So that they may all be one…
Last weekend my family and I gathered in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the funeral of my Uncle John, my godfather. Uncle John lived for the first 23 years of his life in Brooklyn and Levittown before moving to Las Vegas 61 years ago. Despite the geographic distance, he remained close to his family back east.
When I think of how it is that my dad, my siblings, my cousins, and I could be so close to my uncle and my cousins in Las Vegas, I know it is because Uncle John was a throughline of love that connected us. The same is true in the reverse – my cousins in Las Vegas felt close to us because their dad was a throughline of love in all our lives. Sad as we were in mourning my uncle, we who traveled out west experienced the powerful unity of family and family love. Despite the passing of Uncle John, we found joy and peace in being together.
At the beginning of June, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Jubilee Year mass for Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly. In his homily, he spoke beautifully of the experience of family and its essential role in the church and the world:
Let us not forget: families are the cradle of the future of humanity…the Church tells us that today’s world needs the marriage covenant in order to know and accept God’s love and to defeat, thanks to its unifying and reconciling power, the forces that break down relationships and societies.
For this reason, with a heart filled with gratitude and hope, I would remind all married couples that marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful. This love makes you one flesh and enables you, in the image of God, to bestow the gift of life. I encourage you then to be examples of integrity to your children, acting as you want them to act, educating them in freedom through obedience, always seeing the good in them and finding ways to nurture it.
And you, dear children, show gratitude to your parents. To say “thank you” each day for the gift of life and for all that comes with it is the first way to honor your father and your mother.
Finally, dear grandparents and elderly people, I recommend that you watch over your loved ones with wisdom and compassion, and with the humility and patience that come with age.
In the family, faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation. It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts. In this way, families become privileged places in which to encounter Jesus, who loves us and desires our good always.
With the best of intentions, our families commit to many different activities and obligations for the betterment of their children. Grandparents, too, become essential members of the family unit, assisting in babysitting and transportation. In so doing, we can sometimes find ourselves scattered, less cohesive and maybe even taking the family unit for granted. Pope Leo encourages us to take care of our precious families.
I know that family and all of its extensions are a treasured gift in my life. Last weekend was an opportunity to be grateful amidst the sorrow. I hope and pray that each of the families of this parish community may find time to celebrate, give thanks, and pray for each other during these summer days.
FAMILY FESTIVAL – I thank everyone who supported the Festival with your attendance and financial support. I also express gratitude to the school parents who volunteered so much over the last two weeks. We are grateful to our sponsors, our neighbors, the Town of Oyster Bay, the Nassau County Police Department, Atlas Security and Newton Shows.
Fr. Michael was ordained to the priesthood on July 13, 2006. He holds multiple academic degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome. He also earned advanced degrees in Education and Physics. During the summer of 2022, he served as a summer assistant at St. Barnabas in Belmore.
WELCOME FR. MICHAEL IROH, CM – This weekend we welcome our new associate pastor. Fr. Michael is a member of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), Province of Nigeria.
Fr. Michael has served in various capacities including parochial vicar, school administrator, rector, and lecturer. He has a love for music and a passion for sports such as football (soccer) and lawn tennis.
Peace,
