Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Because of the publishing schedule of our weekly bulletin, I often write this letter a week earlier. So I find myself sitting outside on the patio behind the Friary on the last day of July, enjoying a respite from the torrid temperatures we’ve experienced this summer. As I gaze around me, I continue to marvel at how beautiful and lush the garden is this year: the thick ivy which covers the garden walls; the enormous blooms of the hydrangea trees alongside the church;
and the dramatic pink hibiscus blooms (which grace the cover of today’s bulletin). I can watch – and hear – the running water in the fountain, and the sparrows and other birds which sometimes stop and take a drink or even a bath.
All of these images remind me that summer is a fleeting season, and in a few months the flowers and leaves will be gone; summer will give way to autumn, and, well you know what follows! Having lived in a very urban environment for so many years, I came to really appreciate any bit of green space, so it came as a delightful surprise to find such a restful open space just outside our back door here at St. Patrick-St. Anthony. And if I’m feeling a bit more ambitious, Bushnell Park, Elizabeth Park, and the Farmington River Bike Trail are either a short walk – or drive – away.
I am grateful, too, for those who help to maintain and tend the gardens on the church and friary grounds. Lots of green thumbs and dirt-soiled hands help make our property so inviting and beautiful.
As today’s Gospel reminds us, however, those who use their wealth for personal pleasure often find themselves cut off from the rest of the world where people of ordinary means often struggle just to make ends meet. While we don’t necessarily have to condemn such extravagance, there is always the specter of the one-percenters
Earlier this summer I was sitting on the Friary patio in the evening and noticed dozens of fireflies flitting about. Nature certainly has a way of putting on a show! So, between the birds, the bees and the fireflies (not to mention the occasional woodchuck), we have a well-stocked ecosystem at 285 Church Street. Of course, I’m still sad that we had to remove our historic Golden Rain tree, but I hope that another tree (perhaps a Spruce?) will take its place one of these days.
These scenes always remind me of the Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi. Many of you have commented on how much you enjoy the covers of our weekly music leaflets. I thought that, for the summer at least, we could feature images of St. Francis and his Canticle. But I have to admit, I like the real thing even better than just an artist’s version!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and take time to enjoy the wonders of our Sister Mother Earth, Brother Sun and Sister Moon, and All Creatures of our God and King!
Blessings on your week ahead.
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
