Founder's Day, Lourdes 102nd Anniversary (2016-11-07)

2016 Nov. 6    32^nd Sunday (year C)

• 2 Macabeos 7:1-2, 9-14 • Salmo 16 (17)    

• 2 Tesalonicenses 2:16-3:5 • Luke 20:27-38 •           

[__01__]    In February 2014, I started my assignment here at Our Lady of Lourdes.  About two months later, I received a call from a person in the Archbishop’s office.

          This person was keeping track of certain legally required documents for each of the parishes; the file for Our Lady of Lourdes was incomplete. Uh-oh.

          This missing paper was the document signed every year by the pastor, by the parish trustees, Dan Galate and Peg Shelley.  It was a brief document with three signatures from the autumn of 2013.

          I called back and said I could not find it.

          Wrong answer.

          But, the person was exceedingly kind and diplomatic as only a person in authority can be.

          OK, I’ll keep looking, even though I was wondering if the document had ever been signed.

          But, I was jumping to conclusions. What this person also reminded me of was the following good news of the Gospel according to our pastor of 2001-2013,

          “You know, Father Ferry, that Monsignor Petrillo was very particular, quite meticulous. He would not have forgotten about this. Just let us know when you find it and you can fax it, email it, mail, whatever is most convenient for you.”

          The search was not convenient, however.

          This person, however, was quite correct, that that Father Joe, Monsignor Joe Petrillo was very adept at record keeping and in the alphabetic organization of his mission, ministry and life. Monsignor Petrillo was structured and detailed. The Archdiocesan personnel knew this and they had worked with him for years.

          He was an All-Star of STRUCTURE.

          But once I remembered this too, I was able to come up with a fourth-quarter discovery of the document.

          Where would a file for the parish “TRUSTEES” be? Of course, filed under “T”.  It was right there.

          Everybody was happy.

[__02__]       When Father Joseph Petrillo arrived at Our Lady of Lourdes in 2001, one of his objectives was not only the engineering of the file folders at his desk but also an organization of our parish history, our archives, photos.

          And, Father Joe assembled and collaborated with a team of dedicated volunteers through whom our Heritage Room was created and and still exists.

          The Heritage Room is located just inside the Mississippi-Avenue vestibule of the church, to the right side of the altar.

          The heritage room is a living tribute to both events and people. This includes our parish priests and pastors, starting with Monsignor Nicholas Marnell in 1914 and continues with Monsignor Mahoney, Monsignor Lawlor, Father Figurelli, Father Marchand, and Monsignor Petrillo.

[__03__]     The curating and care of our archives and records has been carried out day to day and year to year by many devoted volunteers including, not least of all the camera-work and photography of Vinny Santucci, the historical research of Jack Healy, and the faithful compilations and organization by Arlene O’Connor, Ed Fairchild and many over the years.

          The Heritage Room committee, however, carries out this work not only to build a monument but also to dig and rediscover our cornerstone, and the foundation of our many friendships in Christ and through the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes.

          ADDED NOTE: This foundation is not a building or a blueprint. We curate and care about the archives not to build a monument but also to uncover the cornerstone that was in your hearts – and the hearts of our founders – even before there was blueprint or shovel in the ground.

          This parish started not here in this magnificent edifice but first in the motivation of the Holy Spirt which led to Masses which were first held at 180 High Street, at the home of Patrick and Bridget Byrne, and then at the church at Cherry and Chestnut, then at the church was part of our school building until the early 1960’s.

          We come here today – and every Sunday and every day – because we believe our Savior dwells not only in the Gospel and in Holy Communion but also in our minds, lips, and hearts wherever we are.

[__04__]   Discovering the heritage and history of Lourdes, we recall the ….

·        FRIENDSHIP with which we have been sustained by manyh companions

·        EDUCATION with we have been nourished by our Sisters of Charity, and many teachers and catechists.

·        SACRAMENTS AND SACRIFICES by our priests and pastors and deacons by whom we have been served.

For one hundred and two years.

[__05__]    Meditating, contemplating these moments, we remember may remind us of sorrow or joy.  But, this is also meant to remind us to persevere not only as individuals but also as a community, as the Body of Christ, Downtown, 07052.

          Whether you and I are a –

·        Student at West Orange High, Seton Hall Prep, or the Mount or … in college

·        Young or old. “Young or old”, we are all “middle-aged”, because we are on an intermediate step to God’s kingdom.

·        Working or Retired.

         

In all of these walks of life, we experience difficulty, division. We experience sin, brokenness, and fault lines and cracks in the masonry of our relationships.

We come here to Sunday Mass and worship to remember God’s grace and sustaining power amid these difficulties and distresses.

     So did the …

·        1^st parishioners of Lourdes in 1914 on November 8, 1914 at the Byrne house for Mass at 7 am.

·        1^st Christians of Jerusalem and the first disciples who locked themselves in the upper room.

·        “1^st family  & Holy Family”, Mary and Joseph and the rejections they faced.

·        And so also our Savior Himself who was …

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done and it is wonderful in our eyes.”   (Psalm 118:22)

[ *** PAUSE *** ]

[__06__]    At one point, I suggested to the person in the Archbishop’s office that I could simply sign a new document – for 2014 to replace the missing document for 2013. Isn’t newer better?

          The iPhone7 is better than the iPhone6, right?

          No, sorry, we really need the history. We need you to keep searching. You’ll find it.   And, it was there all along.

[__07__]     St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians also reminds what has been here at Lourdes along, past, present and future, and that there are many reasons to gather, to be together, but the greatest of these is love and charity as we pray for our parish and our Church:

          “Over all other virtues, put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts, since as members of the one body you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness.”  (Colossians 3:14-15)

Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us.