25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Friends,
This weekend we will celebrate our first anniversary with a pot-luck lunch following the 11 am Mass on Sunday. I hope you can come… bring a dish to pass if you like but don’t let that stop you from coming. We would love to see you.
I am very sorry to tell you that besides having something to celebrate this week, we have something to mourn.
Last Thursday night at Iglesia de San Romero, our Mass with migrant farm workers west of the city, we learned that one of our number, Santiago, had been taken by immigration – at four in the morning. Imagine being awakened at 4 am and taken to a detention center. We prayed for him at Mass, and Librada and I tried to see him (without luck) on Saturday.
Today we received the sad news that not only Santiago, but almost the entire community, have been taken. Leonardo, Pedro, Marconi and others, including the mother of young Rafael, (who is, I believe, in the care of the one adult member of the community who was not detained).
These are hard-working men and women, who have left their homes and families because they had no other way to support them, came at great risk to this country to work long, hard hours, live in constant fear of deportation --- they come to this place that we so proudly believe to be the land of the free, and get taken from their homes at night, separated from their children ----- my friends, this is not justice. It is not justice that there is such poverty in Mexico and Central America that people are driven to leave their loved ones – often for years, decades even– poverty that is abetted by the policies of the United States, such as NAFTA and CAFTA. It is not justice that people die in the desert, trying to get here. It is not justice that once here, they are doing work that people who are born here will not do – it is too hard, there is no status – work that we need done – and yet they are treated so badly, living fifteen people in one small house with one bathroom – living in fear – and finally, hounded down and put in detention – which is basically, jail. In fact, the women probably are in jail, as the detention center houses only men.
This is not the bulletin I wanted to write this week. I meant to write about the past year and the things we have done so far. Like our friends, I am not doing what I wanted to be doing right now. I think of them – bored, lonely, scared, sad, muscles sore from sudden disuse – their lives suddenly turned upside down. Pray for them, please.
And pray for our little church, in both its incarnations: the little church that prays in English on Sundays, and the little church that prays in Spanish on Thursdays. God has walked with us and cared for us in beautiful ways this year. I know that God is close, now, and is with our friends as they wait to see what the future holds.
Whatever the future holds, God will be there.
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
Two upcoming events:
On October 6, Paul Finkelman will speak on Constitutional rights and immigration, first at St John Fisher at 3 pm, later at MCC at 7:30 pm.
On Wednesday, October 12, Fr Anthony Ruff will speak at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School at 7 pm, on the upcoming changes to the Roman Missal: “What do we do NOW?”
Hope to see you on 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 14620
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Bulletin for Sunday, September 11, 2011
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Friends,
We're coming up on our one-year anniversary here at St Romero's! On Sunday, September 18, join us for Mass at 11 followed by a pot-luck lunch. Bring a dish to pass and come help us celebrate!
Seems to me that a first anniversary is an excellent time for a visioning day. Like a new-born infant, our first year has been mostly occupied with the business of existence... finding a place to worship, coming up with a name, beginning our first outreach program... establishing who we are, right from the start. What's next? Should we turn our focus toward trying to grow? What questions do we bring at one year? Even if you are only a member-in-spirit, receiving the bulletin each week, or only come now and then, if you care about this community you are welcome to join us on Saturday morning, October 15, over at the bakery on Mt Hope Ave, upstairs in the “Upper Room.” Come help us dream!
This past weekend, Joe Lavoie and Rachael Morlock were in Washington DC protesting the oil pipeline. Both were arrested, along with about a thousand other people, but they're both home and safe and well. What a beautiful witness, you two. Thank you for putting your own well-being on line in defense of our planet and the vulnerable indigenous people of Canada. Here is what Joe had to say about the experience:
“I went down to DC with the intention of getting arrested because of the integrity of those who gave the call to action. Wendell Berry and Bill McKibben were enough to encourage me to research this pipeline more. The more I read, the more I knew I had to be present at this action. What I didn't expect from reading the statistics and scientific analyses was the delegation of the Indigenous Environmental Network who were arrested next to us on Sept 2. This whole issue shifted for me when I met these men and women and heard them speak of how these tar sands were destroying their villages. These tar sands in Canada affects those living near and downstream when dug for oil. The process creates daily as much CO2 as one million cars.
"These indigenous persons described how the destruction of the forests near their villages through clear cutting and poisoning of the soil is destroying their culture, which is interdependent with those sacred grounds. They described the tar sands work as ethnocide and attempted genocide, as unprecedented occurrences of toxin related cancers are becoming the norm and as the animals they hunt are becoming sickly and covered in sores. The tears of this one woman describing the deaths of two of her companions hit by oil trucks on the road spoke to me more than any statistic could. I was proud to stand in solidarity with those threatened, marginalized people, against the key to expansion of the tar sands: the Keystone Pipeline Expansion, brought to us by TransCanada.
"I was charged with failure to obey a police officer, arrested, zip tied, driven to the station with 9 other rascals, processed, then was shown the door. It was essentially a very expensive van ride. We were placed under arrest around 11:30 and I was taken around 3:00 and released a little after four.” Thanks, Joe and Rachael!
Attached is a photo from the Labor Day Parade. The woman with me is Librada Paz, who has come almost every week to Iglesia de San Romero, our Migrant Mass, and served as interpreter. This ministry would not be possible without Librada's help. I would never have known how to find the people without her! Our friends have had to move, and this week we will be leaving early so that Librada can direct us to their new location. If you are joining us, please be ready to leave from the St Joe's parking lot at 6:45pm.
The parade was great, by the way! It was good to see a lot of great support for the farm workers – and to see a lot of old friends from Spiritus who were there to march with them, thanks to the organizing efforts of Marilu Aguilar!
This Sunday, September 11, a reporter from Inter Press Services News Agency in NY City will join us at Mass. Hope you can come, too!
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
Peace activist Kathy Kelly is coming to town, again. She and David Smith-Ferri will give a talk entitled “The Cost of War, the Price of Peace” at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, (same building as Spiritus), 121 N Fitzhugh St, on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
This Sunday is the tenth anniversary of the 9/11/01 attacks in New York and Washington, DC. Join people of many faiths for a service on the grounds of the Eastman House, 900 East Ave, at 4 pm. Bring a lawn chair if you're coming!
________________________________________________________
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 14620
Friends,
We're coming up on our one-year anniversary here at St Romero's! On Sunday, September 18, join us for Mass at 11 followed by a pot-luck lunch. Bring a dish to pass and come help us celebrate!
Seems to me that a first anniversary is an excellent time for a visioning day. Like a new-born infant, our first year has been mostly occupied with the business of existence... finding a place to worship, coming up with a name, beginning our first outreach program... establishing who we are, right from the start. What's next? Should we turn our focus toward trying to grow? What questions do we bring at one year? Even if you are only a member-in-spirit, receiving the bulletin each week, or only come now and then, if you care about this community you are welcome to join us on Saturday morning, October 15, over at the bakery on Mt Hope Ave, upstairs in the “Upper Room.” Come help us dream!
This past weekend, Joe Lavoie and Rachael Morlock were in Washington DC protesting the oil pipeline. Both were arrested, along with about a thousand other people, but they're both home and safe and well. What a beautiful witness, you two. Thank you for putting your own well-being on line in defense of our planet and the vulnerable indigenous people of Canada. Here is what Joe had to say about the experience:
“I went down to DC with the intention of getting arrested because of the integrity of those who gave the call to action. Wendell Berry and Bill McKibben were enough to encourage me to research this pipeline more. The more I read, the more I knew I had to be present at this action. What I didn't expect from reading the statistics and scientific analyses was the delegation of the Indigenous Environmental Network who were arrested next to us on Sept 2. This whole issue shifted for me when I met these men and women and heard them speak of how these tar sands were destroying their villages. These tar sands in Canada affects those living near and downstream when dug for oil. The process creates daily as much CO2 as one million cars.
"These indigenous persons described how the destruction of the forests near their villages through clear cutting and poisoning of the soil is destroying their culture, which is interdependent with those sacred grounds. They described the tar sands work as ethnocide and attempted genocide, as unprecedented occurrences of toxin related cancers are becoming the norm and as the animals they hunt are becoming sickly and covered in sores. The tears of this one woman describing the deaths of two of her companions hit by oil trucks on the road spoke to me more than any statistic could. I was proud to stand in solidarity with those threatened, marginalized people, against the key to expansion of the tar sands: the Keystone Pipeline Expansion, brought to us by TransCanada.
"I was charged with failure to obey a police officer, arrested, zip tied, driven to the station with 9 other rascals, processed, then was shown the door. It was essentially a very expensive van ride. We were placed under arrest around 11:30 and I was taken around 3:00 and released a little after four.” Thanks, Joe and Rachael!
Attached is a photo from the Labor Day Parade. The woman with me is Librada Paz, who has come almost every week to Iglesia de San Romero, our Migrant Mass, and served as interpreter. This ministry would not be possible without Librada's help. I would never have known how to find the people without her! Our friends have had to move, and this week we will be leaving early so that Librada can direct us to their new location. If you are joining us, please be ready to leave from the St Joe's parking lot at 6:45pm.
The parade was great, by the way! It was good to see a lot of great support for the farm workers – and to see a lot of old friends from Spiritus who were there to march with them, thanks to the organizing efforts of Marilu Aguilar!
This Sunday, September 11, a reporter from Inter Press Services News Agency in NY City will join us at Mass. Hope you can come, too!
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
Peace activist Kathy Kelly is coming to town, again. She and David Smith-Ferri will give a talk entitled “The Cost of War, the Price of Peace” at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, (same building as Spiritus), 121 N Fitzhugh St, on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
This Sunday is the tenth anniversary of the 9/11/01 attacks in New York and Washington, DC. Join people of many faiths for a service on the grounds of the Eastman House, 900 East Ave, at 4 pm. Bring a lawn chair if you're coming!
________________________________________________________
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 14620
Bulletin for Sunday, September 4, 2011
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Friends,
Each week when we go out west of the city to celebrate Mass with a group of
migrant farmworkers, we start the Mass at about 8 pm. I had thought that as
the days grew shorter we would start earlier, but I learned that their
workday stays the same even though it’s dark earlier. Folks get home at
6:30 and everyone needs to eat and shower before Mass – fifteen people
living in a house with only one shower – so we’ll keep starting Mass at 8.
These days, we open the door of the house to have light to see by. It’s
okay, we still have a lovely Mass!
There are several men who are there every week, and several other men and
women who are there now and then. One of the men who is always there is
Santiago, a man of about 60. One week I was surprised when he wasn’t there,
and asked why. The others explained that he was working late, planting
onions. About 9 pm he came in, just as the Mass was ending, covered with
dirt and sweat and not having had his supper. When we sing that hymn with
the line, “all who labor without rest,” I think of Santiago.
This coming Monday we will celebrate Labor Day. Some of us will march with
the farmworkers’ contingent in the parade, wearing red bandanas to show
solidarity with the farm workers. Meet at the corner of Sibley Place and
East Ave by 10:15 on Monday morning, September 5, if you would like to join
us.
Last week I went with a group from the Presbytery to visit some farms. One
of the questions people asked was, “Why do you hire people from other
countries to do this work?” The farmers explained that they can’t find
people from here that are willing to do the work – and when they do, they
usually last about three hours. (A man named Tom Rivers wrote a great
little book called “Farm Hands” about his experience trying to do the work
the migrants do. He stuck with it, lost 40 lbs, and by the end of the
summer was almost as fast as the slowest of the migrant farm workers. It is
hard work!) One of the farmers offered her opinion that besides being
difficult, farm work doesn’t have much status.
Without farm workers, there would be no food on our tables. Someone needs
to plant it, weed it, harvest it, package it. Let’s recognize the dignity
and worth of that work. Let’s work to change the laws, so that people don’t
get punished for coming here to do it! Thank you, farm workers, for all
that you do.
And thank you to all workers. Where would we be without the work you do?
The work that everyone one of us does, paid and unpaid. Work is love made
manifest – that positive energy that creates and maintains the things we
need for life. Thank you for the work you do.
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
Two of our workers from St Joe’s, Rachael Morlock and Joe Lavoie, are in
Washington DC to protest the oil pipeline that is proposed to take oil from
the tar sands in Canada all the way to Texas. Blessings on your journey,
Rachael and Joe. May it bring a bit more light to the world.
Peace activist Kathy Kelly is coming to town, again. She and David
Smith-Ferri will give a talk entitled “The Cost of War, the Price of Peace”
at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N Fitzhugh St, on Tuesday,
Sept. 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
St Romero’s is almost one year old! Our first Mass was held on September 19
of last year. Shall we celebrate? Come and join us for Mass on Sunday,
September 18 at 11, and bring a dish to pass if you like for lunch
afterwards. Maybe we could have a cake in the shape of a 1!
Lastly, a message for Theresa who offered to help with the Migrant Masses.
There was a problem with my email system and I lost all of my old messages,
including yours. Would you kindly write again?
Many thanks to Mike Reimringer who is sending out the bulletin this week,
while Rachael is in Washington protesting the pipeline.
Come and join us, any Sunday you like!
___________________________________________________
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 14620
Friends,
Each week when we go out west of the city to celebrate Mass with a group of
migrant farmworkers, we start the Mass at about 8 pm. I had thought that as
the days grew shorter we would start earlier, but I learned that their
workday stays the same even though it’s dark earlier. Folks get home at
6:30 and everyone needs to eat and shower before Mass – fifteen people
living in a house with only one shower – so we’ll keep starting Mass at 8.
These days, we open the door of the house to have light to see by. It’s
okay, we still have a lovely Mass!
There are several men who are there every week, and several other men and
women who are there now and then. One of the men who is always there is
Santiago, a man of about 60. One week I was surprised when he wasn’t there,
and asked why. The others explained that he was working late, planting
onions. About 9 pm he came in, just as the Mass was ending, covered with
dirt and sweat and not having had his supper. When we sing that hymn with
the line, “all who labor without rest,” I think of Santiago.
This coming Monday we will celebrate Labor Day. Some of us will march with
the farmworkers’ contingent in the parade, wearing red bandanas to show
solidarity with the farm workers. Meet at the corner of Sibley Place and
East Ave by 10:15 on Monday morning, September 5, if you would like to join
us.
Last week I went with a group from the Presbytery to visit some farms. One
of the questions people asked was, “Why do you hire people from other
countries to do this work?” The farmers explained that they can’t find
people from here that are willing to do the work – and when they do, they
usually last about three hours. (A man named Tom Rivers wrote a great
little book called “Farm Hands” about his experience trying to do the work
the migrants do. He stuck with it, lost 40 lbs, and by the end of the
summer was almost as fast as the slowest of the migrant farm workers. It is
hard work!) One of the farmers offered her opinion that besides being
difficult, farm work doesn’t have much status.
Without farm workers, there would be no food on our tables. Someone needs
to plant it, weed it, harvest it, package it. Let’s recognize the dignity
and worth of that work. Let’s work to change the laws, so that people don’t
get punished for coming here to do it! Thank you, farm workers, for all
that you do.
And thank you to all workers. Where would we be without the work you do?
The work that everyone one of us does, paid and unpaid. Work is love made
manifest – that positive energy that creates and maintains the things we
need for life. Thank you for the work you do.
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
Two of our workers from St Joe’s, Rachael Morlock and Joe Lavoie, are in
Washington DC to protest the oil pipeline that is proposed to take oil from
the tar sands in Canada all the way to Texas. Blessings on your journey,
Rachael and Joe. May it bring a bit more light to the world.
Peace activist Kathy Kelly is coming to town, again. She and David
Smith-Ferri will give a talk entitled “The Cost of War, the Price of Peace”
at Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N Fitzhugh St, on Tuesday,
Sept. 13, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
St Romero’s is almost one year old! Our first Mass was held on September 19
of last year. Shall we celebrate? Come and join us for Mass on Sunday,
September 18 at 11, and bring a dish to pass if you like for lunch
afterwards. Maybe we could have a cake in the shape of a 1!
Lastly, a message for Theresa who offered to help with the Migrant Masses.
There was a problem with my email system and I lost all of my old messages,
including yours. Would you kindly write again?
Many thanks to Mike Reimringer who is sending out the bulletin this week,
while Rachael is in Washington protesting the pipeline.
Come and join us, any Sunday you like!
___________________________________________________
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 14620
Bulletin for Sunday, August 28, 2011
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Friends,
This weekend I had the peculiar blessing of an experience of powerlessness. A blessing because it was an opportunity to see the goodness of God in action –
Sunday morning I woke up with a debilitating migraine. It was Sunday morning – Mass to get ready for, stuff to do, service at the nursing home in the afternoon – and I couldn’t do any of it. All I could do was sit and look out the window and hope the pain would pass. I remembered to be grateful that they’re not usually like that. Normally I take a couple of pills and the pain recedes, but not this time.
Look how good God is. This day when I could not preach or lead a service or even drive to church, was also the day that Rev. Patti LaRosa came to preside and preach for us in celebration of her recent ordination. (and she led us in a lovely Mass! The church has another terrific priest!) I was reminded of the story about the morning a priest in ordinary clothes knocked on the door at Mother Teresa’s convent, and the nun who opened the door said, “Come in, Father!” “How did you know I was a priest?” he asked. “The priest who was supposed to say Mass for us had to cancel, and Mother Teresa said not to worry, God would send us another one!” So you see, God does that for St Romero’s, too!
The other blessing in the experience was that it got me thinking about powerlessness. I’m a pretty busy person, always with a list of things to do. And here I was, unable to do a thing. One of the questions chaplains are taught to ask is, “Where is God in this for you?” Well, we who are Christian believe in a God who enters into our experience of powerlessness, who chose to become one of us, to suffer, to experience rejection and loss and all the pain of being human.
There is a woman at the nursing home where I work who also teaches me about powerlessness. She has lived her whole life with a brain injury and now has dementia on top of that. She doesn’t own anything, doesn’t produce anything, doesn’t accomplish anything, and as far as I know, she never has. But she loves God. One of the things that seems to mean a lot to her is receiving ashes, like we do on Ash Wednesday. I keep a little packet of ashes in my pocket so I can give her ashes whenever she asks for them. It’s a little ritual that moves me so much: I make a little cross on her forehead, and say, “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return…and know that you are God’s own beloved.” And then she sings. Maybe she sings an Alleluia. Maybe “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know,” or “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” Whatever it is, it comes straight from her heart. She has never crossed an item off a “to-do” list in her life… but she gives God joy. I know she does. All of us give God joy just by being.
I hope your summer has included some time to just be! You are God’s own delight, just as you are.
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
St Joe’s carwash was rained out, two Sundays in a row. Stop by and get your car washed some sunny weekend day! Suggested donation $5 or $10 for an outside wash, $20 for inside vacuuming as well.
Our migrant masses continue… join us some Thursday night, leaving the St Joe’s parking lot at 7, best to let me know if you’re coming. Always looking for people to bake some cookies! …Which we promise to protect from the raccoons.
And many thanks to Rev. Patti for leading us in such a lovely Mass this past 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 14620
Friends,
This weekend I had the peculiar blessing of an experience of powerlessness. A blessing because it was an opportunity to see the goodness of God in action –
Sunday morning I woke up with a debilitating migraine. It was Sunday morning – Mass to get ready for, stuff to do, service at the nursing home in the afternoon – and I couldn’t do any of it. All I could do was sit and look out the window and hope the pain would pass. I remembered to be grateful that they’re not usually like that. Normally I take a couple of pills and the pain recedes, but not this time.
Look how good God is. This day when I could not preach or lead a service or even drive to church, was also the day that Rev. Patti LaRosa came to preside and preach for us in celebration of her recent ordination. (and she led us in a lovely Mass! The church has another terrific priest!) I was reminded of the story about the morning a priest in ordinary clothes knocked on the door at Mother Teresa’s convent, and the nun who opened the door said, “Come in, Father!” “How did you know I was a priest?” he asked. “The priest who was supposed to say Mass for us had to cancel, and Mother Teresa said not to worry, God would send us another one!” So you see, God does that for St Romero’s, too!
The other blessing in the experience was that it got me thinking about powerlessness. I’m a pretty busy person, always with a list of things to do. And here I was, unable to do a thing. One of the questions chaplains are taught to ask is, “Where is God in this for you?” Well, we who are Christian believe in a God who enters into our experience of powerlessness, who chose to become one of us, to suffer, to experience rejection and loss and all the pain of being human.
There is a woman at the nursing home where I work who also teaches me about powerlessness. She has lived her whole life with a brain injury and now has dementia on top of that. She doesn’t own anything, doesn’t produce anything, doesn’t accomplish anything, and as far as I know, she never has. But she loves God. One of the things that seems to mean a lot to her is receiving ashes, like we do on Ash Wednesday. I keep a little packet of ashes in my pocket so I can give her ashes whenever she asks for them. It’s a little ritual that moves me so much: I make a little cross on her forehead, and say, “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return…and know that you are God’s own beloved.” And then she sings. Maybe she sings an Alleluia. Maybe “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know,” or “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” Whatever it is, it comes straight from her heart. She has never crossed an item off a “to-do” list in her life… but she gives God joy. I know she does. All of us give God joy just by being.
I hope your summer has included some time to just be! You are God’s own delight, just as you are.
Blessings and love to all,
Chava
St Joe’s carwash was rained out, two Sundays in a row. Stop by and get your car washed some sunny weekend day! Suggested donation $5 or $10 for an outside wash, $20 for inside vacuuming as well.
Our migrant masses continue… join us some Thursday night, leaving the St Joe’s parking lot at 7, best to let me know if you’re coming. Always looking for people to bake some cookies! …Which we promise to protect from the raccoons.
And many thanks to Rev. Patti for leading us in such a lovely Mass this past 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 14620
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