O Truly Blessed!  As you may recall, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses include a renewal of baptismal promises and a sprinkling rite.  With regards to the sprinkling rite, I’m of the “school” that you have to be very generous with the use of water!  I know, it’s called a “sprinkling rite,” but I believe people need to FEEL they’ve been blessed with holy water!  While I use our standard sprinkler set (the technical title is an aspergillum) at funerals and smaller liturgies, I’ve transitioned to what looks like a small whisk broom (the technical title is a “Holy Water Broom Sprinkler”) at bigger liturgies like the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses.  For many years, one of my rituals on Holy Saturday would be to gather a bunch of branches off the big evergreen tree in the school/church parking lot courtyard and tie them together to form an evergreen sprinkler.  But those evergreen sprinklers would wimp out on us; they never carried enough water (I would get wetter than the congregation).  When I caught sight of the “broom sprinklers” in a religious supply catalog a few years ago, I knew I had to get a few, especially for Easter.  But, as I’ve learned, you have to be EXTRA careful using these sprinklers because they hold a ton of water and you can really drench people (and I must confess, at times it can be intentional).
 
As I made my way around Church during the sprinkling rite at the Easter Vigil, I got to the last few pews under the choir loft and I knew I had to be careful because I couldn’t swing the sprinkler too high.  As I approached the lucky couple sitting at the end of the last pew, and let’s just say their names were Larry and Maria, I “reloaded” my sprinkler with holy water, wound up for what was to be a “controlled swing” and then swung.  As I did so, it seemed as if time slowed to a crawl and I was in a slow-motion scene.  I just saw this absolutely humungous gob of holy water flying through the air.  I instantly knew I was going to be in trouble.  Then I saw this huge mass of water land squarely on the now truly blessed Maria.  Time resumed its normal speed, and I was told I had a HUGE smirk on my face.  As I rounded the corner (and she recovered from the shock of it all), I heard her “proclaim” with great conviction: “You brat!”  It wasn’t intentional, but it sure made me chuckle throughout the rest of the Mass.
 
Easter Thanks:  As you might imagine, a ton of work goes on behind the scenes to make our Holy Week liturgies so beautiful and prayerful.  There are many people to thank, and I would like to express my gratitude to them for their hard work and devotion.
 
I’m grateful to Sandy Markielewicz and Gene Fedeli, who started our Holy Week off by teaching us the art of palm weaving.  With their help and the help of many others, we had some very remarkable woven palm decorations to accent our sanctuary.
 
I’m grateful to the children and teachers at school who participated in the annual Passion Play.  The annual Passion Play, done in honor and memory of Sr. Carol, is such a beautiful way for the school children to get ready spiritually for the great mysteries of the Triduum.
 
I’m grateful to Father Rich, a.k.a. Father Sunrise, who VOLUNTEERS every year to take the Sunrise Mass.  Fr. Rich also gets major kudos for the beautiful flowers on the big cross.  On behalf of all of us at SJA, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to you Fr. Rich for your generosity and love in putting that big flower-filled cross together.  That flower-filled cross has become a much anticipated annual centerpiece of our Easter environment.
 
I would like to express my thanks to John Perna, our Director of Music Ministries, who did so much to coordinate all of the music for Lent, Holy Week and the Triduum.  Thanks also goes to the Guitar Group, led by Ken Madeleine, who handled the music for the sunrise and 8:00 a.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, the Teen Choir, led by Eleonore Ellero-Groth, who handled the music for the 12:00 noon Mass, along with Rick Flores who returned to sing Resucitó.  I would like to thank the Choir and all of our wonderful cantors, accompanists, musicians and singers of the various music groups who did such an OUTSTANDING job with all of the music throughout Holy Week and the Triduum.
 
I am grateful to Mary Garofalo,  Rosemary Dygert , Dina Ciaffone and all who helped with the receptions.  I’m grateful to the ushers, the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the lectors, the altar servers, the sacristans, led by Anne Melise, the Parish Center Staff, our maintenance staff, and last but not least Fr. John, Fr. Bob, Fr. Rich, Fr. Jim and Deacon Tom who did so much to get us ready for the great liturgies of Holy Week and Easter.
 
I would also like to single out the RCIA team:  Adele Grady, Lu Kempski, Charlie Lauhoff, Rose Nagy and Josie Strasz.  These wonderful and generous people serve as catechists and mentors to those preparing to receive the sacraments at Easter.  I’m grateful we have such an outstanding team who walks with our candidates throughout the year.
 
The Easter Vigil is undoubtedly the highlight of the entire weekend.  By God’s grace, we were able to witness the baptism of Jason Arini, Donald Guraj, Benjamin Netzky, Cody Rodriguez and Kyle Williams.  We saw Erin Borkowski and Emily Frederick be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church.  We were able to witness Jenna Endres, Corinne Fresard, Lila Hartley, Nina Jacob, Michael Laesch, Cheryl McKee, Jeannie Rodriguez, Danielle Rodriguez, Gabrielle Rodriguez and Rhianon Rodriguez complete their sacraments of initiation.  Congratulations to the entire RCIA Class of 2019!  May all of our newly baptized, newly received and newly confirmed continue to conform their lives to the life of Christ as they go forth thanking God for all the good work he has begun in them.
 
It was another AWESOME Holy Week and Triduum at SJA! How truly blessed we are to be part of such an amazing parish!
 
Enjoy the week.  Know of my prayers.
 
In Christ,
 
gmb
gmb@sjascs.org