Author: Nathalie Godet

Dear Friends,

Happy July 4th to all! Our country was founded as one nation under God, in God we trust. John Quincy Adams, the 6th US president noted: “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” Sadly, today we don’t hear much about the spiritual foundation of our nation. It is not taught in many of our public schools anymore. As Christians, we need to be concerned about the efforts of militant secularists to take out any reference to God in American history and the erosion of Christian values in public life.  It is important for us all to remember that our Capitol abounds with Christian symbols and images.

Did you know:

• Within the Capitol there are statues of Catholic priests and nuns, and medallions of Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX.
• On the first floor of the main Reading Room in the Library of Congress there is a statue of St. Paul.
• In that Library there is a quote from the Book of Proverbs and a reference to God from Shakespeare.
• There is a chapel in the U.S. Capitol. Prayer meetings for Senators and Congressmen are commonplace throughout.
• Crucifixes abound in the Capitol.
• On the front doors of the Capitol are pictures of Franciscans with rosaries.
• There is a painting in the dome of the burial scene of Hernando De Soto depicting a Mass being celebrated; a priest is shown holding a crucifix during burial prayers.
• In front of the Federal District Court, across from the National Gallery of Art, there is a depiction of pilgrims praying before a cross – a splendid recognition of religious liberty.
• On the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th St. N.W. is the Temperance Fountain with the inscription of Temperance, Charity, Hope and Faith. Nearby is a quote from St. Paul.
• Near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, engraved on the sidewalk, there is the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial with an inscription referencing “our firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence.”
• There is a frieze on the Supreme Court Building that depicts Moses.
• The entrance court to the Supreme Court, made of oak, have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.
• Inside the Supreme Court, right above where the Justices sit, there is a display of Moses and the Ten Commandments.

If you wish to read more about these symbols, see ‘One Nation Under God: Religious Symbols, Quotes, and Images in Our Nation’s Capitol,’ by Fr. Eugene F. Hemrick. While we look with gratitude to the past to the freedom and liberties fought and won by the first generation Americans, may this July 4th be an occasion for us to look in faith to the future, and commit it and our lives to God and His will. The ancient words of the Psalmist are still true: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12).

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Dear Friends,

During our 60th Anniversary, we had conducted a parish survey. You may remember the findings published in our bulletin. There was an overwhelming desire from our parishioners to renovate and repair specific areas of our church building including the need for constructing a new bathroom. To fund these projects, we launched the “In Celebration of 60 Years, A Fundraiser for the Future of Our Church” on March 6, 2023, with the modest goal to raise $125,000, which was revised to $200,000. Months prior to that, a Fundraising Core Committee was formed with Joan Pritchard, Dolores Christmas, Edna Arguello- Hitchner as Co-Chairs, and Laura Beck, Santina Spinella and Joe Porter as members while Msgr. Seamus Brennan and Mary Pat Burke-Grospin were the staff representatives.

The Core Committee worked very hard and carried out all details of the fundraising, supported by the parish staff, especially Nathalie Godet, Vinnie Natale, Amy Hanna, and Mary Jo Loboda. The Committee created the fundraiser letters and donor contribution envelopes, planned and organized the major donor luncheon, prepared and followed up with a list of tasks to be initiated and completed, regularly updated the status of the contributions on the thermometer chart in the narthex, and held regular meetings for evaluations, updates and strategic planning. The Committee asked for a final wrap up and review meeting and it was held on February 8, 2024. They made a very professional evaluation. There was much satisfaction for the way the Committee did their job for the good of the parish, though they felt that some of the best practices they had recommended to me were not followed to their satisfaction. Though I had thanked them in that final meeting, I wish to place on record our sincere gratitude to the Core Committee for their commitment, enthusiasm and passion in fulfilling their role “In Celebration of 60 Years, A Fundraiser for the Future of Our Church.”

I am very happy to share with you all that the total contributions received as of June 2024 add up to $152,850.00, and the total invoices of projects cost add up to $86,937.00. As contributions are still trickling in, the final income and expense report will be shared later. We are happy that the following projects are already completed: Refinishing of the church pews, Construction of a new bathroom, Installation of church front entrance ramp, Renovation of the small bathroom, Installing two Adoring Angels, Installing two wood stands built with marble, Replacing sink in new bathroom with fabricated granite countertop, Diaper change station and switch change, and Installing rolling sun shades in the loft. There are more projects yet to be completed, including the following: Cleaning of the church walls and stations of the cross, Steam cleaning of all fabric covered church chairs and all carpet covered church floors, and Painting of aluminum front entrance ramp to reduce blinding glare.

As I express my gratitude once more to the Core Committee, our parishioners who contributed so generously to this effort deserve a very special thanks. I also wish to express my gratitude to Alma and Jaime Valdez, of JM Valdez Construction company, who not only constructed and renovated the bathrooms, but also generously donated their time and resources in this parish endeavor. The effect of everyone’s sacrificial giving is seen in the projects already completed as listed above. May the Lord who sees the generosity of the participants, bless them abundantly.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow, June 24, is the solemn feast in honor of the birth or nativity of John the Baptist. Usually, the feast days of the saints are celebrated on or around the date of their death. John the Baptist is an exception due to his uniqueness as the Forerunner, the Voice crying out in the Wilderness, in the history of salvation. At the same time, the Church wants to be more conscious of the witness of John’s character as a model for us to grow in holiness.

It is enlightening for us to know a little church history and tradition associated with the birthday celebrations of John the Baptist. This is one of the oldest feasts on the Church calendar. In the early Church, as in medieval times, this was one of the biggest feasts of the year. As was done on Christmas, three masses were offered, one at midnight, and two in the morning. All over Europe, fires were lit on mountains and hilltops on the eve of this feast. The people had parties and lit bonfires in honor of John because our Lord called him a “burning and shining lamp” (John 5:35). These fires, sometimes called St. John’s fires, were lit on St. John’s Eve and burned until at least midnight. These fires were also a sign of Christ the Light, and a reminder that we, too, are called to be a light for the world. In Catholic sections of Europe, people prayed together to Saint John for his intercession that the summer might be blessed in homes, fields, and country. Finally, they performed some of the traditional folk dances, usually accompanied by singing and music. In addition to celebrating around outdoor fires, other customs included decorating one’s home with flowers, making floral wreaths (which were sometimes sent down a river as a symbol of Jesus’ baptism), placing sprigs of St. Johns wort around the house much as we do Palm Sunday palms, and eating strawberries. This feast placed three months after the feast of the Annunciation, and six months before Christmas served the useful purpose of supplanting the immoral pagan feasts of the Summer Solstice. St. John the Baptist was highly honored throughout from the beginning. Proof of this is, among other things, the fact that fifteen churches were dedicated to him in the ancient imperial city of Constantinople.

William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet wrote, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” Actually, Biblical names have often a rich meaning. When the time came to circumcise this child, neighbors and relatives expected him to be named after his father, Zechariah. But his mother insisted, “No, he is to be called John.” “The name, “John,” in Hebrew is “Yehohanan.” It means, “The Lord is gracious,” or maybe better, “The Lord shows favor.” The birthday of John Baptist relates to the birth of Jesus. The Church selected the time of the winter solstice to celebrate the birth of Jesus because from that time the days gradually grow longer; the amount of daylight increases. But the Church selected the time of the summer solstice to celebrate the birth of the Baptist because from this time the days gradually grow shorter; the amount of daylight diminishes. This symbolizes the words of the Baptist in speaking of Jesus, “He must increase while I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

May we too allow Jesus to increase in the way we witness to Him and His teachings.

Your brother in Christ,

Fr. Abraham Orapankal