Welcome Deacon George Flaherty
You will all meet a new member of our Holy Family staff team as we welcome Deacon George Flaherty who will preach at all Masses this weekend. That is perhaps the best way to get to know a deacon or priest — through their preaching. Please see the following page of this bulletin to get some background about George in his own words.
George was born in Chicago and grew up in Elk Grove, Illinois, went to Elk Grove High School, the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy and the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School’s Executive Program for Pharmacy Leaders. George has had a long career in the pharmacy industry with the Walgreen Company, EnvisionRX Options, Walmart Health and Wellness, and as a consultant with other companies.
He and his wife Toni have been married for 40 years and have four adult children. They have lived in Buffalo Grove, Las Vegas, Nevada, Hawthorn Woods, Lake Geneva and most recently, Arlington Heights. George was ordained a Deacon in 1984 by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. He has been involved in many different ministries in the various parishes that he has served. Because of his vast and diverse ministry experiences, we look forward to George and Toni adding much to our faith community here at Holy Family.
Please extend a warm welcome to George and Toni when you see them.
Discernment, Cutting and Pruning
I think you have noticed my fascination with the wine making process. I believe it is a great metaphor for faith and stewardship. God gives us many natural resources such as soil, sun, rain, seeds and plants. We become partners with God to care for vines, indeed all plants, so they can be fruitful. Our effort and work complements the natural resources God has given us and the result is fruitful.
Work complements gift to bear fruit.
My metaphor is rooted in the one Jesus suggests in this week’s Gospel according to John. He says, “I am the vine, you are the branches, and (God) my Father is the vine grower.” In my metaphor, we are the vine growers and God is the giver of the resources that initiate the divine/human enterprise that leads to fruitfulness. This partnership also provides an opportunity for some serious discernment. In Jesus, metaphor God does the gardening.
Jesus says the gardener must discern whether to cut off a branch that is not fruitful or to prune one to make it even more productive. If we are the vine growers we have a constant opportunity to do what Ignatius of Loyola calls a ‘Discernment of Spirits.’ We must examine the branch’s connection with the vine. We must inspect and determine what must be cut and what needs to be trimmed so that fruit on the vine can get proper air and sunlight and not be blocked by what does not help it to continue to grow. In other words, pruning helps the connection with the vine to be as strong as possible.
Life is filled with dead wood that needs to be cut from our lives, and trimming that eliminates that which hinders our growth. Let’s keep discerning.
Podcasts
I cannot emphasize enough that our website is a source of FORMATION as well as INFORMATION. It provides prayer resources; our 9:00 am Sunday Mass each week is available ALL week long so you can access it at any time; all of our Be More presentations are there, and so much more.
Two additional resources are our podcasts available on Spotify and Apple Streaming:
• In Another Voice – A ten-minute podcast by Dawn Mayer bringing her creative and prayerful perspective to a number of relevant spiritual topics
• Word, World and Worship – My 5-8 minute podcast that simply introduces you to the two Old Testament and two New Testament readings that are proclaimed at the coming weekend Masses.
Pentecost Masses
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE A 9:00 AM MASS OR 11:00 AM MASS ON PENTECOST SUNDAY, MAY 19.
THE SCHEDULE FOR MASSES ON PENTECOST SUNDAY WILL BE:
5:00 pm Saturday, May 18
7:30 am and 10:00 am Sunday, May 19