August 5, 2018

Are you aware that the Rite of Baptism says that after the pouring of water the newly baptized child is wrapped in a white blanket as a sign of their Christian dignity?

In a few weeks my mother and one of my nieces will be visiting me from Dublin, Ireland and staying for about ten days. While they are here, I’m putting my mother to work for the parish. My mother has always been outstanding at knitting and crochet. As well as knitting sweaters and cardigans for her favorite and first son, the only one to become a priest, she has also made beautiful baptismal blankets which I have given to friends for the baptisms of their children. I would like to make use of these blankets for baptisms here at Our Lady of Victory. To that end we will need to have a supply of these blankets and access to more. So, I have asked my mother if she would be willing to teach people to make these baptismal blankets. If you are interested, please call the Parish Office and let Sara know you are willing to be part of this new “ministry.” My mother assures me that it is easy to learn to make these blankets, but it might be best if those who already have a facility for knitting or crocheting take part in the class. The class will be held at 7pm, October 1^st, in the Meeting Room. I will supply the yarn – now I just need to find out where you get yarn – and other stuff!

We learn from seeing, hearing and doing. We learn from seeing what others do and developing habits from what we do ourselves. Do you want your children to be gracious, heroic, generous, and kind? Do you want them to be boys and girls who will grow up to be courageous and outstanding men and women? Do you want them to grow up to be the sort of men we want our daughters to marry, the sort of women we want our sons to marry, the sort of fathers and mothers we want for our grandchildren? In today’s Gospel, Jesus looked at the crowd and His great heart was ‘moved with pity” for them because they were hungry. He challenges the disciples not simply to send them away to find food for themselves – He says to them “you give them something to eat.” He challenges them to sacrifice from what they have, even the little they have – give it to those who need it more. Now that’s what it means to be a disciple, a man or woman of courage and sacrifice – give yourselves, give what you have, give even if you have only a little.

This is how our children learn to be men and women of integrity, courage, selflessness, generosity. They learn from what they see, hear, and from what they witness in the lives of their parents, priests, the adults around them. We, you and me, need to be men and women who are courageous and self-sacrificing so that the next generation might be better than us and the future, our future and theirs, will be in good hands.