Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I hope you are enjoying the summer so far, and I have to admit that I’m a bit envious of our parishioners who will be spending this Sunday at Hammonasset Beach State Park! But since I am writing this message more than a week prior to the date of this bulletin, I have no idea what the weather will be like on July 10. Hopefully, it will be as warm and pleasant as it has been in the final days of June.
So, nothing profound or heavy today – just some little news items I’d like to share with you about a few recent goings-on at our parish.
First, Steve Balkun has completed a trio of small projects that he started back in the early Spring. I had asked him to fashion a new Paschal Candle stand and a pedestal for our Baptismal bowl which he completed in time for the Easter season. You may have noticed that he carved into each of them our church’s logo. However, they didn’t show up as well as I had hoped, so I’ve asked Steve to give the carvings a gold finish so that they will stand out and be more visible.
The final piece he made is a display cabinet for our Holy Oils which he installed on the wall next to the doors leadings into the St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. Many churches now have an Ambry, the technical name for the display cabinet, so that the oils can be visible to the community throughout the year. Ours is a rather simple design, beautifully constructed of mahogany, the same wood used for his other appointments, including the Processional Cross. The Ambry was donated by one of our parishioners in memory of Mary Hunt. The three glass vials contain the Sacred Chrism, used for Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, as well as the Oil of Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick.
During the final week of June, we were one of the area churches which hosted lessons for a Pipe Organ Encounter sponsored by the Greater Hartford Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. These annual events are held throughout the United States to offer young persons between the ages of 13 and 18 an opportunity to learn more about the organ and to be able to hear and play various organs in churches, schools and concert halls. Our Music Director, Gabriel Löfvall, and I were honored that St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church was asked to be one of the sites to hold one-on-one lessons.
Concert Organist John Rose, who retired as professor of organ at Trinity College in 2017, gave several lessons over the course of three days on our two pipe organs, and was thrilled to see and hear our Schantz Chancel Organ, as he was the Schantz sales representative when the organ was originally installed in Christ Church, Avon, back in 1977. Here he is pictured with his POE student Elijah Morris of Newtown, together with Gabe and myself at the Schantz console.
My only wish is that Pipe Organ Encounters had existed when I was in my teens so that I could have had the opportunity to experience some of the wonders of the pipe organ as these young persons have today. Who knows – I could have ended up as your Music Director instead of your Pastor! Don’t worry, Gabe, your job is safe! Nevertheless, I am happy to see that young people have such a great interest in the organ, and that they will continue to enrich our worship in the years ahead.
Blessings on your week ahead.
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
See more of Steve Balkun’s work:
- Paschal Stand and Baptismal Bowl Pedestal
- The Statues of St. Francis and St. Clare
- Homage to St. Joseph, Steve’s work was featured in a 2018 Clare Gallery Exhibition