Symposium for the Year of Mercy in Huntington and Marian Festival

I spent yesterday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which was also the beginning of the Year of Mercy (as declared by Pope Francis) at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, Long Island. They held an Academic Symposium which was presented by St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers. Laypeople attended as well as priests and it appeared that all the seminarians from St. Joseph's came as well. They arrived and entered the refectory at lunchtime and it was impressive how many there were in attendance.
They had excellent speakers at the symposium and a variety of lectures were offered for participants. There were so many good choices that I wanted to be everywhere and listen to everyone so it was difficult to choose. I attended Fr. Kevin O'Reilly's (Academic Dean and Professor) talk, "Mary as the New Eve: 21st Century Perspectives on an Ancient Image" and Msgr. Peter Vaccari's (Rector of St. Joseph Seminary) lecture, "The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, in the Jubilee Year of Mercy."
Both lectures were great. It was the first time I heard Fr. Kevin speak and it was very enlightening. Fr. Kevin pointed out all the parallels between Eve and Mary. So there are all these parallels in the Bible which I was fascinated to learn. For instance, as Fr. Kevin said, "Eve listened to the word of the serpent but Mary obeyed the word of God." Eve gave birth to sin, but Mary's nature was used to reverse Eve's sin and bring the Savior into the world.  Mary gives to Jesus his human nature and thereby reverses Eve's sin. Very intellectually stimulating. Fr. Kevin is an entertaining and knowledgeable speaker.
I mentioned at the end of the lecture that I find it fascinating that God seems to place in salvation history parallels as well as paradoxes, which you can find throughout the Bible and Bible figures.  I find that interesting. When I get to Heaven I'm going to ask God what is the fascination with parallel and paradox about.
Msgr. Peter Vaccari's talk was also excellent. I've heard Msgr. Vaccari speak before so I knew it would be good. He mentioned the papal document declaring the "Year of Mercy" and said it stated that "All salvation history attests to the Mercy of God" ...In Jesus, the Father's mercy is made known."
Mercy is always restorative. He mentioned that the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple in Jerusalem was for the ancient Israelites God's abiding presence with them. With the destruction of the Temple the Ark disappeared. For Christians, Mary becomes the new Ark of the Covenant. Mary becomes the new seat of mercy and she brings forth the Christ. He said we should keep our eyes fixed on the merciful gaze of Jesus.
It was a wonderful day and there was a lot of very fascinating information which I will continue to dwell upon. There is much more to this "Year of Mercy" that will have to be unpacked alittle at a time.
NJA

Msgr. McCann's 50th Anniversary of Priesthood and Retirement from St. Mary's Parish-Manhasset

Msgr. John McCann, the pastor of St. Mary's in Manhasset, Long Island is retiring as well as celebrating 50 fruitful years of priesthood. The parish had two celebrations and a beautiful Mass to honor their pastor. On Friday evening May 29th a party was held at North Hills Country Club which was very special. As Msgr. wrote in the bulletin afterwards, "It was an evening I will always remember." Msgr. James McDonald, pastor of St. Aidan's in Williston Park, who was at the party along with many other priests, remarked that he had never seen a retirement party quite like it. It was rather grand. I was fortunate enough to be there as well.
At a Mass in his honor last Sunday he asked Fr. Nick Zientarski (Dean of Seminarians at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, who celebrates weekend Masses at St. Mary's) to preach. Fr. Nick gave an extraordinary homily. Preaching on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, he spoke about communion, the importance of communion in the Blessed Trinity and Msgr. McCann's ability to create a communion in the parish. It was a dynamic homily, obviously very well thought out.  It was so good that Msgr. said after the homily he was going to hire Fr. Nick, ahead of time,  to preach at his funeral Mass. Quite funny! But yes, the homily was that good. I told Fr. Nick afterwards that since there were two Bishops in attendance at the Mass (and he knew that ahead of time), he will probably be made a Bishop someday because of that homily! (Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre as well as Bishop Robert Coyle -Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services concelebrated as well as many other priests. )
Here are some pictures from the Procession at the beginning of Mass. After the Mass, there was another celebration in a large tent on the premises, which was very well attended.
NJA

Memorial Weekend 2010

My brother is buried in a small cemetery in Woodstock, NY. The cemetery is a short distance from the center of town. There were small American flags on the gravesites of those who died while serving in the military. They bravely fought for freedom. There were also flags for all veterans who served their country.  My brother died at the young age of 41. He died of cancer. I try to go at least once a year to Woodstock to pray, reflect and tend to his gravesite.  I also visit friends while I'm there. My brother was a forensic psychiatrist, a brilliant person. His tombstone in the Woodstock cemetery is easily recognizable, he has a most unusual tombstone. I planted some yellow flowers at the site, which he would of liked. Behind his tombstone, is a small stone statue of Jesus, that adorns another gravesite. It's in the perfect place as far as I'm concerned. 

Woodstock began as an artist colony and there are still artists who live there and in the surrounding towns. The Catskill Mountain range is visible from the town and from other towns as well. I was happy to see more art galleries springing up in town and a new tea shop as well. I love tea, so you know that was a shop I stopped in with my good friend Jeanne. Jeanne and I have been friends since college. Woodstock is a very interesting place, made famous from the Woodstock festival, which didn't take place there, as most people know. 

My brother loved the mountains for the same reasons I do. I find the mountains very calming.

I returned from my trip upstate to attend the Memorial Day Parade in Long Beach, Long Island. My 10-year-old godson was going to march in his first parade playing a stare drum. I was very impressed with the parade in Long Beach. The entire city of Long Beach seemed to be there. I was told that residents either march in the parade or are spectators. It was a great parade, with school marching bands and veterans being applauded along the parade route, with American flags flying, on a beautiful day. It was a great way to spend Memorial Day morning.

I returned home to spend the afternoon with family and I tried to avoid the news but I couldn't. It just seems to get more and more depressing. I can't believe that the "Top Kill" effort to control the massive oil spill failed. It's like a bad dream and for the gulf coast residents and fishermen, it's an ongoing nightmare. 

I just keep praying and hoping that the day I listen to the news and this catastrophe has been resolved is coming soon. I keep thinking this will be behind us soon and yet that's not happening. That has me and millions of others greatly concerned.  The residents of the gulf coast and those who lost loved ones, in this tragedy, need our prayers. I can't even write about how upset I am about the wildlife and how dire this situation is becoming. 

NJA