Thank You Deacons!

Thank You Deacons

Holy Redeemer has been blessed with the ministry of several Permanent Deacons over the years.
Deacon Art LaChance and retired Deacon Joe Mador have ministered here faithfully in recent
years. Today is Deacon Appreciation Sunday. Pray for those men who serve us as deacons. By
answering a call to the Diaconate, a man seeks to follow Jesus’ path by serving and enriching the
lives of others. If you feel called to serve as a deacon, speak with Fr. Sullivan or contact the
Office of the Diaconate (508)-990-0341. To celebrate, I asked Deacon Art to write a reflection
on his call to Diaconate Ministry.

"It was late.  And while I should have been sleeping, I couldn’t help but feel that if I didn’t
capture the thoughts circling within my head, they would be blown away by the
ceaseless wind of dreams that come in the night or by the rising tide of demands that
come with the day.
I’ve just finished a fifth reading of a book that my daughter Bethany recommended to
me. The book The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, is the fictional story of a teenage
girl with a non-curable form of cancer.  In the story, her disease is being held in check
by an experimental drug that has given her time without the hope of a cure.  She meets
and reluctantly falls in love with a young man who also has cancer.  In the course of the
narrative, his cancer returns.  Together, they each valiantly fight the enemy within
themselves.  
 
But this is not a story about the struggle against an aggressive and compassionless foe
– it is a story about living.  She wants an end to a story she can live with, one that will
go on long after she is gone.  He wants to leave a mark in the world – to be
remembered as someone who made a difference.  And, while the story is primarily
about the girl, it is his story that kept me awake.
 
It is an unsettling thought — will I be remembered as someone who made a difference?
 
Deep down in the secret recess of my soul, I hope I will.  But the truth is - that is not
what I was called to do.  I was not called to make a difference — I was called to serve.
 
And in answer to that call, I have been privileged to find myself in many situations and
with a rich diversity of people.  I have learned things that I would otherwise never have
known.  My life has been touched in ways that it would not have been. In addition, I
have faced challenges that, at one time, could easily have overwhelmed me. From all of
that I understand I have received a great gift.  
 
That gift is being able to look out into the world with the eyes of healing faith.  Eyes that
allow me to see that God will prevail amid the chaos, the fear, and all the things that can
lead us into despair.  I can also see that our ability to live in accord with the dreams of
our souls lies in accepting God’s healing faith and then standing up and going as God
tells us to go."

 
This Sunday, parishes across the Country will observe the 3rd annual “Deacon
Sunday.” The day was established primarily to inspire vocations to the Diaconate and
to raise awareness of the good works performed by deacons.  But also to thank
deacons for their service.
 
However, I, along with Deacon Joe, come to this day in gratitude. Thanks to all of you
who practice on Monday what you hear on Sunday.  We have long known that God has
a place for each of us in his order of creation. Being a deacon charged with this single
task is our place and gives us peace.  Sustained by God’s healing grace, my brother
deacon and I will continue to work and to pray from this place to which God has called
us, for your peace as well, and to help you in all the ways in which we are called, to do
the same for one another.

Wrapping Things Up
Although the final day of the Annual Collection was September 30, gifts are still dribbling in for
the Holy Redeemer 2024 Annual Collection. Thank you to everyone who made the collection
successful. We conduct the Annual Collection each August and September. It is our most
important fundraiser and the one time we ask year-round and seasonal residents to make a special
gift to help support the parish during the quieter winter months. We budgeted to raise $85,000
through this year’s collection. As of Tuesday, gifts to the collection totaled $ . Gifts above the
goal will finance several parish projects at Holy Redeemer and Our Lady of Grace Chapel.
The collection received gifts from ---- parishioners, but we have ---- households on our parish
census. Imagine what could be done to build up our parish and the Kingdom of God if every
parish household had contributed to the collection.

Not a negative word has been heard about our recent church renovations. Last Sunday, a seasonal
parishioner commented about how proud he is to be a parishioner, and people who regularly visit
Chatham this time of year admire our physical improvements and spiritual growth. They benefit
all, and all parishioners need to feel a sense of ownership of improvements to our church
facilities. Can you increase your weekly budget contribution if you could not contribute to the
Annual Collection? When was the last time you reflected on the gift you give to God and the
work of the Church? The parish experiences inflation and increased costs like everyone else.
Prayerfully consider your support of our parish and be as generous as possible.