Can you brighten the day of your former pastor, Father Eamon Dignan? He is awaiting your visit. I assure you that meeting him will also bring you MUCH JOY: "you will receive more than you give".
You may recall that about one year ago, I wrote an entire column about " VISITING FATHER DIGNAN" (bulletin of June 17, 2021). We had strict Covid restrictions and I could meet him only outdoors.
A few days ago, I found the time to re-visit him. The good news is that his health has improved. He is no longer in a wheelchair and his "memory" is coming back: this time, we could have a conversation about his long 17 years as our pastor at OLHOC (1987-2002). We prayed together. He gave me a priestly blessing. As I was leaving, he decided to accompany me and introduced me to another Catholic resident. He also asked me to come back soon. He made it clear that he loves to meet people. During the one hour we spent together, he kept smiling: he was totally at PEACE!
You can visit him any day. He is only 45 minutes away. He is staying at St. Mary's Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown (21585 Peabody Street). Many Covid restrictions have been lifted. Visits are now from 8 am till 8 pm. He can meet with as many as 6 visitors at the same time. When you are ready to go, you may wish to let the Center know (301-475-8000) or you can simply show up as I did.
Last Sunday Pentecost, did you find PEACE, JOY, and LOVE, those three major fruits of the Holy Spirit that Father Dignan still displays in his late age? Were your hearts filled with the Holy Spirit? Did you listen to the HOLY SPIRIT? Did you reflect on the fact that since your Baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT you are CALLED TO HOLINESS and to be "prophet, priest, and king". This means that like the first disciples at Pentecost, you have to proclaim the Good News of the Risen Lord who by his own death has conquered death once for all, and you have to participate in the overall mission of the Church established and led by Jesus Christ himself.
This does not mean that you have to dedicate your entire life totally to Christ as our former pastor Father Dignan or our own current Religious Education Director Sister Rosario. However, it means that whatever you do, including in your own family, at your workplace, or at our parish you do it for the Glory of God and not your own glory. It also means that Jesus is calling you to participate in the mission of your own parish according to the talents God has given you.
I invite each of you to listen to God's call: are you called to help the home-bounds like Father Dignan? or to teach our children in CCD (religious education Sunday morning or Monday evening)? or to assist our Youth programs? or to teach in our programs of Adult Faith Formation? Or to join one of our many choirs? or to be a lector at Mass? or to help those at the margin of the society, such as the poor, the homeless, the drug addicts?
Let us all reflect on St Paul's message of Pentecost: "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit, there are different forms of service, but the same Lord, there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit" (1 Corinthians 12: 4-7)
We are all grateful to Fr. Dignan for his 63 years of priesthood, including 17 years of commitment and dedication to OLHOC. May God help all of us to discern how we can be inspired by Fr. Dignan's spirit of evangelization and how we can keep OLHOC fulfill God's will in Waldorf.
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain