Bulletin for Sunday, March 6, 2011

9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Friends,

This past Friday was a very snowy day here in Rochester, and driving down my
street I slid on some super-compacted snow and got stuck in a snow bank.
Independent me, I tried and tried to get out, but finally had to admit I
needed help. One of my neighbors came and pushed me out. People on my street
seem to help each other a lot like that. So often I come out in the morning
and find that someone has cleared out my driveway. My next-door neighbor
mows my lawn in the summer, and when I bake bread I bring a loaf next door
to his family. Connections like that are part of what makes life good.

After I got out of that snow bank on Friday, I drove on in to work at St
John's Home where I'm a chaplain. I almost didn't go in, because of the
snow! But I was so glad that I did, because it turned out to be the day of
the annual Talent Show. People were singing and dancing and acting silly,
performing for each other. It reminded me of years ago at Corpus Christi
when we had some very silly Variety Shows, with ridiculous skits and
hilarious versions of movies like "Gone with the Wind." Laughing together is
one of the great treasures of community. It's gold in the bank for the hard
times that all communities go through.

Here at St. Romero's our Coffee Hour after Sunday Mass has turned into a
communal breakfast. Linda or Eli make some scrambled eggs. Rachael makes
toast, and Mark puts the coffee on. Then we sit and eat and talk. It's one
of the benefits of being such a small community! I believe that relaxing
together and enjoying each others' company is as important to community as
worshiping together, or working together to heal the world in more serious
ways. This helps to heal the world, too.

I hope that on Thursday, March 24, some of you who get this bulletin will
join us for a special Mass and Pot Luck. That day is the 31st anniversary of
the day Monseñor Oscar Romero was shot and killed while celebrating Mass,
because of his courageous voice in support of the poor of El Salvador. So
that means March 24 is our feast day. We will celebrate our newborn
existence as a community. You are most welcome to bring a dish to pass and
join us at 5:30 for supper, and to be here for Mass at 7pm.

Scott Peck said, "In community lies the healing of the world." Whether it's
the communities of our neighborhoods, or our workplaces, or our churches, we
need to be connected to each other. We need to dig each other out of snow
banks, and laugh together, and sit and eat and talk together. I'm so
grateful for all the community in my life! And I hope you'll come and help
build community with us, too.

Blessings and love to all,
Chava


"If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution!"
--Mother Jones


At 7 pm on March 9 you are welcome to come out to East Rochester to observe
Ash Wednesday with Mary Magdalene Church. I'll be celebrating Mass there
that night. Come and make a great start to Lent!

Our Wednesday morning Spanish-practice breakfasts will start up again on
March 16.

Have a blessed week, and come visit us some Sunday!

_____________________________________________________________
Oscar Romero Church
An Inclusive Church in the Catholic Tradition
Mass: Sundays, 11 am
St Joseph's House of Hospitality, 402 South Ave, Rochester NY 14603