As September draws to an end, so too does Father
Alphonse Kaboré’s stay with us – to my deep regret.
Having spent the summer at St. John’s in Mclean, Father
Kaboré, hearing of my mother’s serious illness, generously
offered to come to St. Catherine’s for the month of
September to help out at the parish so that I might have
more time to spend with my parents. Not expecting to have
another resident I very gratefully accepted Father Kaboré’s
kind offer. Then out of the blue the good Lord sent us
Father Robert as well. This made for a very jolly month of
September at St. Catherine’s Rectory. With Father
Alphonse from Burkina Fasso, Father Robert from Poland,
myself from France and Germany, (and not forgetting the
Scottish Border Collie) our Rectory has been Catholic in
every sense of the Word. Coming from our various and
different cultures and backgrounds we have been Catholic
with a small “c”, that is universal. With our mutual love of
Jesus Christ and our shared desire to serve Him in His
Church we are Catholic with a capital “C”. Father
Alphoné’s presence here has made it possible for me to
spend more time with my parents. And indeed with both
Father Alphonse and Father Robert here I have sometimes
felt myself to be on holiday even as I go about my parish
duties. Father Alphonse’s joyful demeanour, his sense of
humour, as well as his insight into the human condition, all
stem from his deep and abiding Faith in Christ Jesus.
Although I feel a certain sadness as he returns to Rome to
conclude his studies, there is a greater joy in counting him
as a good friend and a brother priest. The Church in
Burkina Fasso is blessed to have such a priest, and so long
as I am the Pastor at St. Catherine’s he will always have a
very warm welcome here.
September 28 – Catholic University of America
There will be a second collection taken up at all Masses
this weekend. This collection will be for the benefit of
Catholic University of America.