St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

A Room With A View Sunday, 14 October 2007 On occasion, I use this column to let you know about specific needs in our parish. At other times, I try and offer some small teaching, concerning our faith-life and the joy of being a part of this universal Church. But in today’s column, I want to share a personal reflection with you. It’s about my prayer each morning. The rectory has three levels: the upstairs, with a master bedroom and two small rooms; the main floor, with den, living room, kitchen, dining room, a small guest room and the “garage” suite (built during Msgr. Fennessy’s time here); and the basement apartment.  Fr. Young lives in the basement apartment. Fr. Armando lives on the main floor, in the new suite located behind the four-car garage. I live upstairs, where Msgr. Giusta had his two rooms. It was natural for me to take those rooms when my friend left the parish. My upstairs bedroom and sitting room are on the Wentworth Lane side of the rectory. My upstairs guest room is on the Tom Smith Road side of the rectory. From my bedroom, I can see the sidewalk that passes Deacon Gary’s home, and I can also see part of the front parking lot of the school. Each morning, after I have made a pot of coffee, I sit down on the sofa in my bedroom; and while I am sipping my morning coffee, I begin to pray the Liturgy of the Hours (“the Breviary” or “the Office”). As I try and ponder the words of the psalms in the liturgy of the hours, I look out of my window and see the lights of the school (I get up real early). In seeing these lights each morning, I am reminded that I am connected to you, to the parish family of St. John Neumann. Each morning, the parish of St. John Neumann and the regional school that shares our name are part of my prayer. Now I imagine that you would expect this, that I would always should. Diocesan priests are committed to pastoral ministry in the concrete here and now of parish life; and from the moment that Archbishop Gregory told me of my appointment to SJN, I have kept this parish in my prayer. But what I want you to know today is that this prayer for our parish is not “formal”, not a duty. It is personal. I pray for our parish because I love our parishioners...the people of this parish. I pray for our parish because this is my family. My vocation as a servant-leader... is to be here, right here, right now. As we begin to look to the near future of raising lots of dollars and building all that we need and want to build, please know that I will be with you... not formally, not because I have to, but personally, as part of this family of faith. With God’s grace, all is possible for us... as we stay united, together.... a family. AMDG Msgr. David   < Prev   Next > [ Back ]