This Wednesday, September 25th, we will be having a Memorial Mass for Ron Cooke at 5pm. Ron died unexpect-edly at home. He was a longtime parishioner and a faithful member of our choir. He was a man of faith and will be remembered fondly, especially by the members of the choir. Please feel welcome to join us for a Mass in memory of him this Wednesday.
We congratulate Victoria Hahn & Tyler Kirby who are getting married this Saturday. They are both police officers so we owe them gratitude for their courage and service to the community. May they have a long and fruitful marriage.
In last week’s bulletin I wrote about the meaning of a Sponsor or Godparent for someone who is being baptized or confirmed. I also listed the qualifications that are necessary for someone to act in that role. But I also mentioned that we regularly face the problem of someone requesting a sponsor certificate when they are not practicing their faith. The purpose of the sponsor certificate is this: it is a statement by the sponsor and the priest of their parish that they are in fact practicing their faith, and the certificate is given to the priest or parish who will be administering the sacrament. Again, for a list of those qualifications, please see last week’s bulle- tin or pick one up if you didn’t get one. It’s a good idea to keep it somewhere where you can refer to it when needed.
Our dilemma concerns the person who has been asked to be a sponsor but is not practicing their faith. On the one hand, if I give a sponsor certificate to anyone who asks for one, even if they are not qualified, then I am not helping the person they are asked to sponsor. Both the one being asked to be a sponsor as well as myself are really lying about what the sponsor certificate is meant to attest to. On the other hand, if I do not allow such a person to receive a sponsor certificate, then they become angry with the Church and create even a further separation from the community they are meant to belong to and participate in. A very hard choice to make!
So after talking to Deacon Pat & Joan, we have decided to pursue a middle course. When someone requests a sponsor certificate, they will be told that they must meet with either Deacon Pat, Joan or myself. One of us should be available for this purpose on Sunday after the 8am and 11am Masses but we can also meet during the week. At this meeting, we can discuss with the potential sponsor their important role by discussing their current practice of their faith. We understand that many people have been lax practicing their faith for many different reasons but we are willing to work with them in helping them reconnect with the Church so that they can be a sponsor in good conscience. While not everyone will be able to act in this role or willing to make changes in their life, we can at least do everything in our power to help someone live the faith they profess.