Its 9:30 A.M., Both Father Larry and I got back into the house a little after 2 A.M. We had to clear up the rented space where we had our Midnite Mass, in a large auditorium that seated 400. We had spent weeks before running ads, placing announcements in store windows, putting flyers on cars, going to large events and passing them out and talking to people along the way. Between ads and renting of the space it cost us nearly 1,000.00; maybe more I havent kept count. We were not permitted to advertise on a billboard of the church so it had to be by press and out on the street.
Well midnight came, the space looked beautiful, the music was grand, a friend Doug Blevins' singng voice added that special touch. I looked around amongst the 400 seats and saw 8 people. My heart sank and I must admit for the first part of the Mass, I was nervous and didnt feel right in the space. I just couldnt concentrate, But we very grateful for those 8 who did attend.
It also says that God does not want us in that space. We spent over 2000 initially when we had our first Mass in their chapel People did not want to come at 1:30 in the afternoon, the only time we were permited to be there. We pushed and tried even asking if maybe we could move it up to around 12.00. We learned the hard way but both of us, in our late 70's are still open to learning. I am hearing that God wants us back in a appropriate Catholic oriented space. We have a wonderful chapel that people, if they seek out, will find us
We return to being Fathers of Divine Mercy and not church builders. We will be there for the spiritual needs of the community. People will see us on the street dressed in clerical clothes, celebrate Sunday morning Mass at 10, a Serenity Mass on Monday evening and a Divine Mercy Healing Mass with benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday. We wont have to make other spaces look like a church and then have to strip them down again. What a relief.
If others some time ask us to serve their community in the space that they create and maintain, we will do that. In the meantime, no more money spent on ads or rented space that does not have our name on it. If God so ordains, people will seek us.
God has already blessed us with the best gift he can give us. Our own place to pray and worship, a place that looks and feels like a Catholic Chapel.
Our love, from our hearts, goes out to all. It is indeed a Happy Christmas. We have each other . Father Larry has taken in temporarily a man who does not have a home We will help him get settled in a place of his own. And thats what Christmas is about.
All is calm, all is bright.
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