CONGRATULATIONS

Our parish community has young people graduating this Spring from professional and technical schools, colleges and universities, high school, grade school, kindergarten and preschool.

Congratulations to all and to the families of the graduates! Your efforts are to be commended. Through our faith, we appreciate that every ending is also a beginning, every goodbye is also a hello. Best wishes to your new beginnings!

CONGRATULATIONS DEACON LARRY & PAT SWIRTZ

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of our parish community this year, it is very special that many of our original parishioners are still very active members. In fact, one of the two of our original parish trustees, Larry Swirtz, with his wife Pat, continue to bless us with their generous spirit. And both of them went through the permanent deaconate formation program. Larry was in the second group of deacons ordained for our diocese. Indeed, he was ordained a week after I was. This June 10 he too celebrates his 30th anniversary of ordination (and Pat and Larry also celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this month.)

Congratulations and thank you Larry and Pat. 

LET THERE BE LIGHT

I have some mixed feelings about some upcoming anniversaries, my 60th birthday on July 11 and my 30th anniversary of ordination on June 3. I now come under the "rule of 90," which in many cases allows for retirement but that is not going to happen. Anyway, I have been having too much fun. St Ed’s has certainly added to the joy. I am also very thankful for the special efforts being made for the weekend of June 7 and 8 for my celebration. I do have a special request. Instead of gifts for me, if people want to give a gift, please make your check out to St Edward’s and note that it is for the Nicaragua solar lighting project. Let me tell you more.

Of course, for over 20 years, we have had a special sister parish relationship with Our Lady of the Angels parish in Jinotega, Nicaragua. There has been a wonderful sharing between us. We have been able to help these brothers and sisters especially with fresh drinking water projects and ongoing support for medical care. Another thing that we take for granted, but which is not available for many in the Jinotega region, is lighting. Only about 1 in 5 people in rural Nicaragua have access to electricity.

Micro Solar Lighting uses tiny, inexpensive solar photo-voltaic panels to charge small batteries which can power highly efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for use at night. A University of Minnesota graduate in electrical engineering named Patrick Delaney has developed a very useable unit that can benefit many of the people in the Jinotega countryside. Patrick will personally oversee this project with the assistance of the non-profit agency, Avodec, which is based in Jinotega and who have helped us with other efforts.

$5,000 will get this project funded and will provide light for over a hundred households. Any additional funds collected will be used for the new organ. We are adding some special trumpets to the organ pipes and the extra funds will be helpful.

PARISHIONER LOOKING FOR JOB

I received a note recently from one of our members, who moved to Bloomington and became a member eight years ago. When she wrote me recently, she explained much more then I knew about her and her family.  She has been a single parent for 16 years and has raised two children. Her journey of life has had incredible ups and downs. She is a firm believer that God has a plan and has helped to keep her going on the path of life. This St. Ed's member has worked hard to do the best she can for her children, who are now pretty well grown.

Over many years of working in the non-profit world, she has faced downsizing and budget cuts. Well, here comes another job loss.  She has diligently worked for a school district for nearly two years and because of a grant loss will become unemployed June 30, 2008.  She was just recently informed and now is on the hunt for another job.

Her professional work experiences include 15 years of volunteer management, special event and conference planning and most recently community education programming.  She has the ability to work with diversified groups of people, especially older adults.  She is very detail oriented, has excellent organizational and planning skills.  She is motivated, friendly, has good work ethics and is an excellent communicator.  She is very comfortable in talking in front of large groups of people; corporate, church, school and professional groups.  She even once accepted a sizeable check donation at a Minnesota Twins Game, where out on the home plate, with Coach Tom Kelly, accepted the check and thanked the fans and the Twins for their donation to the organization she worked for.

She is looking to find another position utilizing the above skills and hopefully closer to home, with the price of gas escalating. She works best in a job with independence, interaction with people, lots of variety, and is willing to do some travel.  She is a go-getter and is ready to start the next chapter of her working career.

THANKS MOM

This weekend we celebrate Mother's Day and express our appreciation to our moms and grandmothers and to all those who have been like mothers to us. In ministry I have had some powerful reminders of the ongoing influence of our mothers. Some years ago, I was called to anoint a 93 year old lady who was close to death at a nursing home in east Bloomington. Her daughter was present and although her mother was not responsive we prayed with her. After the anointing, the lady roused somewhat and was saying something. We both listened carefully and were able to hear her speak, "mother." These could have been her last words. "Mama" or "mommy" (and dada) are often the first words spoken, and I have often witnessed hearing "mother" as the last words of a dying person. I will never forget my 90 year old great uncle crying out "mother" as he was dying. It seemed to give him comfort. Giving comfort, our moms so often do that. Thanks, mom.

HAPPY STATEHOOD DAY

This weekend, specifically on Sunday, the State of Minnesota celebrates its sesquicentennial or 150th Anniversary. Some of us were born here, some of us have moved here, some are very recent immigrants, some descend from the native people who were first here way before statehood. The French Canadian voyageurs who arrived here beginning in the late 1600's to conduct the fur trade, would have a mid summer rendezvous at Grand Portage on the shores of Lake Superior. They made a distinction between those who traveled from Quebec with the trade goods and those who lived here trapping through the winters. The former were called "pork eaters" as they had the much easier lives back East. The others were simply known as the winterers. We are the winterers. Congratulations.