Feb 19 Odran d. 452

Jack and Thom,
Good Morning, I love you
110210, 2052

So. I went to the ‘open to all’ meeting for our sister parish in manta. A program our parish has sponsored since 2001. According to the leader of the group [it’s not a committee, it’s not a task force, it’s a group of people with an amalgamation of interests in support of this far away – Manta, Ecuador – community. I’m below the median age of the group of people in attendance tonight.

The Leader said that about one fourth of the parish supports the mission, one fourth are opposed to our spending money there rather than closer to home [that’s why any money is raised outside of the general funds of the parish, according to the Leader] and the other fifty percent ‘indifferent.’

The parish [this one-fourth of the parish, for all of us] supports 135 grammar school children at $120/year and 10 ‘university’ students at $180 a year (which pays for half the cost of their transportation to school for the year).

I went to the meeting, open to all, at the suggestion of one of the group’s active members with whom I spoke about the possibility of involving faith formation students, especially my third graders, in the mission. She told me that historically children have not been involved, certainly not the faith formation ministry as a whole. She indicated that it wasn’t something that the Leader thought made sense, too many barriers, including language.

I introduced myself to the Leader before the meeting started. I was there four minutes early, there were three people already in the room The other nine participants arrived over the next six minutes and the meeting started about ten after. One guy arrived after we started.

We went through the usual hellos including ‘why brought you here tonight?’ I told him. He graciously welcomed me, was glad I was there, and invited me to join and participate in the meeting.

In the introduction to the agenda – after an opening prayer (a big plus in my book; doubled that when we did a closing prayer too) – the Leader said “this is what we did last year. It worked pretty well. I don’t think there’s any reason to do anything different this year.” I was very quiet throughout the meeting. The Leader did nothing to elicit my participation or my idea, i.e., the reason I came – to see if there were a way for the faith formation students to participate in this mission.

The Leader’s, therefore, the group’s plan for 2011.

1. Scholarships. Renew the 135. The Leader explicitly told them that given our economy, not to expect any more. This is a February to April effort. Last year it was August before we had the 135 covered.

2. Our teens leader has said she is interested in leading a trip to the parish there to work on some environmental problem like pollution by a major industry there. There are three or four teens who have expressed interest in making the trip to the parish – not necessarily for this geopolitical purpose. Anyway. This year’s trip would be led by the parish teen leader. (good luck with that)


3. Craft sale. Two years have been successful – raising about $1,000. The Leader remarked that better marketing, including higher pricing, would improve this activity.

4. Christmas card signing. An annual event. Everyone in the parish is invited to sign huge cards.


5. Christmas gift. An annual event. Last year it was a jacket for each child. This requires raising money. As someone new to the parish, I was not solicited. I’m an avid bulletin reader and don’t remember a solicitation there either. But, every year, the children each get a present from St. Paul’s.

6. Angel tree. Many of the tags on the tree are specifically for the children we sponsor in Manta. By word of mouth, the supporters of the mission find out what color tag are ‘ours’ and they take those off the tree. Each year, all the tags allocated to the mission are taken. [In addition, individual sponsors, not all of them, send a gift to their child.]


7. Chili cookoff. Also a relatively new fundraiser. This led to the best discussion (only discussion) of the night. There’s the coordinator of the event and there’s needing many hands to help. Getting enough volunteers for all the many pieces is a challenge, especially for a person who is new to the parish, the group, or the activity. [There appears to be great individual memory for how to make an activity successful but no institutional memory. The chili cookoff does have a template with all the activities listed and the gantt chart laid out. All’s that’s missing are the people and getting the volunteers and ensuring everyone shows up and does their small part. Generalizing from this, there was the discussion (between Leader and one guy) about completing the template for each of the activities. And, for each activity, develop the volunteer recruiting and follow up system.] (I must admit, it was the absence of institutionalized memory and routines that was not only apparent it was exactly how the Leader described the group – not a group that’s hierarchical or with people in charge by a group of people who come together for the sister parish. It’s an organic rather than an organized group. Which, to give everyone their due, has done a lot for the children of our sister parish in Manta for ten years now.]

8. Soup Bowl Sunday. St Paul’s Teen Group does this each year and the money goes to the sister parish. In the lassaisez faire leadership model, our Leader leaves it to the Teen leader to take care of it – and then, like tonight, complains because some details were skipped, there wasn’t an announcement from the pulpit, and, thus, there wasn’t as much giving this year as last. I was at the Mass he talked about. Not only was there no announcement, there were only four or six teens rather passively holing their bowls soliciting contributions. Not to diss the teens. They were doing their part. Anything not done that would have been better is in part the absence of adult coaching and the absence of the template that would include ensuring the pulpit announcement and coaching the bowl holders. Teaching well off teens to beg is not easy.

Under challenges for 2011 was included a need for coordinators.

The Chili cookoff is listed as our major fundraiser. The person who filled in in a pinch two years ago, did it last year and will do it this year. She now has a good idea of what needs to be done. What she needs – more volunteers.

As a brief next to last agenda item, we had “need to improve awareness of sister parish program: photos/bulletins/board/parish activities/website. The Leader’s new ‘number one’ also made the general statement that if anyone has any marketing/PR ideas to get them to Leader. I guess that was an opportunity for me to suggest faith formation as a marketing channel. Or to volunteer to brainstorm with a PR subgroup – marketing, as a hospital ceo, is a second nature skill and interest. But, alas, I didn’t. I waited to see if the Leader would draw me in. Involvement of the faith formation students would involve that many families. Certainly make them all aware of the mission.

Videbimus. But. I’m not likely to read out again. He has my name from the hello at the beginning. I wonder if, in addition to the sponsors (less than 135 families) is the mission has the names and contact info of the one fourth of the parish who are involved/interested. He did not ask for the contact info from me.

February 19

Odran 452

Odran was friend and chauffer for St Patrick. According to tradition, he drove Patrick’s chariot.
That sounds like a great job! When I began working for Behavioral Healthcare Corp., I was doing several projects for the CEO. When it became necessary for me to have business cards it also was important [to some] that I also have a title. I suggested “Ed’s Gofer.” That was rejected. I became a vice-president that day. But the job was fantastic. Ed’s Gofer. What project did this new start company need done. Bill, you’re it. Get it done.

Odran died when he changed places with Patrick in the vehicle just before an ambush by pagans was sprung. Odran, friend and martyr.

Undertheoak.

From all we can learn, Odran became devotedly attached to the Irish Apostle. Odran was a constant personal attendant on Patrick’s missionary travels. Odran became a servant to St. Patrick, whom he served in the capacity of charioteer.

On St. Patrick's return from Munster, about the year 451, the Irish Apostle entered Hy-Failge territory. Here were two powerful chieftains ruling at the time: one was a wicked Pagan, Failge Berraide, who entertained a implacable hatred against St. Patrick, because he had destroyed the idol, known as Crom Cruach, an object of adoration among the Gentile Irish.

The other chief was named Failge Ros, who had conceived a great love and reverence towards the holy man. As the former had frequently boasted, that he would take the Apostle's life away, whenever the opportunity might be afforded ; the present stage of his journeying, which brought him along the highway, not far from Failge Berraide's Castle, seemed favourable for this son of Belial's purpose.

That district was then ruled over by the merciless pagan, Failge Berraide. This wicked man's design was basely to take away by assassination the life of our great Irish Apostle. Failge Berraide resolved on arresting the progress of the Christian Religion, by effecting the destruction of its greatest promoter.

Patrick’s charioteer, Odhran, had some prevision of the consequences likely to ensue. Odran concealed his knowledge concerning it from St. Patrick, whom he induced to occupy the driver's seat in the chariot, whilst Odran himself should have some short time for rest. The holy Apostle most readily assented.

They had passed from Birr, and were travelling along an ancient road, which bore in an eastern direction, north of the Slieve Bloom mountains, where their enemy lay in wait. Failge met the travelers on their journey. Rushing against Odran, whom he mistook for St. Patrick, the furious chief transfixed him, with a stroke of his lance. Horrified at the sight thus presented, the Apostle was about to pronounce a malediction on the murderer, when the dying Odran prayed it should rather descend on a very high tree, that grew on an adjoining hill, called Brig-damh. Yet, for his Satanic perfidy, the murderer was struck dead immediately afterwards; and as a just punishment for his grievous crime, his soul was buried in hell, while angels were seen bearing that of Odhran to heaven, where he joined the array of purple-robed martyrs.

St. Patrick furthermore announced, that the posterity of that wicked Foilge should wane, and lose power, in the principality; while, Foilge Ros and his posterity should rule therein, which prediction was fulfilled.

Orthodox Hymns of Saint Odhran

Troparion of St Odran tone 5

No task was too humble or too dangerous for thee,/ O Martyr Odran,/ for in thy station as a servant/ thou didst render the ultimate service/ giving thy life for thy master and Ireland's Enlightener./ Pray that we may have the courage to hold nothing back,/ that at the last Christ our God will not withhold His mercy from us.

Kontakion of St Odran tone 3

We salute thee, O Martyr Odran,/ ever seeking to follow thee in service to Christ's holy Church/ and praying for grace to shun the imperfect way of Ananias and Sophia,/ that we may give all we have in selfless devotion/ to Him Who holds all creation in His hands.


I love you,
Dad
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