As most of you already here know, I’ve spent the past few weeks reaching out to parish leaders across the country seeking possible churches to visit in 2021. And the responses I’ve gotten already have been truly inspirational.
Last week, just before Thanksgiving, I got a call from Lisa Landone, a member of the choir at Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel in Bridgeport, Conn. Nothing too unusual there, until you discover that the choir was founded after the tiny chapel was slated for closure due to membership numbers that had dropped down to unsustainable levels.
But the existing members were determined to keep the tiny chapel alive. So they put together a message for Bishop Frank Joseph Caggiano, who graciously allowed them the opportunity to make their case.
That they did, speaking passionately about the parish and the future they saw for it, capped by the presentation of the video here. And it worked. Bishop Caggiano agreed to allow the parish time to increase membership numbers and collections. And while the parish fell just short of the target numbers by the designated date, its progress and passion again convinced the bishop to let the small, but growing, parish continue its push.
That passion was so evident in our 20-minute conversation it thoroughly brightened my day. And it again reminded me why I’m doing this, and provided a glimpse of how wonderfully enriching the experience is going to be.
52 Masses 