By ZOE CANNON
GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFT OF FAITH
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
The theme for our religion class this year is “Being Catholic.” I asked each of my grandsons to draw one image to represent what being Catholic meant to them. Their artwork is painted on a small piece of canvas and displayed as a daily reminder of their Catholic faith journey. The three different ideas were very simple and clearly defined: a beautiful baby in a manger; a cross with rays of sunshine behind it; and a chalice with a radiant host. The sequence of the events they chose was perfect, as we are fed from the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
Their homework assignment was to ask four people to explain what being Catholic meant. This project provided inspirational conversations. The answer to this question can be varied and personal, but should always be based on truth in the teachings of Jesus. The connections we find with people of faith usually begin with a conversation, sometimes intentional, and other times quite unplanned.
Throughout the school calendar year, parishes in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are blessed with the opportunity to provide a meal on Wednesday evening for the seminarians and the priests at Bishop Simon Bruté Minor Seminary. It is tough to get on the schedule because everyone wants to let the young men in formation to priesthood know how much they are appreciated. Students from several different dioceses are represented at the seminary each year. They introduce themselves at the dinner to let us know where they are from, and it is always great to see the men from the Diocese of Evansville.
Our parish in Greenwood, Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, prepared a meal for Aug. 23, the first Wednesday Community Night of the year. The following weekend, we went to Warsaw, Indiana, to visit our son and his family. We attended Mass at Sacred Heart Parish, which is in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. We were introduced to their newly ordained associate pastor. Father David Langford, whom we recognized from serving Bruté dinners in 2019, when he was a seminarian there. It was a wonderful moment of connecting and witnessing God’s plan for Father David come to fruition, as he offered us the most precious meal of all: the Body and Blood of Jesus!
This reunion story was a great opportunity for me to remind our grandsons how important it is to support vocations to priesthood. Jesus instituted this gift at the Last Supper because he knew that, without a priest, there is no Eucharist to nourish our souls. The preparation in the Church for the 2024 National Eucharistic Revival is a great time to be thinking about what it means to be Catholic. The source and summit of our faith is blessed and based on the True Presence of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament: the Eucharist!
Father David and I also talked about our passion for the canonization process for Servant of God Bishop Simon Bruté. We have a rich history in Indiana through the witness of this holy man. He brought Catholicism from France to our country with his heroism and missionary heart. The sacrifices he made to grow the Church are something we should all strive for in our families and our parishes.
Ask your loved ones what it means to be Catholic, and begin a conversation created in love! And please thank your priest for his mission in saving souls! Amen!