Fr. Kevin Dillon is the Pastor of St. Boniface Martyr Parish, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY.

Welcome to Nonna’s kitchen where good food, good stories and an Italian Catholic grandmother’s straight from the heart advice are available free of charge to all who wander in, especially her grandson, Vinny.  It was in Nonna’s kitchen that Vincent was fed physically, emotionally and spiritually.  His Nonna was NOT COLLEGE EDUCATED, did not possess fancy diplomas or certificates, but gave sound and practical advice to Vinny about God, the Church and life in general.  Coffee with Nonna: Stories of my Catholic Grandmother by Vincent Iezzi is a heartwarming collection of short stories about a young boy and his special relationship with his grandmother.  Each short story teaches an important life lesson. Vinny’s Nonna could be characterized as a shepherd figure, as it was she who guided and nurtured him as a young boy during World War II.

This Fourth Sunday of Easter the Church celebrates GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY.  In our Gospel reading this weekend, Jesus refers to himself as the GOOD SHEPHERD.  Jesus uses the image of a shepherd to show how he guides, and protects us the sheep.  Of course this is all figurative but it is an important reminder to us of Jesus’ deep care and concern for us, his flock.  Promoting vocations to the priesthood is a task that must be done year round; but this Sunday is an especially good time to promote vocations.

I hope all of us can recall at least one person who has been a shepherd to us, perhaps a parent, grandparent or other family member.  Maybe it was a good friend, mentor or coach that served us in this capacity.  Conversely, perhaps we have served as a shepherd to guide, instruct, nourish and protect others.

The Church has provided shepherds in the form of ordained clergy to guide and instruct her members.  Priests, in a special and unique way, serve as shepherds to God’s holy people, especially in the celebration of the sacraments, but they also teach, guide and instruct the faithful in matters of faith and morals.  It is no small accident that priests are also referred to as Pastors, whether it is in the formal role as Pastor of a Parish, or simply as Associate Pastor, chaplain or teacher.

The Catholic Church can always use more priests, but they do not come out of the sky!  Young men need to be encouraged to consider this as a life choice.  Many young men simply need an invitation or words of encouragement to consider this calling.  As for me, I wanted to be a priest from a very young age, but it took me a while to discern and be absolutely certain this calling was from God, and was for me.  It’s a life where no two days are the same!  It’s a life where a man who is a priest can walk in to a family or person’s circumstances as a mere stranger, but walk out as family!  It’s a life of adventure and fun, but also courage and challenge; it’s a life unlike any other!  A priest steps into another’s life in persona Christi (in the person of Christ).  NO OTHER PROFESSION ON EARTH CAN SAY THIS.

A priest, by virtue of his ordination, has the power to call down the Holy Spirit on mere bread and wine and transform these simple elements of the earth into the Body and Blood of Christ.  A priest has the power to forgive sins, and help people achieve entrance into heaven.  When an individual is dying it is the priest who prepares the soul to depart this world AND MEET GOD FACE TO FACE!

Pray that young men might consider so worthy and noble a calling which is a sublime gift from God.  Encourage those you might think have the attributes to be priests.  A candidate simply needs average intelligence, psychological stability and of course, a love for Jesus Christ and His Church.  If any young man has questions or wants to know more about this marvelous vocation, please feel free to call or email me.  I would be only too happy to talk to you about this!  May Christ the Good Shepherd and High Priest send many laborers into His vineyard, for the laborers are few and the harvest is plentiful!

Fr. Kevin’s letter appears each week in print and online in the St. Boniface Martyr Parish Bulletin.

Fr. Kevin Dillon is the Pastor of St. Boniface Martyr Parish, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY.

She was born Rita Rizzo in Canton Ohio, and entered Religious life in the 1940’s; after entering the convent; she founded a Religious Order called the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, a monastic order located in Birmingham AL, and became known to the world as Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation.  Mother Angelica founded the television station EWTN and was a pioneer in bringing the Gospel through the medium of television and radio.  She was a staunch believer in Catholic values and morals and even debated with a number of US Bishops, including Rodger Cardinal Mahoney of Los Angeles, CA.  Mother Angelica died Easter Sunday at her monastery in Hanceville, AL.

She was born Muriel Rose Connolly in Brooklyn, NY in 1920 to the parents of John and Margaret Connolly.  In 1938 she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph Noviate in Brentwood, Long Island.   From then on Muriel Connolly was known as Sister Margaret Andre, CSJ.  Her first assignment was St. Mary’s Nativity in Flushing where she taught 8^th grade English; she was also principal of many Catholic Elementary Schools including St. Malachy’s in East New York and St. Agnes Seminary in Flatbush Brooklyn, where she also was the Superior in the convent.  To my family, she was known as Aunt Muriel, but to everyone else she was Sister Margaret Andre.  Aunt Muriel was my mother’s blood sister.

Both these women were addressed as SISTER, but were both NUNS?  Mother Angelica lived in a monastery that was cloistered, meaning she and the other nuns did NOT GO OUT INTO THE WORLD.  Once entering a monastic cloistered Order a woman stayed there for the remainder of her earthly life. Only in rare or extreme circumstances like sickness, does a woman who is a NUN leave the cloister, and conversely, visitors do not come into the cloister.  Visitors like family members speak to their loved one behind a grill.  Priests and doctors,  may with permission,  go into the monastery to tend to a sick or dying NUN.  My aunt, Sister Margaret Andre, however, left the convent daily and went into the classroom of the parish school.

So is there a difference between a Sister and a Nun?

As a rule, all women in Religious Life, also known as the Consecrated Life make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and live a life in common. (Code of Canon Law, 607.2)  Their houses,  either convents or monasteries,  must be established with the approval of the Diocesan Bishop (these congregations are called Diocesan Congregations like the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood or Sisters of St. Dominic, Amityville) or by the Pope himself (these congregations are called Pontifical such as the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, Belgium.)   While all women religious share this in common, their similarities end there.  Many Sisters are teachers, health care professionals and social workers; still others works in parishes as Coordinators of Liturgy and Music, or in prisons as chaplains but no matter what they are doing they are all involved in active ministry in the world.

Very different is the life of women religious who embrace a life of contemplation!   Certain Religious Orders were founded so that their members spend their entire lives removed from the world engaged in prayer for the needs of the Church, and indeed, the whole world!  These women make permanent vows voluntarily agreeing to spend the rest of their lives shut in behind a cloister.  They freely agree to NEVER SET FOOT OUTSIDE THE CLOISTERED ENCLOSURE.  Their entire life is a life of prayer; these types of women religious are called contemplatives. Only in serious illness to perhaps visit a hospital would these type of women religious leave the cloister. Families may visit these sisters, but they would NOT SEE THEM, they would speak to them from behind a grill or screen.

Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation had some famous one liners that endeared her to many Catholics.  Last week on EWTN, Raymond Arroyo the host and anchor for The World Over a television show on EWTN recounted a heartwarming and somewhat humorous incident with Mother Angelica. Raymond was leaving the chapel one day after spending some time praying and Mother Angelica asked him, “What are you doing in here at this time of day?”  Apparently it was late in the day and I suppose she felt he should be home with his family.  He told her, “praying.”  Mother responded “leave the life of contemplation and prayer for me…YOU GO OUT AND MAKE THE LORD KNOWN TO YOUR FAMILY AND THE WORLD.”   Mother Angelica and her Religious Order Perpetual Adorers of the Holy Eucharist were a contemplative order, and MOTHER ANGELICA WAS A NUN.

My aunt, Muriel, (Sr. Margaret Andre) taught countless numbers of young people and had many young women enter the convent.  In her later years, she ran prayer groups in the parishes in which she lived, and interacted and impacted the lives of many Catholics in Brooklyn and Rockville Centre.  Sister Margaret Andre was a SISTER.

While both were called Sister, each had a different calling and ministry in the Church, but BOTH WERE BRIDES OF CHRIST WHO SOUGHT TO LEAD SOULS TO THE HEART OF JESUS CHRIST.

Fr. Kevin’s letter appears each week in print and online in the St. Boniface Martyr Parish Bulletin.

Fr. Kevin Dillon is the Pastor of St. Boniface Martyr Parish, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY.

Billboards are a common phenomenon along the Interstates and Freeways of America; in fact, some local streets also place billboards along the side of the road in an effort to advertise a product or raise awareness about a prominent social, political or economic issue. In a certain sense, this too, is a form of advertising. Right here in our own parish boundaries, there is a billboard. It is located on Sea Cliff Avenue right next to the Sea Cliff Long Island Railroad Station. It features a tiger saying, “I don’t need to be a rug on your living room floor.” I think most people can figure out what the tiger is implying!

On a much lighter and more optimistic note, a billboard located in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States simply reads “SMILE.” Smiling is contagious and it leads to happiness, not just in us, but it can be good and healthy for others as well. This type of messaging, however, is not limited to just one billboard.

The Joy Team is a not for profit organization, based in Vancouver, Washington whose sole purpose is to put positivity out into the world. According to founder, Michele McKeag, the Joy Team’s mission is build community, by spreading, joy, optimism and inspiration. Among some of the billboards’ sayings are HAPPINESS IS CONTAGIOUS; SMILE, START AN EPIDEMIC; ENJOY THE MOMENT; and BE EXCELLENT TO EACH ANOTHER!

This Fourth Sunday in Lent we as Catholics have good reason to SMILE! Traditionally, this day is called LAETARE SUNDAY, which comes from the Latin. The English translation is simply REJOICE! Our Responsorial Psalm for today has overtones of joy and optimism in it. In fact, the Psalmist exhorts us in his own words, “Look to Him [God] that you may be radiant with joy,” and the Entrance Antiphon (which is used at masses without singing) also reminds us to Rejoice; “Rejoice O Jerusalem; your sorrow has ended.” Laetare Sunday marks the midpoint of our Lenten journey. Today, the Church relaxes some of the somber and penitential underpinnings of Lent. We take a break from the heavy and dark color of purple, to a more festive rose (pink) color, a joyful and happy reminder that the glory of Easter is not far away.

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis has some poignant and thought provoking one line statements. One of my favorite ones is “THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIANS WHOSE LIVES ARE LIKE LENT WITHOUT EASTER! For us as Christians, every day should be a joyful and positive experience, despite worries, anxieties, fears and preoccupations that we all live with because we are the recipients of God’s overwhelming love, grace and mercy. Even the horrors and blood of the cross, give us great peace, and dare I say something to rejoice and be happy about. The cross helps us make sense of our own sufferings, pain and failures. We unite all our hardships and pain with those of Jesus Christ’s act of suffering on the cross. We live with the knowledge and certitude that the cross ultimately leads to newer, fuller, and richer life; ETERNAL LIFE with JESUS CHRIST. Now that’s something to smile about!

Fr. Kevin Dillon is the Pastor of St. Boniface Martyr Parish, Sea Cliff, Long Island, NY.

Sharpened number two pencils with a pencil case of course, two ball point pens in blue or black ink only, a penmanship writing book, polished black dress shoes, and a crisply pressed uniform with the letters SAS emblazoned on the plaid tie that complimented the uniform pants and shirt, these are just a few of the memories I cherish having had the privilege of attending St. Aidan’s Elementary School in Williston Park. The eight years I attended St. Aidan’s School were a happy and enjoyable time for me. I started first grade in September 1967, and my teacher’s name was Sr. Ann Elizabeth, S.C. St. Aidan’s was unique in many ways; it is one of the FEW, if NOT the ONLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in our Diocese with two buildings. From its opening in 1950 until 1966 girls and boys were separated and so the building on the east side of Willis Avenue was known as “The Boys’ School,” staffed by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn and the west campus was the “Girls’ School,” staffed by the Sisters of Charity from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Upon my arrival the school was already coed and so the west campus became the Lower School for grades one through four and the east campus was known as the Upper School which housed students in grades five through eight. The Lower School Principal was always a Sister of Charity and the Upper School Principal was always a Franciscan Brother. Since Vatican II had already taken place, the school also had a number of laymen and women upon my arrival, but there were still a decent number of Religious Sisters and Brothers on the faculty during my tenure there and I was lucky to have several, including my eighth grade teacher, Sr. Maureen Murphy, a dynamic Math and Religion teacher, who had a beautiful gift for singing! My sisters were a part of the Girls Glee Club that Sister moderated.

Unlike other Catholic elementary schools, St. Aidan had a full service cafeteria with hot and cold foods four days a week. Thursday’s were release time, so we went home at 12:15, and Public School Children used the buildings for C.C.D. We also had a fully functioning Science Lab with Bunsen Burners. Classes were rigorous and the teachers were demanding, but this helped the students achieve entrance into some of the finest Catholic High Schools, including Chaminade, Sacred Heart Academy, St. Pius X, Prep Seminary, St. Francis Prep and Maria Regina to name a few.

It was TRULY DIFFERENT in terms of the Catholic values and morals as well as some Catholic practices that were taught. We had First Friday Masses with Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament; classes all started with prayers, some teachers, including one very religious lay teacher even taught us the Angelus and Memorare. Several dozen young men and women entered Religious Life or were ordained priests because of the firm spiritual foundation provided by St. Aidan. Hundreds of other Catholic schools in our nation have done the same. With the decline of Priests, Sisters and Brothers, most Catholic schools are staffed by dedicated lay men and women who still seek to teach Gospel centered values to young people.

We here at St. Boniface no longer have a parish school, but we are fortunate to be part of a Regional School, ALL SAINTS in Glen Cove. Unlike other Catholic Elementary schools in our Diocese, we are indeed, fortunate to have Religious Priests (Augustinian Canons) and Diocesan Priests who teach in All Saints, as well as dedicated lay women and men. Spiritual values and academic rigor are the philosophy and underpinning of the school. Students attend Mass and Confession once a month at All Saints and participate in a number of other faith centered activities, including daily meditations. Please support through prayer and finances the mission of our Regional Catholic School. Catholic schools have served countless generations of young people; may they continue to prosper and flourish in so many ways, including BEING DIFFERENT, WHERE IT COUNTS!