We prepare to start a new year. In 2008, The
Reformed Catholic Church had a stellar year, with significant growth and
exciting ministries that have significant impact on the lives of the
people whom we serve.
I am proud to be the Presiding Bishop of
this Church, for we are a church of action, not words! Thank you for
all you do for the people of God. As the new year dawns, I am
confident that the bishops, clergy and faithful of our church will
continue to expand their ministries, programs and services to meet
the needs of our sisters and brothers face. I pray that God will
continue to bless our church and give us the wisdom, courage and
strength to meet the many challenges that face our world in 2009.
I offer this prayer for
us all:
Give us
the kindness to hear with compassion,
to offer support,
loving comfort, and care.
Give us
the courage to do what is needed,
the wisdom to choose
what is right and fair.
Give us
the vision to see what is possible.
Give us
the faith
that will help pave the way
for a present that is hopeful,
a future that is peaceful—
Give us a heart to bring joy to
each day.
+Amen
Happy New Year to you all. May God bless
you abundantly!
++Phillip Zimmerman, RSJ
Metropolitan Archbishop
Presiding Bishop
Office of the Bishop of
the Diocese of St. Joseph the Worker
The Most Reverend Michael Hillis, RCF, DD
Dear Friends
in Christ,
I would
like to extend to each and every one of you my sincere wishes for a
blessed Christmas and a happy and safe 2009 ! Through the efforts
of so many of you, our ministries are expanding and the needs of
the local
communities
are being met. Thank you for your dedication and support!
This coming 2009 will bring us more challenges and opportunities to
make the Gospel of Christ come alive! All are welcome at our
table, and
this is such a
powerful message and it must be heard by all people! Please
keep me in your daily prayers, as I will remember you also!
On
Saturday December 13, 2008 clergy from all the various jurisdictions
have been invited to a dinner to celebrate our unity. Over 35
people are expected in attend this event and it is such a great
feeling to see the familiar faces and share a wonderful meal
together!
Our newly
formed Board of Directors are having meetings and working out the
details of our new Pater Noster House - Arizona. Hopefully after
the first of the new year, we will have found a home for this
project.
The
Diocese of St. Joseph the Worker has welcomed two new former Roman
priest! Father Julio Montayo and his brother Father Francisco
have officially joined the RCC ! Father Julio has been appointed
the Director of the Hispanic Ministry for the diocese and is
starting a Spanish Mass on Sunday evenings at 5:00. Father
Francisco will be assigned to one of our parishes in Mexico.
Welcome to our new Fathers!
Sister M.
Bridget, RCF will be taking her Final Vows in the Franciscan Order
this January in Phoenix. The date has yet to be determined, but
we will let you know when it has been decided . All are invited to
attend! Sister has
moved to North
Carolina where she is beginning a new ministry and formally starting
the Motherhouse for the Franciscan Sisters of the RCC. Our prayers
are with you Sister as you begin your new ministry!
We are
pleased to announce the birth of a new grandson for Deacon Rogelio
Carrera! Deacon Rogelio will be flying here to Phoenix in
January and will be baptizing his new grandson at our local
parish! Congratulations !!
The AAICC
will be developing a program in January for the training of all
Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, etc for all of the
various Jurisdictions in the Greater Phoenix Area. This is a joint
effort to work more
Our thanks
to everyone in this diocese who has helped us achieve our goal of
100% participation in our monthly Clergy Dues! EVERY member of
our clergy has stepped up to the plate and make this monthly
sacrifice for
our
Church! Your co-operation is much appreciated !
On
Monday night last, (29th December 2008), we here in CW decided to
attend the RCC ceremony in the Unitarian church on Saint Stephens
Green, Dublin, and what a pleasant surprise we had.
The ceremony was hosted by the Reformed Catholic Church which is
establishing itself here in Ireland, and if the homily given on
Monday night by their Presiding Archbishop, Philip Zimmerman.
It was interesting to hear him speak of it being a time for a new
church, one which does not judge...this includes its clergy as the
only True Judge is God and God alone.
That was refreshing in that for us, we felt he was speaking a very
sincere and true message...that of Christ and His words - Love One
Another As I Have Loved You.
At one point he had his crosier passed around amongst those of us
present and asked us to say 'I am a shepherd' which was powerful in
both symbolic and spiritual dimensions.
The celebration of the Eucharist was indeed so beautiful and best
accompanied by the voices of a beautiful choir of members of Glória
but what really brought it home to us as clergy sitting there was
how everyone was made feel so welcome, most especially to the altar.
After the ceremony, we discussed amongst ourselves what we could
possibly do to engage with the people we are charged to lead...and
we reminded ourselves that we are there to serve not to be served
and if we keep that in mind we will not go far wrong.
However, visiting, listening, helping and basically being human is
how it happens, and should happen...but we are guilty of failing to
do so.
For 2009, perhaps those of us in the positions that we are as Parish
Priests or Curates, but most especially those higher up the ranks,
should consider how we relate to our parishoners and them to us.
Then, maybe we can avoid situations such as that of Bray in County
Wicklow (one of only many that we know of in this country alone) and
be a uniting force rather than a divisive one.
We welcome your views, comments, thoughts and own experiences in
relation to this, and perhaps we will all learn.
(Our pic is that of the 2 Irish clergy in the RCC and their
Presiding AB, standing in full regalia)
OFFICE OF THE BISHOP OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ST.
PATRICK
The Most Reverend William
Quinlan, DD RCF
New Years Message
Once again we have
celebrated the Birth of our Savior, and marveled that God loves us so much
that he sent His Son as a wee babe to live as one of us.
The Christmas season
in the church lasts until we celebrate the Epiphany which occurs on January
4th, the day when the wise men visited the child to pay him
homage. The men from a far off land travel far for this visit. “..and on
entering the house they saw the child with his mother Mary. They prostrated
themselves and did him homage .Then they opened their treasures and
presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.. Then being
warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by
another way” (Matthew 2. 1-12)
In this new year of
2009 let us also offer gifts to the child Jesus.
Let us offer the gifts
of love, understanding, helpfulness to others, and care of the poor. May we
as ministers of Gods word seek to spread the joy of the good news to all
those we come in contact with, by our love, and by our caring attitude.
The mystery of Gods
love has been made known to us in Jesus.
Let us proclaim this
love to all we meet, and spread it across the world.
I wish for you all a
joyous, happy, and healthy new year filled with Gods choicest blessings.
Archbishop Bill
Quinlan
Diocesan Bishop, St.
Patrick Diocese.
THE FIRST ANNUAL SAINT JOAN
OF ARC PARADE
TWELFTH NIGHT JANUARY 6, 2009 AT 6:00 P.M.
IN THE FRENCH QUARTER
On Tuesday, January 6,
2009, a.k.a. Twelfth Night and Joan of Arc’s birthday, admirers of the Maid
of New Orleans will gather at Woldenberg Park at 5:30 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m.
walk up Conti Street , then down Decatur Street to the St. Joan statue at
St. Phillip Street in the New Place de France. The parade will honor of the
life and death of Jeanne D’Arc, born January 6, 1412, in Domremy , France ,
who was burned at the stake at age nineteen, two years after her success at
the Battle of Orléans, France.
SAINT JOAN OF ARC REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH
AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Additional key participants include: Rev. Fr. James M. West of Saint Joan of
Arc Reformed Catholic Church in New Orleans, who will say a prayer before
and after the parade in Joan’s honor; Julie Wallace, a local artist and art
teacher who is creating various large-scale art pieces for parade members to
carry, including puppets of Joan’s “voices”; cardboard flames; and
butterflies, rumored to have surrounded Joan’s horse when she entered
Orléans; Susan Gisleson, arts educator, costume designer and the events
coordinator for Press Street-a literary and visual arts collective located
in the Bywater, will create Joan’s standard and St. Joan of Arc Krewe parade
banner; and Helen Gillet, a classically trained cellist who performs French
chansons and musettes, original compositions and jazz with her band Wazozo
and is a member of Musica de Camera (medieval music), will play French
period music at the St. Joan of Arc statue at New Place de France.
This is a gorgeous video--a montage
of Joan images--with lovely French music that was recommended by Rev. West
of the St. Joan of Arc Reformed Catholic Church in New Orleans. Note the
Japanese cartoon image of her and the other YouTube links to Joan of Arc
Japanese cartoons...who knew? It never fails to surprise me how many people
around the world are inspired to create art about her. She's a muse for all
ages, cultures, beyond time and space.
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