BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VERY ORDINARY THINGS - FOURTEEN

This is the fourteenth in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many people do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against hast and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.

GETTING TIRED OF EXTREMISM

“Extremism is so easy. You've got your position, and that's it. It doesn't take much thought. And when you go far enough to the right you meet the same idiots coming around from the left.

Clint Eastwood

Interview, Time Magazine, February 20, 2005

I have always heard that we cry out in pain at both ends of life - when we come in and when we go out, when we are born and when we die. 

I am one to believe that all the "crying out in pain" that keeps getting louder and louder each day is both the birth of something new and the death of something old. It's like the image of an egg that I have used often in my preaching. One day we woke up to find thin cracks in the church starting to manifest all over it. Each day the cracks keep becoming more numerous and more obvious. As this happens, some panic and do what they can to try to tape it all back together. They are convinced that we are falling apart. I know from raising chickens that the worst thing you can do when an egg starts to crack like that is to tape it back together. I believe that what one needs to do, in such cases, is to stand back and let it hatch. I can't join those who believe that we are falling apart. Rather, I choose to stand firmly with those who believe that we are simply giving birth once again - "ecclesia semper reformanda," "the church is always in need of reform." 

I believe something similar is happening in our culture. In a panic, we are engaging in "culture wars." Some of us believe that we are dying and others believe that we are giving birth. Those who are most fearful are desperately trying to make true what they love. Those who are most hopeful are desperately trying to love the new truth. 

In times like ours, I suggest we resists embracing one extreme or the other, but try to stay in the sane center, working to save what is valuable while being open to innovation and change. The sane center need not be about watering down the truth, accepting mediocrity or compromising principles, but about embracing what is true in both extremes.  As long as it is good, true, right and respectful, why not embrace it?  Only the sowing of evil, hate, division and cruelty need to be rejected! 

Why can't we value self-reliance and take care of the weak? Why can't we appreciate science and religion? Why can't we embrace the gifts of women and men. Why can't we blend the wisdom of the old and the creativity of the young? Why can't we be both passionate and flexible? Why can't we appreciate the faith of St. Paul and the doubts of St. Thomas, the prodigality of the younger son and the fidelity of the older son, the Jewish convert and the Gentile convert? Why can't we accept the fact that Democrats and Republicans both have something to add? 

It doesn't have to be either/or. It can be both/and. We can proudly make our case without having to overstate it. We can honor the case that others proudly make without the need to silence them. 

Traditionalists and progressives both need to heed the words of Thomas Merton. "Those who are not humble hate their past and push it out of sight, just as they cut down the growing and green things that spring up inexhaustibly even in the present.”

Personally, I am trying to be like the "householder" in the gospel according to Matthew (13:51-53) who can "bring out of his storeroom things both new and old!" That passage refers to Matthew's attempt to wed the old Jewish traditions to the new reality of Jesus for Christian converts.

A BIG THANKS TO OUR "CATHOLIC SECOND WIND GUILD" PARTNERS

GENEROUS FRIENDS, YOU HAVE DONE MUCH GOOD

YOUR OUR FELLOW CATHOLICS DOWN IN THE ISLANDS APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH



A NEW LAPTOP IN A FINANCIAL EMERGENCY

Right before the pandemic, the Catholic Second Wind Guild donors rushed to replace a badly malfunctioning laptop in the Catholic Pastoral Centre of the Diocese of Kingstown, down in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines where Father Knott volunteers.

“My thank you goes beyond my brand new laptop. Words alone can't express how grateful I am to have met such a wonderful person as Fr Ron who only needs to hear the slightest of a cry to run to help in every way possible. 
Fr Ron, thank you for all you have done and continue to do. The joy you bring to little children and the life you give to broken things could never be repaid. 
Thank you.”

Kimberley Olliver

Diocese of Kingstown, Assistant Financial Officer

"Along with her (Kimberley), I wanted to express my personal gratitude to you for this gift. It was a most timely donation for which I am most grateful. 
I can scarcely believe that it is coming up to eight months since I left St Vincent and the duration of this time lapse struck me when I reflected on how well Kimberley has assumed her responsibilities over this period. Even before I left last July, she had been ‘complaining’ about some hiccups on her old laptop. So, you can imagine how delighted she was with her new acquisition."

Fergal Redmond

Diocese of Kingstown, Chief Financial Officer
(He is temporarily operating from his home in Ireland during the pandemic. He, like me, is itching to go back.) 


RELIEF FROM A CUT IN THE FOOD BUDGET

Because the rippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have severely affected the diocesan budgets,  Bishop County has had to implement cutbacks - from staff numbers and staff salaries to food budgets.  Besides the cuts, some items are too expensive or not available. 

Above are photos of 6 of the 9 boxes of food staples and other needed items we have sent down to alleviate some of the pain. There are items for the bishop's house, items to be shared with the staff, items for the orphanage, items for the Sisters and items for a priest serving on two of the outer islands. The next box or two will go to those not yet helped. 

A DELAYED EASTER IN THE OUTER ISLANDS

Because of COVID-19 precautions, churches in the islands were closed for Easter. On Sunday June 7, Trinity Sunday, the parish was able to gather again. This is a photo of the kids on Mayreau island receiving their delayed Easter baskets.  Father Boniface had to miss the photo because he had to catch the boat to Union island immediately after Mass. Notice how well-dressed and groomed the kids are! This is true when they are sent to school and brought to church! It was one of the first things I noticed when I starting working down there - how much they value their children! 

The islands of Bequia, Canouan and Union also had delayed Easter Basket distributions. Photos from there are unavailable at this time.  

This is the boy in the photo above holding the sign that reads
"Thank You Father Ron" 

This close-up shows a cute little boy with a basket almost as big as he is! 

This beautiful little girl, in her Sunday best, could hardly carry her Easter "goodies." 



A few of the kids on Union island got their Easter Baskets the Sunday following the ones on Mayreau island. Some, who could not make it that Sunday, got their baskets later. 



Part of the new fence (to keep roaming goats from doing their business the church) we built in partnership with the parish of the Immaculate Conception on the island of Mayreau. The fence is done, but the new gate has yet to be installed. 


Old fence in a pile. New fence going up. Church and bell tower in top left of the photo. 

Three years in the making, we were able to help replace the badly leaking roof on Saint Joseph House on Union island. Saint Joseph House is rentable property given to the Diocese of Kingstown SVG several years ago to produce income to support the parish. The old roof was leaking so badly that it could not be rented over the last three years. With a few more internal repairs, the parish will be able to rent it again and have the support it needs to continue to stay open and operate. 

Father Boniface Oganna, a priest from Nigeria, is serving as the pastor on Mayrau and Union islands

I Hope You Enjoy Giving As Much As I Do!

I learned this habit from my mother. Growing up, we didn't have much, but any time anybody came to our house, my mother would give them a bag from her garden, a jar from her shelf or package from her freezer. They never seemed to leave empty-handed. She intensely enjoyed giving, even though she had very little to give.  She is now enjoying her fabulous heavenly reward, but she is also enjoying a wonderful earthly reward, an unselfish reputation. Her legacy to us, her children, is the enjoyment of giving that she taught us by her example.  

BEING MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VERY ORDINARY THINGS - THIRTEEN

This is the thirteenth in a series of periodic reflections on the "ordinary things" that many people do on a regular basis without much thought. During this pandemic, I am developing a need to "rage, rage" against hast and laziness and replace it with care and attention. My hope is to become personally more intentional about doing ordinary things with care and focused attention, while inspiring others to maybe do the same.

LIVING IN A WORLD OF DISEASE AND UNEASE

   

I am getting sick and tired of trying to stay safe! Just when I thought it might be safe to go out and about, I am told every night on the news that the pandemic in Kentucky is spiking upward! If it would help, I would stand out on my deck and scream as loud as I can! The only thing that stops me is the realization that the neighbors might call the police and have me arrested. Then it would become a classic case of "out of the frying pan and into the fire!" Besides, I would hate to see my photo in the Courier Journal under the headlines, "Local priest loses his mind and is arrested for being a noise nuisance!" 

I have found that when I get into a state of mind like that, it is at least a temporary relief to think of others who are in a worse state than I am in! I know in my heart of hearts that what I am going through is an "aggravation," not a real "problem." I know that there are people out there who have real problems. 

I try to think of the "wounded warriors," the men and women who have missing limbs, brain damage and paralysis because of war injuries. I suspect that most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't begin to imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of the many senior citizens, especially those who are alone and poor, living like prisoners in unsafe neighborhoods, without anyone to visit them and without basic health care. I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of the many trapped victims of spouse and child abuse who have nowhere to run and who are forced to live, day in and day out, in fear of their lives.! I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of the many children who are bullied every day of their lives, crying themselves to sleep with worry about how to navigate their next day! I think of the shame, fear and powerlessness they feel, often in silence. I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of those who are seriously addicted to drugs or alcohol and feel they have to sell their dignity in a host of ways just to keep going. The shame, pain and fear that most of them are drowning in is something they feel they can't shake.  I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of those unemployed families who live from hand to mouth every day, worrying where their next meal will come from, what they will do if one of the children gets sick or where they will live if they are evicted. I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of those battling health conditions like cancer, Parkinson and Alzheimer disease.  Many of them are terrified when they think of what's coming next for them. I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of their situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

I try to think of my many friends and acquaintances down in the Caribbean missions who struggle with employment, food, education, travel and health issues. I suspect most of them are "sick and tired" of those situations to a degree that I can't imagine. God bless them! 

When all is said and done, I really have nothing to complain about!
I am still

SIMPLY AMAZED - FOREVER GRATEFUL

A recent sign of hope outside my door.