In keeping with the trend of naming posts after feast days, I’d like to wish you all a happy All Saints of Ireland day! The readings I read in my Magnificat app this morning were quite different from those I read and heard at Mass this morning. The first reading came from Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus, here) and spoke of both heroic saints and unnamed saints who have passed on their wisdom in ordinary ways, without fame. Ireland has claimed several thousand saints from the isle over the centuries. It is no wonder they have a day to commemorate all those not recognized in the liturgical year, aside from All Saints Day!
In other news, Nick and I are already thinking about Christmas. “What?” you say! “No! It’s only the beginning of November! Don’t buy into the commercialism and skip Advent!” No, that’s not what I mean. We are starting to prepare the Scoil Mhuire classes for their Christmas Carol Service! Yesterday we spent a few hours in the school meeting with the 5th and 6th classes to sing carols. We’ll keep that up until the carol service itself, please God! We also met with one 5th class in particular to continue work on their upcoming Class Mass, whose focus happens to be saints. Through songs and readings, and some Q&A, they’re learning that to be a saint means to live in Christ’s love. (At least, we hope that’s what they’re learning!)
Last night we also met with the Coordinator Team for the You Shall Be My Witnesses programme for the first time since June. They’ve got some great ideas to guide the new parent leaders for 2013! I’m very excited to see how their experience as parent leaders last year enriches the programme for the Confirmation class and their parents this year. In sharing their faith in such a tangible way, they are certainly witnesses for Christ. We’re lucky enough in our work to see many people formed into saints in Ireland!
In their descendants there remains a rich inheritance born of them. – Sir 44:11
St. Brigid, pray for us.
St. Patrick, pray for us.
St. Aidan, pray for us.
