Today is my feast day...
Except in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati!
Today, on the universal calendar, is the memorial of the ever-glorious and always-admirable St. Martin de Porres.
And yet, today--in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati--is the day we recall the dedication of Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral! Persuant to church law, that occasion is a solemnity in the cathedral (as is the case for the dedication of any church, in that church), and a feast for the rest of the Archdiocese.
That Feast, as notable as it is, takes precedence over St. Martin--who, being humble and of sweet nature, is I'm sure eager to cede the day to the remembrance of the dedication of God's Temple in Cincinnati.
But I have a secret plan (which actually I've been following for several years)...
As church law allows for a votive Mass, to any saint, on a "ferial day"--that is, a day for which no other feast or memorial is assigned, then next Tuesday will be "St. Martin de Porres day" hereabouts--I'll offer a votive Mass, and pray a votive office, in his honor.
Meanwhile, if you are situated beyond the 19 counties that comprise the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, then you are currently celebrating St. Martin's Day--which means, of course, you are far too busy with parades, parties and other suitable festivities even to notice this post! Don't overdo it!
And, if you are uncertain how to mark St. Martin's Day, remember that St. Martin is the patron of social justice, and he is also renowned for begging food for the poor.
10 comments:
Happy Feast Day anyway Father! And another to you next Tuesday!!
Buon Onomastico
Well, happy feast day, Father! (from Irving, TX)
Do you suppose that St. Martin also offered shelter to the homeless.
Anonymous:
I don't know, but it's certainly something he would do.
Thanks for the good wishes everyone!
So, how's the cold shelter coming along in your parishes?
Anonymous:
We're trying to find someone who will provide insurance. That is a huge issue.
If we can find someone--and have enough volunteers--we can make it work.
Do you have any suggestions?
You might contact the other churches in Piqua who are participating in this and ask who is insuring them. I don't think you will have trouble getting volunteers for this, especially if you preach from the pulpit that it is one of the corporal acts of mercy.
Anonymous:
As far as insurance...we've done all that. Just because an insurance company will insure another church, doesn't mean it will insure us. Not all situations are comparable. The bottom line is, we have yet to find anyone who will write a liability policy for our parishes.
As far as volunteers. I will be glad to promote it, but I will tell you, it isn't that simple. It's relatively easy to recruit volunteers for a one-time deal. This is ongoing. Also, this is something many will find too challenging.
As you might imagine, I spend a lot of my time working with volunteers, recruiting volunteers, and it isn't just a simple matter.
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