs up. The nurses and staff and patients are like one big group of family, helping each other to find the next step and offering a shoulder, an arm, or an ear when needed. There is one particular couple that comes to dialysis from a distance of about forty miles three days per week…a woman and her son. He is handicapped and wheelchair dependent and he has been on dialysis for quite some time. “Mom” is …let’s just say she’s past 80.  She sits with him during dialysis…sometimes watching TV with him sometimes visiting with the staff and the other patients who are there. She carefully puts his shoes on when he is ready to go home. She is his legs, his cheerleader, his confidant, his view of the world and his best friend. Both of them light up the room when they are there and each has respect for the other’s gifts and weaknesses. She often treats us to home baked treats and brings apples and zucchini from her vast garden. Their joy is evident in all that they do. The dedication and pure love is so wonderful to witness that I feel at times that the entire experience of love is the real reason I am there. My kidneys are just an excuse to get in the door. Last week, one of the patients had a code blue called on him and the resuscitation effort was immediate and professional. (He was stabilized and moved to a trauma center. The dialysis unit is only six independent units in one large room. All of us prayed in silence for our friend and those who were trying to save his life. How quickly life can go from sharing stories about our day to closing our eyes and not waking. The special bond among these people tells me a lot about how they live their life…one day at a time…never taking anything for granted…and always finding something humorous in the experience. It is truly a blessing to be privy to that community of believers.  It makes us realize that life is a precious gift that can change in the blink of an eye.  Cherish each moment…absorb each smile…touch someone each day…at least once.  The next time you open your eyes, things may look different and all you have is memories of what you once saw.  Take a picture with your heart.

Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey with us---September 2, 2007
Throughout our Catholic history, we have been exposed to changes in the ways we celebrate liturgy. Sometimes we are confused as to what is expected of us as members of the assembly. The term “high mass” is not used very much anymore. There is no “high” or “low” mass in the Catholic Church. It suggests that “high” mass is more involved and colorful and that low mass is more a mass of meditation with the priest celebrating and an acolyte responding as the voice of the assembly. There seldom would be music at such a mass and liturgical guidelines offered the assembly a time to be silent and reflective.
The time to be silent and reflective is very important to all of us so that we may open our hearts and minds to the presence of God in our lives. Liturgy is a time to proclaim our faith to each other in every opportunity of response. Meditate before and after.
How many of us remember the days when choirs did the responses and were the entire vocal celebration at the liturgy? Since Vatican II the Catholic Church has invited the hearts of all in the assembly to take an active role and participate fully in the music and proclamations. For some of us it hasn’t been easy to accept that responsibility and we allow the “music ministry” to carry the message through their voices. Music ministry…is YOU and Me. When we are confronted with changes in the way we “do” things, many of us say,” why can’t it be like the old days?” Our lives are forever changing and the seasons have nurtured our faith with experiences to actively participate with all our hearts and voices. It is the active sign of our conversion and opening to “the word”…our collective “AMEN”.
We attended a beautiful liturgy on the Gonzaga campus several years ago. There were young students, babies, elderly who needed help in walking and many cultures represented. Before the liturgy began we listened to the “choir” singing prelude music.
While the people filed in to find their seats we were deeply moved by the fact that in the choir there were several members who were handicapped, signing alongside of people who openly encouraged them with smiles of affirmation. Directly in front of us were several rows of handicapped people…all smiling and whispering and shaking hands and patting each other on the back. When the liturgy began we were literally moved to tears as we joined with their voices and proclaimed our oneness in celebration of our faith. Not a single person was silent…and we were all “one voice”.
Our faith must always be expressed in the signs and symbols of celebration to remain vibrant. Music is as important as any of the prayers that are offered so that we “become” the “body of Christ”. Liturgy today is celebrated with a priest, lector, cantor, and…the voice of the music ministry…the people. We do not appoint anyone to represent our faith. We express our own belief and we actively participate in the mass.
Perhaps we have given our voices to the “choir” in the past…because they sound so professional…(or not)…or we’re not sure of our own strengths in song. When directing the youth choir I used to tell them to sing as though God was sitting on the East Ridge and they really wanted Him to hear their joy. Not one person held back in their participation and their faces showed it. Joy is not just a dishwashing soap. It is the reflection of who we are and what we believe. We ask that you remember to sing as part of the music ministry. Sing like God is sitting on the East Ridge listening for our response to His love and gifts of life. Someone told us, “He can really hear the Protestants.” Shine on in song and worship. Give joy in “all the voices together” in celebration. You/We can do it!!!

Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---August 26, 2007---What’s in a meal?
While dining at table, we are reminded of the loved ones who used to be present at a meal and how much we took for granted that they would always be there. Part of our journey is to experience the stories and gifts that others bring to the table. There is a story told of a dying man who seeks comfort from a spiritual director. The man wants to know if and how he will return to God. “Will he take me home? Have I done enough?” The wise woman says, “How did you write your letter…tell your story?” “Letter?” the man queries. “When you were born, the Lord blessed you with amazing gifts. When you were baptized, you became a self addressed stamped envelope (returnable to God). God gave life to you and your gift to God is how you used those gifts throughout your days.” She went on, “what does your story…your letter to God say?”
We have very few places of peace and refuge where we can find the time to reflect on our gifts and encourage others to believe in themselves. As we seek serenity, we often think that means isolation or shutting out the world so that we can concentrate in the quiet solitude. Quiet reflection is necessary for us to sort out the messages that we interpret each day as we encounter God’s presence in our world. Now more than ever, we find the daily pace and the chaos that engulfs our world leads us to turn away from everyone…when what we are starving for is someone to eat with us…that we all might be fed. At every gathering of family and friends, we take some wonderful memory with us and leave with a different outlook on the world. We have this opportunity to experience a gathering of friends to re-connect and add richness to our life story. When given the opportunity to see through others eyes and enlighten our life with the gifts that bring us closer to God, we search always for His plan. Our richest experience is our communion with the faithful who return each time to build on their faith story and seek the companionship of others who believe. More and more we find that there is a formula to our life and most of it is based on how we see ourselves and others. There really is no math to this. We have been taught the fundamentals of Catholicism since the moment we were introduced to our faith community. For most of us the faith education stopped after we left high school. Faith is a continual seeking of God and what revelations we are given every day to make a difference in our world. This September…instead of holding our annual parish picnic…(which has in years past been more like a winter fest) we have decided to have a re-connect breakfast. On September 9th you are invited to join us after the nine o’clock liturgy to feast on faith and food with friends. As with our picnic everyone is asked to bring food from their favorite breakfast recipe. This extension of the Sunday experience calls us to “go forth in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another”. You can sign up for our parish re-connect breakfast in the commons.
On October 14th and on the second Sunday of each month through December we will continue our parish breakfast experience following the 9:00 AM Mass. However, this time the food will be catered and folks will be asked to make a donation to cover the cost. All ages are invited to come to the gathering to “hear and share” the experience of our goodness in a meal and information on “Why do Catholics do that?” It is Catechesis at its best, for the whole family…the whole community. It will be an opportunity for all of us to stretch and grow in our faith and to simply behold one another in a dining experience. The tables in our life are very important. This one requires no test…or interview. You need only to bring your questions and your faith and allow your spirit to unfold with others as we learn and grow in our faith. We pray that all of you will be able to join us for the re-connect Sunday morning feast and again when we begin our “Whole Community Catechesis breakfast. Bring a friend.  Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us--August 19, 2007
We meet no strangers on our journey.
When we begin a new chapter in our life, one of the things that we think about is...how will this affect my life ten years from now? We don’t really project into the future and think of how our lives will be affected by what we do at this moment. Ten years ago this week, we made a pilgrimage with the Youth of the Diocese of Helena to Paris for World Youth Day. Our daughter Mandy went with us as we shared ten days of faith and focus and friendship on how we can make a difference as Catholics in this world.
Throughout the journey, we kept a journal of the daily activities (published in the September ’97 Montana Catholic).
We seldom have the opportunity to experience the vastness of our church in such a universal way. Each day built on the previous day as we explored Paris and met at the Catechetical sites prepared for us…and celebrated Liturgy with 600,000 other Pilgrims who came from every country to see and hear Pope John Paul II.
“The excitement of the crowd has reached a high of anticipation for the holy Father’s arrival. We enter Camp de Mars and walk to our designated gathering place in the vast park. The scene reminds me of the “Lion King” where the community gathers to hear the leader proclaim the good news and lift up new life, showing it to all the world. The herds of young people who emerge from the trees into the grassy park sit side by side with people who live across the world from them, but today they are one community in the grass of Camp de Mars, and love is the universal language spoken here. The Holy Father arrives by helicopter and the crowd cheers “ Viva La Papa” as his Pope mobile winds its way through the sea of young Catholics. He is visibly moved as he waves to the crowd and blesses us. He is also noticeably tired, and advancing age has taken its toll. He can no longer smile with his lips, but his heart and eyes are flashing joy as he addresses the crowd of faithful. “Welcome Pilgrims” He welcomes all of the nations in their own language and blesses these followers of Jesus. The Pope looks very happy and at peace. His message at Liturgy is uplifting and equals the firm and definite love of a leader who believes in the strength of the people he serves…and the message of the gospel we are given to share. The air seems to be filled with electricity and it bounces from fingertip to fingertip as the people embrace every word of his message. In the slow deliberate movements of his body, one can recognize a truly holy man whose strength is like a river…never ending.
‘The world is counting on you to lead us into the third millennium. You must love one another and reach out to your brothers and sisters with love and compassion. We must be the light’.
The celebration of Eucharist together is a very humbling experience as one body in Christ.”
These reflections of our Paris trip take us back to the moment in time when we asked ourselves…Where will I be ten years from now? And now…ten years later…we still struggle to be the light. We still pray for world peace. We close our eyes and remember there were no borders between countries on that special day and we are reminded that we are all equally loved in the eyes of God. There are days we take the vision of Christ, “Love one another as I have loved you”, for granted.
Where will I be ten years from now? How will I make a difference? Who will be my neighbor?

Peace and love,
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---August 12, 2007---Vigilance
One of the Scout mottos is “be prepared”. It sometimes helps us to know what we are preparing “for”…are we nearsighted or farsighted? I think all of us traverse the spectrum…depending on what our life is like at this moment. When a catastrophe comes our way, we stop in our tracks and say, “Boy…I sure wasn’t ready for that.” Even great joyous moments can take our breath away and leave us scratching our heads. We can never know fully what will happen the next moment in our lives. When was the last time you were caught off guard? Vigilance is not a state of rigid fearful readiness. At least…it should not be. It is a state of keen awareness. For many of us it is a moment that takes our breath away when we are trudging along the path of life. The keen senses that we are given at birth are the tools that help us to feel and respond to each moment of living. Depending on how much we use these tools, we find marvelous ways to accept life on life’s terms…or not. If one of those senses is disturbed or malfunctions, somehow the other senses strengthen and cover for the lost sense. What if the world were blessed with the five senses, but each individual only had one of the five? Would we pull together and utilize the gift that we had? Would that be love? Could we share the goodness of life and enable each person we came in contact with to understand more deeply? Could we communicate “peace” or would we communicate “fear”? What happens when we are silent and listen with our hearts? How do we find God when we cannot see? How do we respond to life when we are moving too quickly to pause and touch? Does taste enhance our ability to savor the manner in which God feeds us? Does our sense of smell fill our souls with experiences that evoke memories for a lifetime? Abraham never dreamed that God would bless him with children at his age…but his heart was always open to ask. Waiting…for us… is a task that can be very distracting. We are so preoccupied with the “when” that we neglect the “now”. When we are confronted with a sudden stop in our life, is there someone there to guide us to the next step? Or do we shrivel and begin the process of isolation and despair? One of the exercises we have done in working with the youth is to temporarily take a sense from them. Hearing and sight are the two senses that are easily removed in this exercise. There were young people who were appointed as guardians to be eyes and ears for the deficient. We learned first hand how quickly we are changed when we cannot see. The level of trust that we must have in order to function is a gift deep within us that is difficult to find when we are scared. Those who cannot hear can only experience the sound of life through the people who try to communicate with them in other ways. They become keenly aware. It’s simple. We know that we must meld our gifts to fully understand where we are and how we got there…and then lean on each other to complete the journey and find the paths that we must follow. “We walk by faith and not by sight”. Sharpening our awareness does not mean that we stand still and listen for the alarms to ring. We interact with the fine movements of life and dance to its melody…forever aware that the way we “dance to life’s song” is the pattern and profile of the way we live our journey. We don’t light a candle because we are afraid of the dark. We light a candle as a welcoming to remind us that we are waiting for the dawn and we are not alone. We never forget that our hope lies in Christ. How do we prepare for that blessed encounter? Live, love, laugh, listen. Be the breath of God when someone cannot breathe…look for the opportunities to encounter the sacred visitors in life
Forever waiting with you,
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---August 5, 2007---Leave a message
Last week, our daughter Mandy called and told us she was hosting a birthday party for our soon to be six…granddaughter Katie. While in the process of addressing the invitations (school is out for the summer), Mandy realized she didn’t have the address for a particular little friend and she proceeded to look in the phone book to get a clue as to which “Anderson” this little girl belonged to. There were only five. She called each one and left a message for them to call her back…apologizing if she had the wrong one. Later that day, she received a call from an elderly gentleman. “Hello,” he began, “I saw your number on my answering machine and sometimes I forget to call back …like I should. I hate to miss something that needs to be tended to.” Apologetically, Mandy said, “Thank you for calling back”… and explained the reason she had left the message. “Oh; I understand. How nice! Only six years old. I think that is wonderful.” He went on to say, “My bride and I never had any children…” he paused, “we married when she was seventeen. She never could have children.” After an awkward few seconds of silence he added, “She had a massive heart attack yesterday and is in intensive care.” He began to weep. Mandy said, “Oh I am so sorry. I will pray for her and for you.” He thanked her and said good- bye. The following afternoon her phone rang again and a now familiar voice said, “Hello, I saw your number on my answering machine and sometimes I forget to call back… like I should. I hate to miss something that needs to be tended to.” Mandy recognized his quiet aged voice and said, “That’s okay. Remember you called me yesterday and I talked to you already.” She chuckled to herself at the forgetfulness that she has seen in her own parents and immediately asked, “How’s your wife?” He began to explain that his wife was near death and started to weep. Mandy consoled him and asked him what his name was. “Andy,” he replied. “Well, Andy, I’m glad you called back. My name is Mandy. Do you have any relatives close by?” “No” he said, but I have a brother in Montana.”
“That’s where I am from,” she said. “What city in Montana?” “I think…Butte,” he said. “That’s my hometown.” “I’ve been through Butte with my bride…years ago. Friendly town.” In the same breath he explained, “We have been married since 1943…64 years. We never had children…oh I guess I already told you that…or did I?” Mandy listened intently without knowing how to respond. “When you told me you were having a birthday party for your little girl, it brightened my day. I’m a long way from six years old and watching my bride embrace death, it’s good to know that life goes on and on. I’m so sorry to bother you. I guess I needed to talk to someone. Thank you for being so kind and for your prayers.” “You are so welcome,” she swallowed… “I think somehow…we were supposed to talk…you and I. Don’t erase my phone number. Call back if you need someone to talk to…and tell your bride I am praying for you both.” “I will,” he promised …crying, and said “good-bye.” How often does it happen in our life that someone has the wrong number? Sometimes it happens because of that divine telephone operator that places people in our lives. Answering machines drive some people crazy. We never get this message…“God calling”…but sometimes the most wonderful things happen when we call back.
“Please leave a message.” Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---July 29,2007---What was it like then? Being six or seven? Remember what was most important in your life? How long you could play outside…until your mother called you to come in for the night. Cookies fresh baked from a neighbor’s kitchen. Pretending our pretend games that inspired us to know what we wanted to be when we grew up. Each day was filled with so many events that it tired us out to think about it. And we eagerly anticipated “tomorrow”. Summer is always a time of hearing children playing and shouting and laughing. In our neighborhood, it begins almost at dawn. Like the chirping of the birds…it has become our day’s introduction. Last week…we were inspired, in our little world of everyday activity, by a group of children who have a different life and have come very far to share their message. We were very excited to be audience to the African Children’s’ choir. Twenty- six young vibrant people ranging in age from six to eleven were eager to sing their songs of hope. They come from an area of the world that has seen much war and starvation…and death.
All of the little people had at least one of their parents died. Some had lost both. What do angels sound like? How do they differ from ordinary voices? Perhaps it is in the heart of the listener. Is it perfect pitch? Is it clear enunciation? Is it talent that is extraordinary? Is it the story the voices tell or the way our hearts are softened?
As these remarkable children sang and danced…we thought of our own grandchildren who are the same age as some of these youngsters. While marveling at the production they had prepared for us…it was almost easy to forget that they were not professional entertainers in little people’s bodies who were traveling round the country welcomed by awestruck folks like us. Entertainment is really one of the things that we expect out of life. It breaks the monotony of the every day drudge and grind and gives us a peek at something that makes us forget for a moment…our need to “do” something.
The MAC center was filled with crowd of cheering parents and grandparents and their children as we listened to the beautiful voices of this choir. Knowing their history…pulled us more deeply into their lives and they became real people with dreams like each of us. The only difference is…they are singing for their lives and the lives of those who they left behind at home. Their endeavor is to raise awareness and funds to help care for the sick and dying in their homeland. At some point in their program each one of them spoke into the microphone announcing their own name and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Their voices were soft and determined. What elegance. As their program came to and end, we were treated to meeting their “director” who was once a seven -year old singing in the choir. She is now in her twenties and has a beautiful voice and heart that has returned year after year to direct and support the choir. Angels? The glow that surrounded them and their huge spirits made me think of when I was six…what was I doing to change the world? I was dreaming and hoping and being a child. And I was never far from home.
The tiniest things can inspire us.
When we grow up…we want to be…
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---July 22,2007---“CSI” Caring Saving Individual
For the past three years, Holy Spirit Parish has participated in the Blood Drive with United Blood Services to provide life saving options for people who find themselves in need of a transfusion. It always amazes me to see how willing the participants are in this local endeavor. This past week the blood drive was held once again and I was no less amazed at the number of people who are CSI’s. To date…we have collected over 150 pints of blood. What a beautiful statement of caring and sacrifice to give to a community of people who might die if they could not receive the healthy transfusion that could and will keep them alive.
I have always been a donor and until this year, I was unable to give my blood. The reason for the exemption is this…both Carol and I were the recipients of blood transfusions when we were hospitalized in December and January. One who receives a blood transfusion must wait one year before they are qualified to give any blood. I was a bit disappointed, but there was a part of me that felt warm and loved for the folks who selflessly gave this gift of life to restore our deteriorating health.
Never…in a million years would I have thought I would need this medical procedure.
One never knows if and when he or she will be in that condition, but when one is…we remember the blood in the blood bank is not manufactured in a lab like our medications and treatments. It is a lifeline provided by a living human being. The energies that United Blood Services puts forth to conduct their drives is another example of magnificent human spirit.
As I sat watching the folks who were coming to give blood, I was struck by the fact that some also brought items for the food bank. In each of us is a small voice that calls us to share. And share…we do. I thought of how some struggle to know where their next meal is coming from and if their children will have enough to eat. We have never had to worry about that either. But just as we were surprised by being recipients of blood transfusions, we no longer feel that we will “never” be in need of things we have always had. It can happen to anyone. The good news is that people like you search within your cherished gifts and extend a hand of help to someone you may never meet.
Be it blood for the sick, food for the hungry, an organ for transplant or a pause to listen to and confirm the beauty of another human being, there is a great response that keeps our world constantly changing and affirming life and its challenges.
Be proud of the gifts you have and of the fact that you so willingly share them. In an age of “holding on” to everything we have for fear of losing it, the greatest gift we can give is compassion for all human kind.
Thank you for caring
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us---July 15, 2007---Remember when you first heard the word…perception? As we get older (and hopefully wiser) how does our perception change? We perceive things in a particular way according to where we are at that time in our life and how we fit our “self” into the grand scheme of things. Any artist will tell you that one of the most important things you need to use when painting a fine picture or drawing a landscape is perception. From a distance, a mountain may not have any detail and may seem to be comprised of a few simple colors. When we look at something long enough we begin to see the beauty of its existence against the rest of the scenery. It may not seem that the mountain is very big…but it all depends on how close we are to it. We try to see through others eyes each day. Instead of closing our minds and dwelling on our own needs, we come to realize that we are basically all the same and that when one is hurting…all are affected.
Last Saturday we received a call from Virginia Mason in Seattle. They wanted us to prepare for a transplant and get our bags packed and be ready to leave at any time. An eighteen- year old man was killed in an accident in Montana. His family requested that his organs be donated to keep someone alive. When we got the phone call…we were excited that this could be the opportunity to change Carol’s life to heal her and give her quality years to live. Even in the excitement, however, our first thought was for the family of the young man whose life had ended so tragically. I didn’t pray that I would get a kidney and a pancreas. Both of us prayed for the sorrow of the family who was grieving for the dead. And then we prayed that God would give those organs to someone who needed them the most. As it turned out, in the next 24 hours, we were informed that he had two healthy kidneys and other organs…but his pancreas was atrophied. When they take organs from a cadaver they call it “harvesting the organs”. What a beautiful way to think of someone who has just died…the fruits of his life and labors were harvested to benefit another human being. Two people did indeed receive a kidney from this young man. God answered our prayers.
Can we live more than one day at a time? Should we try? Simple things make us sit up and pay attention to what really matters in life. If we spend our days hoping that tomorrow will be better…we let “today” slip from us and it becomes an empty memory that is lost forever. Community is the greatest gift we have and many of us don’t find that out until we face a darkness and uncertainty about our existence. We are not immortal. We are reminded of that every day when we see limitations that slow us down. We cannot do some of the things we used to do so easily. That is what truly makes us compassionate to others. We see ourselves in their eyes and we hold on to each other to console and encourage.
A conversation with a beautiful lady the other day made me realize just how important it is to say what needs saying…pray what needs praying…and hold each other in our dilemmas of life. Her husband is in the last stages of his illness and the vigil of trying to keep things as normal as possible while he is preparing for his journey home…is very hard to put a price on. How much do you have…enough to stay? This lady told me that in the years she has lived in parishes she has never felt so welcome and loved as she is at Holy Spirit. We feel the same way. Love is contagious and outrageously strong. It is the unspoken prayers when we sit next to the bedside of someone we love. That’s all we have when there are no cures…no replacement parts for our failed organs. And we have enough to stay and say, “Thank you, Lord for allowing me to have a perspective that is healthy. Today we can. Together we can.”
God’s Peace, Deacon Dan and Carol

 

Come Journey with us. July 8, 2007---Peace
This past week we celebrated the fourth of July. We had beautiful weather and many of us had family and friends to celebrate with. The noise and the celebration that ensued for the two or three days of gathering listening to and watching fireworks as they popped from every corner of the city into the night sky was powerful and festive. We live in a country where we have the freedom to worship, as we like and the freedom to say what we feel without being thrown in jail. We have the ability to raise our children in a country where all people are created equal. Do we really mean that? I think all people are created equal…except those who don’t think like me…worship like me….or speak my language. Do we have the freedom to defend the innocent who have no one else to speak for them? Do we have the freedom to keep ALL life sacred and continue to work to understand each other and live side by side?
Do we have the freedom to dream and work for a world where there is lasting peace? A world where the only thing we have to posses is our own integrity…and we defend others who also have that right. Do we have the freedom to support our own beliefs without having someone tell us we don’t belong?
The fourth of July parade was very nice…as always. One thing that really made us stop and think was how respectful the crowd was to cheer and wave to those who were in the parade… specifically…the people in uniform.
There was also a group of people who marched in uniform and carried a sign that said “Veterans for Peace”. People didn’t cheer as loudly as they did for the uniforms that marched with their units and branch of the service. The entire entourage of people and cars in this particular display spoke to “Peace”. Was this peace -seeking group anti-American or hate filled? Comments were made that they were degrading the heroes of wars past and present who have given their life for our freedom.” I think Peace got a bad name in the sixties. It was a time when people dared to say, “There must be another answer than war.” Fear should never drive freedom or demand peace. It makes no sense to point a gun at someone and say, “I want you to get along…or else”.
One of the most familiar lines shouted during an argument that someone is trying to break up is, “He started it.” Another of the famous quotes…when called to accountability before God was, “Eve ate it first. It is a very honorable thing for us to stand in unison to speak for the power of peace. For all the dreams we dreamers have of making the world peaceful…there are those who say…it will never happen.
We believe that “Peace” is what our forefathers fought for. Our Independence is something we sought so that there would be no oppression by other powers. Many brave people stand against the greedy and the powerful nations to keep us free. There is a story of two men who disagreed with one another and their fight came to blows and a bloody struggle. The one was a bit stronger than the other but it took all of the big guy’s energy to keep his opponent on the ground. “Now you’re not going to be able to get up,” he snarled at the man beneath him. “And neither will you,” the second man responded.
May your Independence remembrances fill you with the pride that says, “I am proud not to hold anyone down to silence them, and in the process lose my own freedom.”
Peaceful summer
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us. July1, 2007---Wedding bells—
Ever wonder what it is that speaks to our hearts when we find love in another person? Is it a sense of finding our “self” being completed by someone who wants to spend his or her life with us? Is it a desire to enrich two lives by sharing dreams and lives? Is it wanting to be in charge of that person’s life? Sometimes. Sometime one or both of the couple to be married hasn’t got a clue how to give without expecting something in return. We are always in search of ways to manifest our love and to validate our own goodness through the eyes of others. Why do so many marriages begin with those beautiful intentions and many end with bitterness and brokenness? Father Jim Burns used to say; “If you tell me you can’t live without him/her, you are telling me you are not a complete person in your own right. I surmise that there is a lot of soul searching that needs to be done before the sacrament of matrimony is validly shared.” We used to think that was a harsh way of looking at… “Falling in love” until it was explained to us that if you are “falling” in anything your instinct is to latch on for self-preservation until you stop falling and land again on your feet. (You will probably be in an entirely different place when you land.) In the late 1980’s the Church, in its wisdom, lengthened the preparation time for couples to be married from three months to six months. At the time it seemed like a bit much to ask a couple to commit to six months of preparation and honing their communication skills.
Recently, Andrea Shannon organized our marriage files. Thirty years of different filing systems made it difficult to find things at times. Mixed in with all the marriage files were many annulment files…some where the annulment were granted and others with just a few references by Fr. Joe Pat, Fr. Jim or Sr. Sharon. As I looked through each annulment file to determine if we needed to keep it or not. I found it very sobering at how large the pile was. In a time when we have the best and fastest communication…somehow there was a Loss of Signal and an end to the “commitment” or an overwhelming fatigue from giving 100%. Failure is a reality of life. But failing at something only makes us losers if we don’t learn from the experience and strengthen our inner self to be vigilant as to the preciousness of life and love. Love is faith. Many times in our life both are “tested”. Self- doubt can lead to a darkness that opens to uncertainty and weariness. But love isn’t something you do. Like faith…it is something you feed.
This past month, we have been very fortunate to witness the marriages of three couples that have deep roots in our faith community. Katie Piazzola and Wendell Stauss, Lisa Evans and Alex Lux, Tony Cookson and Shanna Eklund. All witnessed their faith and abiding love in the presence of their church, families and friends. What beautiful symbols of faith, trust and commitment.
Katie and Lisa and Tony are so familiar to us because we watched them grow up…sharing our community of faith with their families. Their faith always has been very important to them and it continues to feed them in their lives as they begin the next stage of their journey. They will pass that faith and tradition on to their own children…that is our prayer. Our children are the best stocks we can invest in. The returns we receive are bountiful and long lasting. A wedding is a day...a marriage is a lifetime together. Six months seems like a very short time to understand such a commitment. Maybe that’s why most couples now come to the parish to prepare for marriage a year or even longer before their date...or maybe it’s because they need that much lead time to reserve a hall for the reception. What ever the reason…it’s a great experience to be part of their journey. A toast to all couples…Bless you and keep you. And to parents…Salute faith! Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us. June 24,2007---Blooms
It occurred to me that summer is “just beginning” and while we are preparing for the days’ work most of us don’t allow ourselves the time or opportunity to take a deep breath in the morning and look at the beauty of what surrounds us. I open the drapes every morning and have a beautiful view of wild creatures just outside our window. Birds are perched in the huge evergreen and they form a flight pattern…landing on a specific spot on the grass and cocking their heads from side to side as if waiting for direction. Their comrades watch guard from the tree…anticipating that dinner will be there presently.
Can birds hear worms wiggling through the sod? I often wonder at the magnificence of their survival instincts and the special ways they use them. God provides rain so that the worms will pop their heads above ground. As soon as the bird hears the movement, they cock their head and pluck it from the surface.
A couple of days ago I witnessed a young robin perched on the railing of our front steps. A much larger (mother bird) flew to its side and opened her mouth. The smaller one quickly took a worm from the beak of the adult and gobbled it down. I thought of the generosity of animals as they care for their young and how beautiful it is that we can witness that. It reminded me that even when the nest is empty, we continue to seek out our young and reassure them that we are there. We have never given a worm to our kids for dinner…but there were many times when we thought first of their need to be nourished before our own need and fed them before our own hunger was satisfied. It’s amazing to watch the life cycle that goes on in nature. There are plants that pop up each year and display their healthy blossoms so that we have something beautiful to look at. We were looking at the grounds surrounding Holy Spirit the other day. Here it is the middle of June and we haven’t yet put our flowers in the welcoming flower- pots that adorn the entrances to the building. These need to be changed every year as they only bloom through the summer through the first or second frost. Why bother? Because we can see the fruits of our creation (actually God’s creations) when we assemble them together and they bring us great joy.
We always planted the flowers each spring and watered them daily making sure they were cleaned and plucked. Last year and this summer, we longed to be able to do that again. With the health problems that Carol has…she is unable to enjoy that task of love. Every person who has ever undertaken the job of caring for flowers in a garden gets a certain satisfaction from digging in the dirt and feeling the rich soil that gives life to a barren landscape. For the last two years, Darlene Hepola took over the planting and weeding and has done a wonderful job. After her husband passed away, she said it made her feel like she was doing something worth -while to beautify the garden.
This year, Carol Vega came to me and said they were selling their home and moving into an apartment. She said she was going to miss her garden and asked if she could help with the flowers in our garden. Not one person is turned away when they make a request like that. Many hands make the work lighter. While we still have the time…enjoy the summer colors and touch a flower to remind you of how fragile life can be. And when you look at the hardy perennials…know that God makes all things new again.
Give your heart a lift and enjoy the bounty of the summer days.

Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey with us. June 17,2007---Remembering our Fathers
There are few symbols in our life that prompt strong feelings deep within our souls. Father is one of those symbols. For most of us, we are fortunate to have a wonderful childhood full of memories of being connected with our fathers in a way that brings warmth and fosters love for the one who raised us. The values that were instilled in us carry through the next generation and become the stepping-stones for our own pathway of responsibility as parents.
Some of us lost our fathers early in life and missed out on the memories of sharing. We live out the memories we did have through the stories we are told. We walk in the stories and interpret our own luck by what we are told. The greatest gift we can give our children is to love our spouse and speak of the goodness of their love for their children. Many times when we think back…we see the great sense of love that our father had for us and also the sense of humor he had to put up with our “shenanigans”.
Being a father is a very rewarding role in life. It also requires that we remember, forget, and forgive. We remember the love that was poured on us by our fathers and vow to pass that on. The ability to forget about some of the things that come between children and their fathers (…the flaws…the anger…the sadness) helps us to move on and know that they tried with everything in their being to give us the knowledge and sensitivity that would prepare us for the world. Often we hear people say things that minimize their father’s role in their formative years. Fathers take the wrap for not giving us enough…giving us too much…being too strict…not setting boundaries for us. You’ve heard it.
When our first child, Jared, was born…the only instructions he came with when he left the hospital to begin his life with us was… “FEED ON DEMAND.” Seemed fair enough at the time. And all we focused on was making sure his belly was full…and he had dry diapers. The “feed” part seemed to only involve nutrition to make him grow. Of course that took up time in the day at regular intervals. Remember filling the mouth with a glop of pureed fruit and then scraping the excess off the lips and putting it back into the mouth? Or sitting in front of them after a full bite of strained spinach…only to have them sneeze and splatter us with the contents of their giggling face? Digestion is a science and so much of what we digest is foreign to us at first. When we look into our child’s eyes and smile and talk to them…we are feeding their spirit. And THAT feeds us. When we ask our children to join us at table as we gather to pray or talk, we are feeding the spirit of hope in them that tells them they are an integral part of our lives and what they think matters. When we set boundaries for our children, it feeds their spirit of security (even though they balk at it J). If we don’t have boundaries how can we understand the value and responsibility we hold to nurture our “space”…as well as respecting the “space” of others? Kids compare their sack lunches with other kids in school. “How come you never put a candy bar in my lunch? Joey’s mom puts a candy bar in his lunch every day.”
How many times are we tempted to say, “Joey’s dad is an orthodontist. He can afford to let Joey eat sweets every day.”
When we bring faith into our child’s daily lives, we feed their need to know…God will always love them…and they will pass that on.
Whether living or dead…fathers have a special place in our hearts. Take the time this weekend to celebrate the goodness and the memories that flood our hearts. If you’re a father tell someone how much you love him or her. If you’re the “child” remind the father figures in your life how much you cherish their gift of love to you.
Good summer…Happy Father’s Day!
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us. June 6,2007--Where does it begin?
What a question…to try and refresh our memories of the sequence of life’s happenings. We have all witnessed the transformation from baby to pre-school…senior in high school to marriage and children of their own. We seldom can think back to what they looked like when they were small…but most of the time an image is indelibly imprinted in our heart and we can visualize the little child that we knew so many years ago.
A few weeks ago, Brian Arnold came by the office…as he sometimes does…on his bike. He said he thought it would be neat if some young people from our parish got together to perform an afternoon “concert” for the folks at Holy Spirit. Brian has been taking music lessons from Mary Blinn, our music coordinator, for quite some time. He loves Holy Spirit Parish…and he loves music.
Do you ever wonder what happens in the space of the church when we all depart after liturgy? It’s kind of like asking… “If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it…does it still make a sound”? Do children’s’ voices chatter with happiness and talk about the great time they had in church? Do the sounds of sadness of someone who has lost a loved one drift through the air amid the empty chairs? Does a baby’s shrill laugh echo through the space of quiet? Do the prayers for an end to war echo between the stained glass windows that herald the presence of sunlight?
We thought it was a great idea to give some of our talented youth an opportunity to show the world that “Holy Spirit’s Got Talent”. Mary Blinn gathered interested youth to come together and perform whatever it was that they wanted to perform. The concert was last Sunday at 2:00 p.m. It was a blessed mixture of entertainment. A talented trio of performers played the drums and sang (and danced) while they entertained us with their great smiles. They were Max Mihalick, Isaiah Weldon and Kellie Moloughney. Their talent was framed with fun and energy and we hated to see it end.
Also proudly performing a solo on piano was Brian Arnold. His skills at music are marvelous and his delight in playing is obvious. Carlee Johnson sang a solo. Her voice was like an angel’s. It certainly filled the room and the hearts with joy. We remember when Clint Earhart began his musical beginnings playing the cello. He has taken music for several years and he wowed us with his beautiful performance on Sunday. His abilities are very refined and his grasp for music is infectious. We listened attentively as he played his solo.
Butte Central high school drama class presented the musical scores from their play called “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” It is a play directed and accompanied by Mary Blinn. A narrator tells us we are about to hear a story of a person like any one of us…a dreamer…whose dreams came true.
Narrator was Danielle Babb. Joseph was played by Nathan Scheidecker; Jacob was played by Butler Nick Banks; Pharoah was played by Shawn Robbins all accompanied with supportive roles by David Stonehocker, Chelsea Yeats, Polly Bartoletti and Mary Blinn on piano. A great crowd cheered on the talent and I know next time there will be many new faces…performing as well as being entertained. What a great treat to see the enthusiasm of these young people who step out to touch us with their music and love.
Thank you to all for the great afternoon. We’ll have to do this again. Peace and Restful Summer...Deacon Dan and Carol

 

Come Journey with us. June 3rd   How much did that cost?

Sometimes we are amazed at the wisdom and the awe that is constantly percolating in the hearts and minds of little ones.  Our daughter and son-in-law and grand kids came home for a short visit over the Memorial Day week.  Katie and Connor are rapidly growing and their expressions of life discoveries is a true reminder of what makes us feel important and what really matters.  Katie was busy attaching some scrapbook stickers to one of her prized possessions when she ran in to tell Connor, “Wow, Connor, look at how much Grandma paid for these stickers…$100.00.”  She showed him the package.  He smiled and responded with, “Katie, that’s  $1.00.” “Oh… whatever,” was her reply. Sometimes we get caught up in the message of “How much do I mean to you?”…And we might measure our value by the amount one is willing to spend on us.  Katie loved the new stickers she found and her excitement over the value of those stickers was instant.  But the stickers had no value until used by someone to create something beautiful.  At $100.00 or $1.00 the stickers were a nudge to “imagine”…and that makes them priceless. In our everyday lives we experience something that strikes us at being priceless.  Unfortunately…most of us live our lives trying to figure out how much “this” is going to cost us.  As most of you know, Carol is now receiving dialysis from St. Patrick’s dialysis unit at St. James…in Butte. At least for the time being, she won’t have to make the three trips to Missoula per week traveling 120 miles each way.  When we figure in the cost of that travel, it seems overwhelming in dollars and wear and tear on the car…but here’s the rest of the story. Carol and I have had wonderful people like you in our parish family who have volunteered to provide that transportation…and it hasn’t cost us (personally) a dime. Another miraculous sacrifice has come in the form of kidney donors who have applied to give one of their kidneys a…life-giving gift…to Carol.  There are many of you who have come forward to selflessly make a sacrifice to keep another human being alive.  There is no greater love that a person can give than to lay down (his or her) life for you. When it comes to love, we are empowered to see the endless possibilities of giving and nurturing and loving without any thought of…what’s in it for me? We don’t realize how lucky we are until our life is changed by an event that hits crisis proportion. We are faced with the possibility of our life being…over (as we knew it). Within the parameters of our strengths and boundaries we find that limitations are sometimes hard to face and we rebel at the thought of needing someone to complete us.  But the truth of love is that we complete each other on a daily basis, by the way we nurture and give and receive. It is very humbling to receive sometimes. And for the most time, we try to place a “value” on the gift of each relationship. Judy Getz was one of six people, in our parish, who have volunteered to give a kidney. During the evaluation process, she was removed from the donor list to protect her own health. This happens many times as we go through the transplant process. But Judy “gave her kidney” when she called to fill out the form. And that…is priceless. “It’s the thought that counts.”  Love is something that is not just a thought. It is a constant commitment to embrace each other and to encourage each other…and ultimately…to die to our self. As we approach each day with hope and better health, our list of blessings fills pages and pages.  Across from each blessing we attach a cost. All of them are priceless. There isn’t any amount of money in the world that can gladden our hearts and extend our lives like love of friends and family.  Thank you, Judy…and all of you who have given of your self to turn on a light to dispel the darkness. The reality is this…we couldn’t be more alive than what we are today…because we know what matters…and God is our Divine Healer. God Bless you all. Deacon Dan and Carol

Come Journey with us.  May 27th

Service with a smile…ministry with a purpose

During their First Communion retreat our young people are given the opportunity to sign up to be a server at Mass. Each year we are privileged to have new young members join the ranks.

Over the last few weeks we have trained a number of new servers…each one coming early, before mass starts, to go through a training session and then serve hopefully with another server who “knows the ropes.”

One of the first to be trained this year was Brian Arnold. As we watched his serious face as he assisted Father at liturgy, we could tell he was very honored to at last be able to stand in this place. Afterwards he anxiously asked when he could serve again? I mentioned that the new schedule would be coming out in June but some times we don’t have anyone scheduled and he should check in before mass. If no one was scheduled or forgot to show up he could serve. Since then Brian has showed up every weekend…sometimes at both the 6:00 PM and 9:00 AM Mass. The first thing he does is ask if we need a server. As we continue to train new server each week Brian is now an old hand and is excited to show the new kid…”the ropes.”

Last Saturday, just before the 6:00 PM Mass began…Mollie Peoples came to begin her server training. I told Brian he would have company and his response was…“that’s great.  We need more girl servers.”  Most of us remember a time when servers were only males and all of us remember when that changed and females were invited to participate in that ministry.

The expression of faith and the reverence for the Liturgy is a wonderful statement about the dedication of our youth.  Just watching them as they perform their tasks is beautiful and heartwarming. It completes our story of the sacred Liturgical rituals as they serve the celebrant and the community with pride.  It is the first call to minister for most of them and they take their calling very seriously.  It also reminds us of the baptismal promise we made to them as a community and how they have embraced their promise to remember.

We applaud their sacrifice of time and talent to make a vibrant contribution to our faith experience. Each time I train new young people it confirms in me the hope and the future of our church to continually feed and nurture and cherish the gift of their faith.

Oh, by the way, at the 9:00 AM Mass last weekend we again had a new server in training, Ryan Ashby, Guess who showed up to “show him the ropes?”

Thanks to all our young servers. Your ministry and witness teach us all what it means to be truly servants of the servants of God.

Peace, and restful summer.

Deacon Dan and Carol.

Come Journey with us. May 20th  A song in our heart

We were watching a program on T.V the other night that affirmed something that we already suspected.  Singing is the best medicine for what ails you.  Hard to believe?  Take the test.  For one month, sing at every opportunity you have.  Free yourself to sing at home or in the car, at church…whenever you are inspired to sing.  It is great for your heart and your lungs.  It also stimulates something in us that heals and calms.  We have personally found this to be true.  If you have a song in your heart…sing it.  If you don’t feel the urge, tell yourself that a song every day is like therapeutic exercise for the soul. Can’t sing?  Who says?

Last week we were sadly informed that our beautiful Sister Anita McCarthy had succumbed to cancer in her home with her B.V.M. Sisters in Iowa.  Many of you were privileged to know Anita and if you did…you also had the opportunity to hear her blessed voice.  For many years she devoted her life to directing the music for the parishes of Butte, gathering music and musicians and vocalists to enrich the beautiful Liturgy and encourage the assembly to “sing along”.  Anita’s energies were always directed to enhance the richness of Liturgy by introducing and “praying” the songs of praise and worship.  She always encouraged us to open our mouths and sing and to enjoy the experience of Liturgy and fellowship.  It was Anita who prompted us to join the choir that first began in the Holy Hawthorne.  We sang within the safety of the assembly and one day someone turned around and said,  “I hope you use your voice in a choir.  It would be such a waste not to share it with others.”   Heard someone next to you that has a good voice?  Tell them how wonderful they sing…or turn them in. J

Sister Anita began the choir early on and asked us to become cantors.  (The first part of that word is cant.)  We were afraid that we wouldn’t be able to sing if we didn’t have a large choir to back us up.  She said, “The body of the assembly (i.e. the attendees at Mass…you)… is the choir.  All cantors stand before them encourage them to sing.”

Holy Spirit music ministry has come a long way since those days and we are richer for the experience.  We have had many wonderful directors and musicians who have built on the foundation that our voices must be heard…and “All can sing.”  Music is meant to move us…not to silence us.  The sweetest voice in the world is that of a young child singing a song and not caring who is listening. 

At the end of this month of May, our current music coordinator, Mary Blinn, will be taking on a new job, and will no longer direct our music.  Good news is that she is going to still be a part of our wonderful music ministry.  As of this date, we have made no moves to replace Mary with a music coordinator/director.  The summer is a time for us to take a breath and remain status quo.  We will keep our eyes and ears open to anyone who might be interested in being involved in this ministry.  As Susan Walsh said, “We must be a welcoming ministry; reaching out to all… inviting them to sing.”  She is absolutely right. There are many faces in the music ministry.  But the hearts are the fuel that makes it happen.  If you are interested in joining our music ministry…please… please take a moment to talk with some of our music people.  We have a great time together as a community and we expand more each year.  We welcome any and all who are interested.  You don’t have to read music, if you want to sing.  Just bring your enthusiasm and the director will bring it together.  (You probably should read music if you’d like to play). Life without music would be very empty.  When there is a song in our hearts…we live longer.  Our choir at Holy Spirit has gatherings and picnics and celebrations to feed our need for community…and we live longer. J

It’s a musical…Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey with us. May 13  Generosity is taught

As we move into summer and look forward to the little ones beginning their summer vacation, we are grateful for the hard work all have put into the day–to-day ministries of life, including teachers and students.  With the change of seasons, we look forward to a slower pace, enjoying the sunshine and the beautiful outdoors…making new memories as we relax a bit and enjoy the summer. Last weekend was DOP Commitment weekend throughout our diocese. Once again, as we tallied our DOP contributions and pledges, we…at Holy Spirit parish…are so blessed to generously think of others who may be in need.  “Passing it on”…that’s what it’s all about. As the envelopes were sorted and recorded the counters noticed a pledge envelope form were the contributor was in grade school.  And that she pledged $10 a month. “How sweet”… was the first comment.  “I wonder if we should send her name in to the Diocese” “Of course we should send it in.  She filled out the form with the help of her grandfather and joyfully pledged the amount she felt she could give.  It’s for real.”

God bless our young people and their visions and contributions to this world.  Sharing is a serious business and when freely given, it can begin a mountain of fresh energy to make peace in our world and validate the gifts that God has given us. While you are enjoying a cool ice tea and watching the children and listening to their giggles and their games…rest assured that they are our hope.  Each generation of youth sees the richness in giving and that’s what makes this world go round moment by moment.  We teach them to share and care…just as we were taught.

Other changes with the season:

Last Tuesday evening our current pastoral council met as a council for the last time. A new council will be selected for the 2007-09 term this month. When the current council began we told them that sixty-five percent of our meeting time together should be spent in prayer and the remainder of meeting would focus on agenda items. Each meeting a different member of the council would prepare the prayer experience…each with their own grace and personal touch.

As I said, this last Tuesday was the last meeting. Cathy Tutty prepared the prayer experience by sharing a scripture reading about the many parts of the body within the Christian Community. Then she reminded us that it’s easy to end an experience without saying to those who shared the experience with you how much you appreciated the gifts and goodness that each has brought to group. Cathy then invited each of us to tell each person around the table how they felt about one another and the gifts and grace they felt that person brought to the council over the past two years. It was a wonderful night of letting one another know how special and caring they were. As I listened to each member I was reminded of our early commitment to be a community, that first and foremost, comes together to pray. Needless to say the prayer of sharing each other’s gifts extended the time far beyond the usual session. Oh, by the way the agenda did get done…I think.

When was the last time you sat down with a family member or friend or folks you work with…people in your life you really care about and told them how much you appreciate them and their giftedness in your life?

It’s a great way to pray.Thanks to our youth in our parish and Cathy Tutty for teaching us so much about generosity.

Pray ALL-WAYS—Deacon Dan and Carol

Come Journey with us. May 6, 2007  Make time for the Table

There is such richness in our church. Last week we celebrated the first communion of thirteen wonderful young people who for the first time were able to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. We observe new generations beginning their journey and we were present when their parents made their first communion so many years ago. Many of the young Catholics, in anticipation of the day, commented that they were so excited about receiving this wonderful sacrament. You could see the freshness of hope and the glow in their eyes…that somehow they would be changed because of this experience. Some personally came to me and expressed their enthusiasm about the gift of Eucharist. While they were well grounded by Religious Education teachers in the history and the ministry of being Catholic, the primary teachers in their lives have been their parents. We have had many discussions regarding the strange time in life when our young people turn away from what they have been taught and seem to withdraw from attending church on a regular basis. As parents, we are stymied by the pattern that seems to strike in the teens. We experienced that in the maturing process of our own children. There was a specific time when we would enter one of their rooms on Sunday morning and say. “Get your---out of bed. You are not going to miss church again this week.” How’s that for tact and power?  What a way to begin the sacred day of rest J.  We sometimes become so frustrated with wanting the best for our children that we will battle with them to “do as I say”. There are moments in all of our lives when we begin to mentally process what we have always taken for granted. “It’s Sunday…time for church.” Ritual and custom become a robotic energy of “showing up” and sometimes we forget about the beauty of the celebration and whom we are celebrating with. The church was packed last Sunday for the First Communion. As always, it was a beautiful testimony of young people taking another step toward merging their tiny lives with all who have experienced the same wonderful sacrament that began with their first Communion years ago. There is a hunger in all of us to see. We cannot really “see” with blinders on. We are human beings made with peripheral vision. And sometimes in our observation of the side- tracks, we are temporarily out of focus on how we delegate our time. Sometimes we become so distracted that we forget what our main focus was and it becomes a “side-track” in some ways. In order for us to appreciate the wonderful blessings in our life, we must also identify the wonder and awe that accompanies us on a day- to- day basis. Sometimes we become more deeply rooted in all of the traditions that we began at baptism. Sometimes we see the secular goals only and the vision of worship is attached to some thing. There is hope for all of us. Having experienced those very distractions in life, we have come to appreciate where “home” really is. Children do come home. We see it every day in the reconciliation of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and we…at times…don’t recognize it for how beautiful it is. We can never turn back the clock to when our children were small and did exactly as they were told. But in the wise words of Father Jim Burn, “Keep doing what you are doing and don’t be distracted by their awareness of choice.  Be faithful…and they will follow. Love them…invite them.  Show by example how faith is woven through your every moment.  And then get out of the way and God will take care of the rest.” Got Time?

God Bless…Y’all come !

Deacon Dan and Carol

Come Journey with us. 4-29-07---The parable

We are a people who measure almost everything in our lives.  How big is our paycheck?  How thin are our bodies? How successful are our children? How long is ‘long enough’? We are automatically taught to hold on to life and all the things that come with it. The more we have at the end of the day…we feel secure…or do we?  We saw a t-shirt one time that said,  “He who dies with the most toys…wins.”  Of course it was ridiculous, but sometimes our grasping on to “things” leads us to the conclusion that “things” are the most important possessions we have…and…according to the t-shirt…we live our life striving to collect them. There comes a time in all of our lives…be it at a young age…or when we are older that we are confronted with an illness, weakness, or infirmity that changes our life forever. Sometimes the trauma of learning how to live with it can consume our every thought and action.  We find it virtually impossible to adapt to the change.  Our focus is turned to “When will this end? When will I be able to get back to where I was?”  We sometimes long for bygone days in our life when we could accomplish almost anything we set our minds to.  And now our minds are troubled by the limitations that have seeped into our daily routines. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the phrase… ‘If I knew it was going to last that long…I would have given up.’  Always…the road to healing is life long.  In many cases we are not rid of our pain and trials.  We are simply healed by our heart taking over what our mind used to be in charge of.  Find the light by searching your heart and you will be healed. Many times we have wondered ‘why’ when confronted with news that someone is suffering.  We try to encourage them in the face of enormous obstacles that things will work out.  At the same time, we are twisting our hands and looking for paths to follow to make their life easier.  Cancer has been such darkness in our world.  It has taken many lives of loved ones and made us more aware of our own mortality. The stricken have “fought the good fight” and we have prayed with them and sat by their bedside as they prepare for their final journey home.Several years ago, we came to the realization that when we pause to heal our pain by turning to God, the arms of love and light immediately surround us. What we used to think of living transforms us to understand that life itself is a gift.  Yesterday is gone…tomorrow is not yet here.  All we have is the present and it is a gift.  That is the healing that we really seek…to be able to live in the moment. “To everything there is a season …a time to be born and a time to die.”   In the midst of those two phenomenal occasions, there is also a time to laugh and a time to weep…a time to plant and a time to harvest…a time to love and a time to hate…a time for war and a time for peace…a time to hold on and a time to let go…” and so the parable goes.  Never have we appreciated this parable more than now.  How many times have we had to say good-bye in our lifetime?  How many times have we stood for PEACE in our lifetime?  How many times have we celebrated the bounty of a full harvest? How many times have we loved and been loved? The true measure of a great person is one who sits beside a universal brother or sister, takes off one’s shoes and sees the beauty of being the ‘same’. We must stop measuring and start treasuring.  In the course of a lifetime…we miss so many moments of grace. And yet it is always there ready to cover us and transform our hearts. We treasure your goodness and grace in our lives as we live in “today”. Ours are the arms that reach out to heal each other through the love of God.

Peace and love, Deacon Dan and Carol  

Come Journey with us---4-22-07
Just Two
Recently we made a trip to Missoula and while we were there we had dinner at a local restaurant. Both of us have always commented on the manner of welcoming that some restaurants display and sometimes it is very warming and other times very humorous. The hostess greeted us at the door and looked at us for a second and said, “Just two?”
As she showed us to our seat, we were chuckling at the greeting and what a response could be, “No, we’re waiting for the other twenty five in our party…or…sorry, it’s just us…we couldn’t get anyone else to eat with us.” While it isn’t really necessary to make a comment and instead just nod your head and say, “Yes, two”, we thought about how many times we experience this in our every day lives.
When we call someone on the phone and say, “Hi, it’s JUST me”…not much thought is given to the reference. Many of us look at our “SELF” as JUST me. Take a moment and think about all the people in your life who have touched you. Would you ever refer to any of them as …‘Just …my mom’ or… ‘Just my son’ ?
“Just” in the dictionary is defined as something that is almost complete. We seldom think of the “JUSTICE” word that is derived from just…meaning fair and equal. In our society we often pick up on the negative aspect of a word especially if it applied to us personally.
When we had our restaurant we learned early on that each individual is extremely important and should be treated as such. “Table for Two?” “How are the two of you this evening?” We never tolerated a “Just one this evening?” …or… “Expecting someone else to join you?” It seems to imply that ‘these people come in alone and take up a table for four?’… or…‘Thank God it’s only two people. I’m tired of looking at faces and crowds’. This might sound a bit cynical to most of us, but how people greet us can sometimes make us feel like we must start with an apology…when of course, it’s JUST a greeting.
How would your world be different if when you walked in to church and you entered the worship space, and God said… ‘Just you today?’
It is a play on words…and seems insignificant to us many times, but the reality is this: We are never “just” anything. It takes away from the beauty of being created in the image of God…and somehow lessens our importance in this world of finding the way to healing and peace within creation.
This week…make a conscious effort to never refer to yourself as “just”…anything. Listen for the voices of those people who refer to themselves with the same adjective.
When Moses was shown the burning bush, God didn’t shout…“Is that JUST you Moses or…“Moses this is JUST God.”
Make a conscious effort to see the word “JUST” as meaning fair and equal…and use it as a door for welcoming all people you come in contact with. You are a treasure to behold…a gift of life that makes a difference each day that you are here. You are part of the great tapestry of creation and without you…we would be “Just Us.”
Love yourself…give God the credit where credit is due. See the miracles of your life.
Peace,
Just Two
Deacon Dan and Carol
 

Come Journey with us. 4-15-07

This morning we noticed how far north the sun is when it rises. That’s a good sign for us.  Summer is just around the corner. It’s funny how seasons dictate our life activities. Most of us anticipate the coming season of summer with great relief. It signals the end of winter and spring’s thaw and opens the way for blossoms and blooms of all kinds. Think back on the seasons of your life.  How many summers? Which were the best? Whom did you share the most beautiful ones with?  Our day-to-day activities are great keepsakes of memories that we sometimes let slide by until we turn around to recapture them…and they are gone. Our Easter season brings us back to the truth of our Christian Life… We belong to God.  His Son sealed that through His death and resurrection.  Holy Week and Easter were beautiful celebrations. Last October when the changes were made in our church schedule, there were many prophetic voices that encouraged us to “nurture what we have and continue to serve one another.”  And so it is…we are here and intact and growing as a community.  We applaud you for your sacrifices of switching time schedules to adapt to your busy life. One thing we will never loss sight of is the “New Life” that has emerged in us as a result of our fortitude and faith in our community. At Christmas, we were blessed with having Father Steve Judd preside at our Liturgies. It was a beautiful response to “how will we celebrate the Christmas Liturgies without having to alter our schedule and change our lives?”  The truth is…our faith calls us to look at our lives today and know that because of someone’s sacrifice, we are able to be alive and vibrant and hopeful. Sacrifice is defined is several ways in Webster’s Dictionary…the act of offering something to God.  Another definition is …the act of giving something up for the sake of something else. As we approach our first year in transition of schedules and changes, we are most blessed to have people who have committed their lives to service and sacrifice. Father Tom Haffey has graciously divided his time to serve two sister parishes…for that we are forever grateful. His manner of encompassing our lives with his own spiritual story and his journey of hope is a true gift that we embrace. He has worked steadfastly to serve both parishes…and sometimes that can pose a conflict…especially when Christmas and Easter liturgies are specifically geared to times and moments. Holy Week was another beautiful experience of faith witnessed and served by one who also gave his life to God.  Father Ed Stupca made a visit to the Holy Land the weeks before Easter.  He returned on Tuesday, April 10^th   to celebrate Holy Week with us. The celebrations that we experienced as a community were beautiful.  Gentleness and goodness exude forth from his spirit of love. Because of the dedication of our priests, we are able to continue as a community and fully appreciate the strong unity we have in celebrating our faith. Usually, when a person makes a visit to the Holy Land, they are forever changed by the moving experience.  Father Ed is no exception…while there he (was moved) to be called “Rabbi”.  While there were no witnesses, we can accept his dual role as Catholic Priest and Jewish Rabbi…both serving God. His sense of humor and his genuine heartfelt kindness and his priceless ability to capture the world in his homilies has truly blessed us. We thank Father Tom and Father Ed for their sacrifice to feed the world. We also thank you…the wonderful community of Holy Spirit for your sacrifice to feed one another and the larger Church. (An aside: there was an Israeli twenty -dollar bill in the collection basket on Easter.  It’s only worth six dollars (American)…and it would cost us more to exchange it on the market than it was worth. Your generosity is much appreciated and the thought behind the giving is what really counts.  Your twenty dollar bill is being held for you at the office J…Rabbi.

Blessed Easter Season...Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey With Us 4-8-07

Signs, signs…everywhere signs

Most of us, by now, have wearied of the gray color that seems to cover the city this time of the year.  Just between the white snow and the green grass, it is a reminder that winter is not yet over for some of us. Living in this part of the country, we definitely have a change of seasons that is heralded by the changing colors and the temperature.  Many of us try to keep plants alive in our homes so that we may be reminded of the beauty of things that grow and that they need some care to keep them alive.  As the leaves begin to blossom on the trees and the robins return from their winter hiatus, our souls warm us as well, knowing that life is budding all around us. Our spiritual journey is sometimes like that.  It’s there…hanging from the ceiling reminding us of the joys in life and growing quietly in the sunshine. It literally grows right before our eyes, but we don’t notice it because we walk past it every day.For weeks we have passed a lanky plant that resides in our den. It has been in this house for ten years. Like most of our plants, we water it when we think about it…and sometimes we forget.  And like all plants, when we forget about it, it ceases to thrive.It has been knocked over several times and broken and soil spilled all around it.  It was always quickly picked up and tamped tenderly back into the pot and nurtured for a few days until it decided to give us another chance. This particular plant is a cactus.  Nothing especially beautiful about it…but this morning as I walk past it, I count no less that twelve buds on the tips of the green…tiny pink promises of new life.  This same plain cactus displayed the tiny buds at Christmas and the reaction was the same. The fact that today is Good Friday, we reflect on the journey of the passion of Christ as He humbly struggles to carry the cross to His death.  Because we know about the resurrection and we are an Easter people, we know that His Passion and death is not the final scene.  We celebrate that miracle each time we come together for liturgy…the life death and resurrection of our Lord.  I’m wondering if when Jesus was dying on the cross…what did He gaze on?   I like to think that amidst all of the chaos and suffering and anger in the crowd, that somewhere He saw a bud…waiting to come forth with New Life and open at the will of its creator…a bud so small that you had to focus on it before you could tell if it was really there.  How often in our lifetimes, do we wonder…“Am I stagnant?  Have I stopped growing?  Will spring and New Life ever come?” Life sometimes seems to just roll by us…day after day.  The experiences of wonder and awe are anticipated and many times forgotten as we rush from one season to another.  But the cycle of life continues to overwhelm us each time we are touched by a death or a birth.  If you were present on that hill of crucifixion, would Jesus see the bud of love and hope in your eyes?  Where there is so much despair, it is difficult to find.  Throughout our Lenten journey we have sung at the Stations of the Cross,  “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  Simple words that remind us that it's our very souls that He died for.  And because of His love for us we have the promise of eternal life beside Him in His Kingdom.  There are potential buds lying quietly beneath the surface of the things that we see on a daily basis.  We sometimes have to stop and pay attention to them and nurture them…water them…and then let God do the rest.  They will blossom at the appropriate time.

Alleluia…He is Risen!  Happy Easter!!

Deacon Dan and Carol

Come Journey With Us 4-1-07          Got Matches?

How many times do we hear, “I don’t think I need to be in church on Sunday.  I experience God in the countryside and the beauty of the earth.”?It is true that God is ever present to us in the wonderful creation that we enjoy.  But how important are we to each other to bring our presence to God in the holy place of community?  An analogy was made to one such eager young person who didn’t see the need for church community.  Sitting around the fire with a mentor…enjoying the warmth and light of the magnificent flames, the young man watched as the elder pulled a coal from the center of the flames.  He set it by itself away from the fire and they watched as it slowly grew dimmer and cooler and eventually went out altogether...nothing more than a cold black ash that once had been part of the glowing fire.  They also noticed that the fire itself had become just a bit less vibrant when a coal was removed.  “When we leave the warm glow of the fire, we soon become a single ember that no longer can be sustained to burn,” the wise mentor spoke.Our lives are like that.  When we gather with the warmth of community and share our light with all, the warmth and life of the fire continually feeds on the energy that comes together. We have never felt this more than now…and yet, it is a pillar of our existence…to care about someone and express that without barriers. We wish to express once again the very humbling gratitude that we have for your prayers and concern for us as we walk this unknown journey through the process of getting a kidney transplant.  Your generous contributions have truly set a level of compassion and caring that we seldom mention on our life journey.Last Sunday was the first time since Christmas that I attended mass at Holy Spirit parish. The hunger I experienced to be with my community was overwhelming. You were always with me and I with you in spirit.  Your prayers sustained my desert experience of being removed from the fire.  But the memory of the warmth and the glow of your love healed me to at last return to the celebration of Liturgy.  That is the only way for me to describe the essence of community and the importance of “being”. In younger years, we used to say, “I know it’s time for Mass, but we’re so busy and there are only so many hours in the day.  I think I’ll skip church this week.”All of us have experienced that sense of pressure to “be” at more than one place at the same time and most of us know that is impossible.  Too often we find ourselves longing for what we could have had or what we missed out on.  Looking back on our life together, we experienced times of separation from our faith community and always we were brought back because of our need to know that life has a great purpose that we sometimes cannot see, but are called to share with our fellow human beings.Come to the fire…bring your light and warmth to join with us. Together we will cast a light into the darkness of the world and bring warmth to the soul that needs to be touched…one day at a time.  Attending Mass is like working all day and taking the time to come “home for supper”.  Welcome home.  Rest in God. Warm yourself.  Satisfy your hunger for Christ. Touch someone with your presence.  And above all…know that you are loved.

Got Matches?

Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey With Us  3-25-07  The “C” word

Many times throughout our lives we are faced with a catastrophic diagnosis that changes our course and direction. We find ourselves in unfamiliar territory and watching for signs of encouragement that we are on the right track. Remember when you had little ones in your house and you spelled out the word that you didn’t want them to understand? In our generation, the “C” word was cancer. It covered a multitude of health issues and almost always left us with that cold feeling of battling a demon we could not fight. We have all been touched in one way or another by the news that, “The prognosis is not good.”  Last week we went to Virginia Mason Clinic in Seattle for an evaluation for a kidney transplant. There was much testing to be done here at home before the trip was made and then more complicated testing at the center. So far, everything has come back on a positive note bringing much light to the lonely darkness that sometimes can accompany a diagnosis. Boarding the plane early Sunday morning, we were full of hope and apprehension.  As we rose above the clouds, I remembered the very first time I had flown. How do you get above the clouds and storms and have the privilege to see the brilliant blue sky? You are in the same space, but the ability to see “beyond” the clouds and the feeling of hope that springs into your heart is amazing. In Seattle, we stayed at the Baroness Hotel; which is directly across the street from the wonderful medical center. It was a very hectic two days of testing and meetings and at the end of Tuesday we were exhausted. The medical staff and personnel at the hospital were wonderful to us.  The first person to help us with directions around the huge complex was a transplant surgeon who passed us in the hall. Being from out of town, we felt like we were home. Over the past thirty- two years we have always sung…and continue to sing the praises of our medical professionals and their commitment to healing. This was a validation of our hope. Mandy and Joel and our two grandchildren surprised us with a visit to Seattle for the three days we were there.  It was a wonderful opportunity for them to see us since we were taken ill last year. Katie and Connor are five and seven…respectively. Connor asked me one night in deep thought, “Grandma, why do some songs make us cry?”  I thought for a minute and then said, “Because they make us remember things deep in our heart that remind us of how beautiful our life is.”  That seemed an okay answer. Most of the people who were staying at the Hotel were there for medical reasons and some seemed very frail and deep in thought as they entered the lobby.  Their eyes lit up when they saw these two cherubs smiling at them and they always asked them what their name was and in return told the children their own names. Our room was right off the lobby and one of us was always there with them…putting together jigsaw puzzles or reading or just watching the innocence of children at play. The last day we were there, “John”, one of the lodgers stopped to say this about Connor and Katie.  “If you didn’t believe in God and Angels, when you looked at these two little faces, you could never doubt again.”  The “C” word…children. Our son, Jared will be tested as a donor. Many of you have asked if you could be considered a donor. If you are interested, please call Virginia Mason at this number; 1-800-354-9527 ext.11201 and tell them you are considering being a kidney donor for Carol McGrath. There is no cost to you and it is a process of elimination and discovery. On Wednesday, we rested before boarding an evening plane back to Butte. As we lifted off, away from the sunset, that same feeling of hope and blue skies filled our final daylight hours.  The “C” word always is Christ.You have been and continue to be that comforting presence to us.

Deacon Dan and Carol

 Come Journey With Us 3-18-07

 Leaning on each other. The other day we were having a conversation with our cousins Albert and Lou.  Albert has been in a wheelchair since 1972.  We were talking about how wonderful and kind people are and how much they have humbled us by reaching out to us.  “We almost feel like we don’t deserve that kindness,” I said.  Sometimes we feel like we are imposing on the kindness of others and don’t know how to gracefully accept love.  Albert talked about when he was first disabled, paralyzed from the waist down.  At first he was angry about his situation and would refuse to be helped by anyone who got between him and a closed door. Then one day he saw an article about a disabled man who was sullen and angry with people who asked if they could help or tried to open a door for him.  He would snarl that he was perfectly “able” to open the door himself and flashed an ugly stare at the Good Samaritan.  He said he saw himself and realized that people do things for us because they care and they want to be kind…even strangers we’ve never met. Rocket Science.  In our world of mistrust and self- sufficiency, it is difficult for us to remember there are souls all around us that simply want to be “nice”.  Why would we want to get in the way of someone reaching out to a need or responding to our weakness by giving us something on which to lean.  It made us think.  He is absolutely right. There was a movie a few years ago called, “Pay It Forward”.  It was about a young boy’s inspiration to do something good for someone without recognition or hesitation and that in beginning this “good deed” it would blossom and recipients would give a gift to others and “pay it forward”.  The movie was extremely well done and is not an impossible dream for a world that hungers for human touch and compassion. On Sunday we had dinner with my mother…who is going to be 90 years old this year.  She prepared the “birthday and bon voyage” dinner for five people and it was wonderful.  Even as we finished dinner and drank our coffee, she proceeded to put the chicken bones in the pot to prepare for “tomorrow”.  What a gift to have that generosity and energy to give what we can and stay connected with each other. As we left her apartment, I commented to everyone. “Mom was sure in her glory be able to fix everyone dinner tonight.” I was reminded of a quote I heard once from St