It has now been nine days since my dear and holy mother, Ebby, after three days of hospice care, passed into the arms of the Lord, with her patron saint, Padre Pio ushering her to or at least toward her eternal reward. After too short of time with her husband, my dad, Bill (who died in 1985) she continued her life as a nurse doing night shift at St Joseph Hospital in Hot Springs (where she got her training as an RN in the early 1950s). She also continued to be a strong influence on muself and her other adult children, especially in the ways of her love and commitment to the Lord, His Church, and in her ever growing family. She became a mother in caring for her firstborn, Sharon, when she was born on August 11, 1956, and then carried and welcomed with my dad eight more children, the last one, Mark, being born on May 26, 1967. A quick, and astute calculation will tell you that she and my dad were blessed with 9 children over and eleven year span!! Most who find that out can't imagine the challenge that was for her body and the challenge in many other ways of raising that many children who were so close in age! Perhaps I'll go into that another time. While she got defensive whenever I or any of my siblings commented that we grew up poor, and was quick to say we had clothes on our back, shoes on our feet, a roof over our heads, (one she lived under for 66 years), and food on the table, (all of which was true, thaanks to God and my devoted, hard working parents), I give thanks to God first for them and all the wonderful lessons we learned in that very modest environment and the love that was shown to us and shared not so much in spoken words, but in countless deeds done for us and others!! My mom and dad's faith in God was strong in their hearts and in their actions, including prayer in the home, a Catholic school education (which they were both blessed to have), and participation in ministries, my dad as an usher and my mom as a long-time money counter at St Mary's in Hot Springs. My brother, Joe, started as an altar server at the age of 5 and the other five brothers followed suit, serving every Sunday and some weekdays through our high school years. I'm sure the girls would have done the same if allowed to do so in their growing up years. My mom, for all of her years of learning and living the Catholic faith (from her saintly mother, my grandmother "Mama Blitz") was the "rock of faith" in our lives and the "glue" that kept the family together and coming together for most big holidays and other occasions. Not to be understated was her role as the "peacemaker" as she always tried quickly to quell any arguments of ill will among her childre. Her prayers for her family and others were unrelenting and consistent. My faith and hope tells me that they will be even stronger in her eternal life in heaven. Her faith told her, and my faith tells me now, I can't wait to see you again!!

When I think of our VIPs for the month of June, Tom and Cathy Ament, the words ACTIVE and SOCIAL come to mind first. For the 26 years they have lived in the Village, they have been seemingly here, there and everywhere in our parish community (in ways I will describe in this pastor's column) in the community activities in the Village, expecially golf, and in working in the community to make it the best place to live that it can be for those who choose to move here. It is clear when you first encounter them there is not a shy bone in their bodies. The words friendly, outgoing, and engaging fit both of their personalities. Unless health issues slow them down (and, like many people, they have), they are lively, energetic and, as you are about to find out, they have used and in many ways continue to use their energy for others. After being "energized by the Lord and others through a "Marriage Encounter" weekend couples experience over 50 years ago, they took to heart the message "Bloom where you are planted" and, in many ways, hit the ground running when they moved to the Village. Both have served as longtime lectors at the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass where Cathy also is an extraordinary miniaster of Holy Communion and a Eucharistic Adorer. They have worked at Jackson House, Special Olympics and Cathy as a volunteer for Helping Hands. After 25 years of doing it, they still enjoy delivering food baskets on the holidays and say that they have been enriched by the families they have encountered. Cathy was vice president and then president of LOSH and is still a very active member of the All Saints Guild, which includes activities connected with bake sales and preparing food and serving at funeral meals. Tom has served as Grand Knight for our local KNights of Columbus Council 10208, is a 4th degree member of the KNights and coordinated the K of C "Pennies from Heaven" for 15 years that provides aid to families who have suffered disasters. He is a charter memeber of our parish family assistance committee and has put much effort with others in assessing and helping people in the area who are going through difficult times with some immediate assistance and information of other services in the area that can help them in providing for themselves, long term. He has been an active member of the Sacred Heart Men's Club, and has been the sick list leader for them for 10 years. You can see they indeed fit the term active and giving to others in need in time, talent and treasure in a caring, Christ-like way. Let's thand the Lord and then them for what they have done and are still doing, and appreciate that they inspire and encourage each other in all this and obviously in their married life that they have enjoyed for more than 50 years!

While I now regret using people who identify as transgender (which Wikipedia defines as people whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with the sex they were assigned (or people of faith would say "that God them when they were  conceived in their mother's womb), I have decided to use this pastor's column to present in short form some of what the "Church" says about this issue. Firstly, as disciples of Jesus Christ we are call to "Christ-like" love for all people. We must not look with disdain or worse toward these or any other people who, like us, were formed by God in their mother's womb. the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the sexes are meant by divine design to be different and complimentary, each having equal dignity and made in the image of God. I also like and recommend what I read from "Catholic Answers" when it says "we should help people discover their true identities as children of God, not support them in the disordered attempt to reject their undeniable biological identity." In March the USCCB (United States Bishops issued a 14  page statement directed firstly to Catholic health care institutions named "Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Bidy" which can be accessed online at the www.USCCB.org website. In summary, it says Catholic hospitals "must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures." I believe the bishops would speak against such action in ANT hospital or health care institution. The Church, as far as I know, will not give direction on terminology when addressing a person who identifies as transgender, nor will it comment on other practical issues that have made the news. namely the use of public bathrooms and competitive sports situations (unless it involves Catholic facilities or Catholic institutions that offers sports for its students). Bishop Taylor has spoken about the freedom of people not to participate in certain ceremonies and activities (i.e."Pride" parades) as "not being discrimination against the persons involved in such gatherings not is it an expression of hatred towards the persons involved". (April 3, 2015). If I have any more to add about this subject (especially after reading the 14 page document listed above) I'll bring it up in a future pastor's column.