Before I forget&

     Signs on Church property...
* "No God - No Peace.  Know God - Know Peace"
* "Try our Sundays.  They are better than Baskin-Robbins."
* "Searching for a new look?  Have your faith lifted here."
* "Come in and pray today.  Beat the Christmas rush."
* "Sign broken.  Message inside this Sunday."
* "How will you spend eternity - Smoking or Non-Smoking?"
* "If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows u-turns."

     Today we give thanks to God for a new chapter in our parish history.  Coming to church will be a new experience... we will enter and exit through the gathering space (St. Paul Plaza).  We will have hospitality after each Mass in St. Joseph Hall.  Our new pastoral center is just waiting to be used by people.  It is a wonderful building that will be around for generations... it is the work of our hands, in more ways than one.
     Sister Joyce Rupp, a spiritual writer, asks people this question:  "When did you last notice your hands?"  She then encourages people to spend a few minutes looking at their hands.  Think of all the things your hands do for you in a given day:  right now they are holding {scrolling} this bulletin, they help you get up from a chair, they wash your face and brush your teeth, comb your hair, write things, type words, carry things, turn pages, reach out, and open/close doors.  Sister Joyce reminds us that hands are wonderful gifts.  It's easy to take our hands for granted until they become arthritic or succumb to some other physical ailment.
     A lot of good hands made this building possible.  Young hands and old hands worked hard and made a gift of their hard-earned money to make a dream a reality.  They wrote checks to the parish with their hands.  Some who supported this project have already passed on.  I looked at their hands for the last time as they rested in death.
     Architects used their hands to design a building to be used by the People of God.  Some people maneuvered heavy equipment with their hands to dig the foundation.  Blocks and bricks were put into place by human hands.  Flooring, tiles, and carpet were placed down by hands.  Walls and ceilings were painted.  Lights were installed.  Bathrooms were put together.  Windows were handled with care as they were installed.  Many hands built this building.  How can anyone criticize the work of so many hands?  I suppose there is a negative person to two who is just looking for something to complain about.  I hope I'm wrong!  But if you hear negative comments, hold the complainer responsible - ask them what they did with their hands.  Words can be cheap.  Let's remember that this was and continues to be the work of a great community of people!
     It's easy to take our hands for granted, as well as our eyes and sight, our ears and hearing, our breathing, our fee,t you name it.  There's a great line in Betty Smith's book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,:  "Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first time or the last time.  Then your time on earth will be filled with joy."  How true.
     I am happy that we accomplished this new pastoral center together.  But I am more anxious to see it used by people:  Little children in the preschool and nursery; children and adults in the art room; music being made in the rehearsal room and chapel; meals shared in St. Joseph Hall; hospitality after Mass; seniors gathered together; youth having fun; people learning; broken hearts and spirits being refreshed; minds on fire for the truth; good smells in the kitchen.  Talk about the work of our hands!
     This is only the beginning of another era in the life of this parish.  As we celebrate our opening today, I give thanks to God for all of you.  You are my parishioners and I am your pastor.  We work together for the honor and glory of God and for the good of our dear neighbor.  Let's lift our hands in prayer and in gratitude to God who makes all things possible.

     Fr. Bill