Dear Parishioners and Friends,
“Rain, rain, go away / Come again some other day / We want to go outside and play / Come again some other day.”
This little children’s song seems to have become the official anthem of the summer of 2023! It’s been difficult to make plans, especially for weekends, that doesn’t include some amount of precipitation. Let’s hope for clearer skies for the remainder of the summer.
On an even sadder note, we lost one of our staff members to Sister Death recently: Orville Russell, director of maintenance at St. Patrick-St. Anthony for the past 23 years. In addition to his many duties, Orville was particularly helpful to me personally during my move to Hartford in 2020. When Pat Curtis and I visited him in the hospital about a week before he died, Orville mentioned how impressed he had been with my ability to handle tools. I hadn’t thought much about that particular talent, since I figured any guy should know how to use a screwdriver! I will miss Orville for his cheerfulness and willingness to go out of his way when asked. Let’s all remember him with fondness and gratitude for all he did for us over the past few decades. May he now rest in the peace of God’s kingdom.
I want to say how grateful and gratified I have been for the many positive comments I’ve received about my setting of the Gloria that we’ve been using for the past several weeks. I certainly don’t consider myself a composer, since the melody of the Gloria uses just eight notes, but if the tune has become a vehicle by which we have been able to raise our voices in praise of God, then I am happy to take some measure of credit. The basis on which I jot down these little “motifs” (and I’ve done quite a few) is simple: write an easy-to-learn tune that sits comfortably in most folks’ singing range, and has an attractive melody. Several of my psalm tones were used during our recent Provincial Chapter, and I was grateful and gratified to hear from many fellow friars how much they enjoyed singing them. Soli Deo gloria – to God alone be the glory!
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor
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