TO BE IMPORTANT, SERVE QUIETLY                                 By: Anna Mancini

            Because someone may be in the music ministry, he or she may think that it is the most important part of the celebration of Mass. They may reason this because they feel music does lift up the spirits of all who come to worship. However, this can be counterclaimed by the deacons, altar servers or ushers or even the Eucharistic Ministers, all of whom may feel that their ministry is the most important. And how about the lectors - aren't we the most important they may ask?  Yet, when all is said and done, perhaps the celebrant is the most important. "However... however," as Tim Leitch teased Wanda Heavey, our sacristan, "she may think she is the most important because without her, no one would be in church to celebrate mass - after all, every morning, she's the one who opens the doors!!!

            This was the essence of Tim Leitch's presentation on Saturday, Sept. 20,2008, as the lectors and Eucharistic ministers attended their annual day of renewal; Tim was the guest speaker. He had arranged the various titles, from top to bottom, and asked the question of who we thought was the most important person at the Mass. After the discussion, he rearranged the titles to reflect that we, through our individual ministry, "surround" the most important person in that Mass - Jesus, Himself- with the community coming in a close second.

            To further elaborate on this, Tim had us form groups of eight participants, giving each group a kit containing various objects, with which we were to construct a three-dimensional self-standing creation, the tallest of which would win the contest Well, all I can say is that if a stranger came into the church auditorium and beheld the scene which we presented, he or she would be thinking that we were a group of contortionists participating in a mandatory occupational therapy session.

            And the reason for this? Well, Tim had included specific instructions in the kit - only two in the group could handle the scissors, two others, only the paper, while two others only the tape and the remaining two only the paper clips.  The gyrations of the approximately 150 ministers determined to win the prize only led Tim to shake his head in complete disbelief! But it was in his "childish" yet so insightful endeavor that we came to truly realize that each one of us is important in our own way, but only together, can we create a superbly important Happening!

            Thanks, Tim, for a fun-filled presentation which led to a deeper appreciation and understanding of all the gifts we have and how to use them to best serve the Lord and one another. Thanks to Mary Indelicato and Primo Fiore, coordinators of the Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors, respectively, and Fr. Frank, our pastor, for planning this day. From the onset of enjoying coffee or tea at the gazebo, supplemented by bagels and donuts donated, as usual, by Dominick Benvenuto, to the opening prayer by Sr. Caryn Brennan, Chaplain of the Hospice Care Network, to Tim's presentation, followed by a most delicious lunch catered by one of our former catechist, Virginia (nee Spina) Helmecke, to our "alone time" - all these satisfied us to the fullest. Yet, there was still room for the most important part of that beautiful day - the celebration of the Eucharist

            During his homily, Fr. Frank again thanked us for being faithful to our ministry, after which we renewed our commitment to continue "to serve with gladness". He also exclaimed how joyful he feels before each Sunday's Mass, when the assigned ministers gather in the vestibule chapel and pray the Minister's Prayer while reflecting on the picture of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. We could almost hear Jesus saying..... “This is an example - go and do likewise." May we who have been called remember to ^u... go... and do likewise" through our words and actions serving the most important person ever, our Lord and Savior!!!

Praise God!