Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I just finished reading an article in the National Catholic Reporter about Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the pope. The hill- top palace in the hills south of Rome has been a papal residence for some 400 years. It was a favorite spot for Popes Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, all of whom spent about two months each year there to escape the torrid heat of a Roman summer. Apparently, Pope Leo XIV has discovered its attractive lure, and is now spending several weeks there himself.
We friars have also felt the enticement of the Eastern seashore over the course of years. As you may know, New Jerseyans like to describe their location in the Garden State by referring to the closest exit of their eponymous Parkway. Our parish of St. Francis of Assisi on Long Beach Island is located off exit 63, and it consists of four churches. Believe me, it is a long beach, stretching some 18 miles in length! I remember helping out there one summer many years ago, and how long a drive it was to get from the friary to the northern-most church.
A bit further down the Garden State Parkway, off exit 36, is our vacation house in Margate, home of Lucy the Elephant. She just celebrated her 144th birthday last weekend, and she looks mighty good for her age. Lucy stands six stories tall and is constructed of a wood frame and tin cladding. I guess you could say that she is “tin-skinned.” Lucy’s howdah, or canopy on her back, gives visitors 360-degree views of Margate and the Atlantic ocean.
Just a few blocks away sits the vacation house of the friars. We aren’t the only religious order to own property at the beach. For example, down in Stone Harbor, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary once had a huge convent call Villa Maria which has since been replaced by a smaller residence. I remember, during my family’s visits to our relatives in Avalon, see- ing dozens of sisters walking around Stone Harbor in their habits, enjoying ice cream cones (and probably dreading the thought of returning to their classrooms come September).
Spending a few weeks during the summer, whether in the moun- tains (like Castel Gandolfo in central Italy) or the seaside (like the Jersey shore), is a precious time to unwind and just be thankful for the beauties of nature and renewal it offers.
I’m using my time away to read, take morning walks along the beach and be thankful for the gift of sun and sand. I’m also doing a bit of composing and trying my hand at some hymn tunes. Hopefully, you will be hearing (or singing) some of the fruit of my labors in the future. In the meantime, I wish you all a restful remainder of the summer season!
Blessings on your week ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor
