Eagle Ears:  I thought I was the only one in the family with “eagle ears!”  I learned that my mom’s ears are just as sharp.
 
This past Sunday only a few of us gathered for dinner.  We went to one of our family favorites north of Hall Road:  Leo’s Coney Island.  While we don’t have many Leo’s Coney Islands near us in St. Clair Shores, there are plenty to choose from in the Shelby Township area.
 
My brother-in-law Lonnie can only handle sitting in a restaurant or just sitting for dinner for about an hour and a half.  I can do maybe two and a half hours but even that is a stretch.  After the hour and a half mark, Lonnie gets really fidgety.  We laugh about this often because you can set a timer at the start of the meal and sure enough without warning at the 90 minute mark, Lonnie is ready to go or move to another spot.
 
On this particular night, most of us had completed our meal.  I think my mom was still finishing the remnants of her meal when Lonnie started to squirm.  Without even looking up, my mom nailed him.  “We must be at the 90 minute mark!  Can’t you just relax?”  The peanut gallery took great delight in the fact Lonnie got in trouble.  Suddenly the conversation took off and there were some rapid fire comments flying across the table.  Mom was on a roll and we were pointing out who was going to get it next.  I’m sure the others in the restaurant couldn’t figure out why we were laughing so hard.

After a few minutes of bantering back and forth, we got up from the table and started to walk to our cars.  I was with my mom and Jackie and Lonnie were walking with my dad.  My mom got into the car but hadn’t closed her door yet.  Jackie, Lonnie and dad were still chatting behind the car.  Lonnie then said to my dad, “Pops, don’t let mom pick on you all night.”  My dad piped up rather quickly, “Oh, don’t worry I’ll just hide out in the other room; I know what to do.”  Then, all of a sudden we heard my mom’s voice come forth from inside the car, “I HEARD THAT!”  We all burst out laughing and immediately wished our dad good luck with the ride home!
 
The Sr. Carol Juhasz Center:  Almost a month and a half ago, we formally dedicated the Family and Youth Center as the Sr. Carol Juhasz, IHM Center for Community and Fellowship.  For those who were not present for the gathering on Saturday, April 21, 2018, trust me that it was a typical Sr. Carol celebration in grand style!  I’m sure she was smiling down from heaven!  With about 500 people on hand, we celebrated mass and then blessed each of the rooms of the new Sr. Carol Center.  As I went to bless each room that night, I read a brief description of the saint after whom the room was dedicated.  It was decided to rename each of the rooms of the now Sr. Carol Center after saints who were important to Sr. Carol especially as she was battling cancer the last few years of her life.  We then sang the refrain from a beautiful new song entitled, “Bless these Walls,” written by Zack Stachowski, one of our former music ministers.
 
With the renaming of the building and each room, we now have a whole new set of names and abbreviations to remember.  Considering I still can’t recite the new translation of the Creed at Mass without help, it will be years before I commit these new names to memory!
 
To help us a bit, I thought I would reprint here the “score” card that was printed in the dedication booklet which offered brief information about the saint for whom the meeting or conference room was named.
 
The Gathering Space is now called the Holy Family Gather Place.  The Holy Family enjoyed much love and joy.  Like most families they also suffered anxieties, disappointments, great loss and pain. The Holy Family was centered on Jesus and was a model for Christian families.  We are all members of many families, the one we are born into and grow up with, our church family of St. Joan of Arc Parish and the Family of God.  We too experience joy and hardship.  But if we can keep our hearts fixed on Jesus, as Sr. Carol did, then love will lead us!
 
The Youth Room is now called the St. Francis of Assisi Room:  St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and nature. He is remembered for the miracles God performed through him and the compassion he showed for all of God’s creatures.  Sr. Carol also loved animals, especially her beloved cat, Shadow.  Sr. Carol celebrated St. Francis’ feast day at St. Joan of Arc each year by leading the Blessing of the Pets.
 
The main conference room or what we called FYC #3 (we were so creative back then) is now called the St. Mary, Mother of Jesus Conference Room.  Mary was chosen by God to be the Mother of Jesus.  She is the patroness of all humanity. From her saying “Yes” to the Lord at the Annunciation, to her staying with her Son Jesus through His crucifixion and death, to her own bodily Assumption to heaven after her earthly life, she willingly gave her entire self … mind, body and soul … in service to God.  As a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sr. Carol followed in Mary’s footsteps in serving God’s people.
 
What was called FYC #2 is now called the St. Peregrine Room.  St. Peregrine Laziosi is an Italian saint of the Servite order. He is the patron saint for people suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDs and other illnesses.  He was cured of a cancerous sore on his leg after he received a vision of Christ on the cross reaching out His hand to touch the impaired limb.  Sr. Carol prayed to St. Peregrine for strength throughout her illness.
 
Considering I’m just about out of space, I’ll include the material for the remaining rooms not yet mentioned here in next week’s bulletin.
 
I did want to add that each of these rooms is decorated with an image or icon of the saint for whom the room is named.  I encourage you to stop by the rooms and check them out.  The awesome team who handled the dedication of the Sr. Carol Juhasz, IHM Center for Community and Fellowship, led by Father Rich, did an OUTSTANDING job coordinating the artwork and the titling of each room.
 
Enjoy the week. Know of my prayers.
 
In Christ,
 
gmb
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