This Week @ St. V: A Message From Fr. Ray

To the Family I'm About to Become a Member of,

I would like to take a moment of your time to share a few thoughts with you as you and I prepare for the beginning of our work together on April 1st.

First things first! I want to acknowledge the remarkable work that Fr. Dick has done for these 40 some years. His passion and commitment are inspiring and they will always be a gentle challenge for me to be passionate and committed to you and your spiritual growth. I believe he will be proudest if you and I can continue to build the powerful, believing community that has always been his greatest vision. I, along with you, owe a deep debt of gratitude to him. And certainly we will all continually keep him in our hearts and prayers.

Secondly, I’ve tried to be thoughtful about what I should say to you as we begin this next part of the adventure of St. Vincent de Paul Church together. I could tell you more about myself and the ministry I’ve been involved with during my priesthood and before. I could share with a bit of what I’ve earned from these years and experiences. But there will be time for that later.

So let me share that within a few days of being asked to become your pastor, perhaps by God’s grace, a phrase from Jesus in John’s Gospel - “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me…” — emerged in my mind and has continuously begged for my attention. I certainly hope I can become a “good” shepherd and will devote myself to getting to know you by listening, watching and questioning. It is my hope that in doing so you will also come to know me and then, together, we can be about the business of living the Gospel. I’m looking forward to our first meeting!

Peace,

Fr. Ray

Our parish community works hard to make good on our mission statement pledge to sustain the Earth. We heard the "cry of the Earth" in our speaker series on Laudato Si. We installed geothermal wells to heat and cool our building. Our Social Action Committee works in environmental advocacy. And now, with the help of the Chesapeake Bay Trust, we are designing significant improvements that will reduce the storm water that runs off our campus and into the Bay.

To continue and expand our efforts at safeguarding God's creation, St. Vincent is forming a "green team." This group of parishioners will help guide all our community's upcoming environmental efforts. We will begin with a nature walk on March 25 (see more below) and an organizational meeting. If you would like to be on the green team email list, contact Laureen Brunelli at laureen@stvchurch.org.

St. V has joined One Water Partnership, a coalition of congregations in the Jones Falls Watershed, organized by Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. Together and separately we will work on environmental issues related to the Jones Falls Watershed.

We have also signed on to the Baltimore City Clean Drain Campaign, an educational campaign that helps to keep food waste out of the sewer system and also benefits local food pantries, including St. Vincent's.

This Sunday Bonnie Sorak, a representative of Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake, will be available after our 9:30 Mass to speak to parishioners about both the Clean Drain and One Water programs.

St. V will kick off our new "green ministry" by attending a nature walk hosted by Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake on March 25, 2017. Members of other One Water Partnership congregations will be in attendance as well. This will give us the opportunities to meet our partners in this endeavor and learn more about it! If you would like to attend please RSVP to IPC, but also email Laureen Brunelli at laureen@stvchurch.org.

This spiritually led nature walk - about 1.5 to 2 hours long - is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Walk begins at 10 AM: please arrive by 9:30 AM. Click here to see a map of the meeting place in Druid Hill Park. (NB: the meeting place is not at the Conservatory shown in picture)

Lenten Updates

Retreat - There are still a few places open for our half-day Lenten retreat, this Saturday, March 18. The retreat will begin with breakfast at 8:30 AM (this is a time change). The Shrine is open by 8 AM. If you would like to attend, email Jack Schmidt at jack1530@aol.com.

Holy Thursday Seder - Tickets for our Seder dinner on April 13 will go on sale after Masses this weekend. Next week's newsletter will have a profile of this wonderful annual event.

The Stations of the Cross observance is a powerful, somber journey in which we reflect through the suffering of Jesus. In addition to the reading of sacred scripture, this year St. V will incorporate the words of Blessed Oscar Romero to guide us in understanding how the cross also means radical solidarity with the outcast, marginalized, and oppressed. The service will bridge the past and present in powerfully relevant, challenging ways.

As with all our Wednesday night Lenten events, a simple supper of soup and bread at 6:30 PM will precede the Stations.

CRS Rice Bowl
Join our faith community—and nearly 14,000 other Catholic communities across the United States—in a life-changing Lenten journey of encounter with CRS Rice Bowl. Learn more by picking up your CRS Rice Bowl after Mass in the Gathering Space. May these 40 days better prepare us to encounter ourselves, our neighbors and our God!