This column was being written deep in Lent in the knowledge that it would be read a week after the Easter Vigil, the highpoint of the Church’s liturgical calendar.  I hope that all SMILE readers have recognised the worth of their Lenten disciplines in a joyous celebration of their faith in the Risen Christ.
I consulted that theological and liturgical dictionary of the 21st century – Google – regarding the reason for this Sunday being called Low Sunday.  The following paragraph comes from the New Catholic Encyclopedia, a good authority on matters to do with the Church:
Today, the first Sunday after Easter, is called Low Sunday. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it is apparently intended to indicate the contrast between it and the great Easter festival immediately preceding, and also, perhaps, to signify that, being the Octave Day of Easter, it was considered part of that feast, though in a lower degree. Its liturgical name is Dominica in albis depositis, derived from the fact that on it the neophytes, who had been baptised on Easter Eve, then for the first time laid aside their white baptismal robes. St. Augustine mentions this custom in a sermon for the day, and it is also alluded to in the Eastertide Vesper hymn, "Ad regias Agni dapes" (or, in its older form, "Ad cœnam Agni providi"), written by an ancient imitator of St. Ambrose. Low Sunday is also called by some liturgical writers Pascha clausum, signifying the close of the Easter Octave, and "Quasimodo Sunday", from the Introit at Mass — "Quasi modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite", — which words are used by the Church with special reference to the newly baptized neophytes, as well as in general allusion to man's renovation through the Resurrection. The latter name is still common in parts of France and Germany.
I hope that this clarifies matters…  There is reference to the hymn thought to have been written by an admirer of Saint Ambrose (a bishop of the third century); we sang it last weekend and this: “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing.”
The Introit quoted in Latin above, beginning quasi modo, is taken from the First Letter of Saint Peter (chapter 2, verse 2): Like newborn children you should thirst for milk, on which your spirit can grow to strength, alleluia.
Typing “quasi modo” into Google may not yield too many relevant results, but rather a number of red herrings, blind alleys and tangents to go off on to!
More recently Low Sunday has also become known as Divine Mercy Sunday through an initiative of Pope John Paul II.  Today is also a significant day for those within and without the Catholic Church who revere his memory as he is being beatified today at Saint Peter’s in the Vatican, and will now be known as “Blessed.”
Our annual celebration of Confirmation and First Holy Communion comes around again in a couple of weeks when Bishop Denis returns to be with us, and to be with the children.

When he was here at the beginning of last month he commented on a number of occasions about his visit to Saint Mary’s School.  He talked of being impressed by the children with their bright-eyed enthusiasm for answering questions that he put to them regarding aspects of the Catholic Faith and how well they knew Jesus; and he spoke of how it saddened him that he did not see them or their parents on Sunday morning at Mass.  He thought that it would sadden us too.

Does it?

A couple of years ago when Andrea, my PA, was going through the mountain of stuff on my office floor that doubled at that time as my filing system, she came across many pieces of paper.  She would glance quickly at their contents and discard them, but one attracted her attention because of the notes that I’d made some years earlier.  She said, “You should do something about this!”  I said, “Right” and she said, “You will do something about this!”

The piece of paper contained notes of a conversation that Peter Trapski and I had had regarding putting Beverley Roberts name forward for a Benemerenti Medal.  Andrea persisted at this project, engaged Sally Washer’s assistance, and the result was Bishop Denis calling Beverley forward at the Saturday night Mass during his Pastoral Visitation a month ago and pinning on her the medal that Pope Benedict XVI has awarded her.

There are photographs of the occasion elsewhere in this SMILE, and a summary of Beverley’s life and times and achievements.

The recarpeting of the Church is happening as these words are being typed onto the screen.  The new colours certainly give a lift to the whole building as well as clearly delineating the sanctuary, as distinct from the rest of the church.
While we just didn’t have the money to complete the painting of the interior of the church before the carpet was laid, its effect is such that we will surely press on and make such savings elsewhere as are necessary so that we can continue to transform the interior of the church from its rather tired and disheveled appearance that was inevitable after 20 years of being left alone.

It is worth repeating here that the carpet was paid for by a grant from First Sovereign Trust.  No Parish money was used!

Speaking of money, the “new” Planned Giving envelopes take effect today.  Those who use weekly or monthly envelopes as a way of donating to the Parish will have collected their bundle already in preparation for use today!  There was a letter enclosed explaining how we are using envelopes from a previous year that would otherwise have been thrown out, even though they cost $2 500.  The Finance and Management Committee thought that parishioners would rather have different sorts of envelopes rather than uniform sets if it meant significant savings.  Having begun to think about how this aspect of our Planned Giving functions, the Committee is receiving other ideas that will result in savings …  We know we don’t ever have to spend $2 500 (and more!) on envelopes again as we did in the past.

May the blessings of Easter continue to grace your lives and the lives of those you love!

Joe Stack