Dedication and House Blessing!

Our community was blessed in multiple ways last Friday.

Despite the torrential downpour and wailing tornado sirens, Mass was held as scheduled on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

The opening hymn could have been written by Dorothy Day herself:

Here in this place, new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away.
See, in this space, our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.

Gather us in - the lost and forsaken
gather us in - the blind and the lame.
Call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.

Pastor Scott Kramer of St. James the Less led the celebration and contributed a story about the "old convent" and reflections on the Holy Family.

Dave shared a reading from Genesis: God the Worker creates the world. In the Old Testament, God is often described as a Craftsman and Artisan. This gives new meaning to the notion of Jesus as the Carpenter's Son! God not only creates the cosmos, but he is intimately involved with it in every detail. He is lovingly concerned for it, for he hears the cry of the poor. The Carpenter is always at work.

Fr. Larry Rice (from the Newman Center) opened the Homily with reflections on the wonder of Creation juxtaposed against the Gospel reading which shows the cynicism directed against Jesus in his own time. The Catholic Worker, in his view, thumbs its nose at cynicism and points toward a New Creation. Bill gave an extended reflection on God's Workers--Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day--along with the history of the movement.

Sr. Barbara, without whom we never would have moved into our new location, led us with Petitions. Pat, Cheryl and our friend Vielka from Kairos Outside brought the Offertory gifts, which included items to be placed at the foot of the altar to remind us of who we are and where we come from: A box of food from the pantry, the Catholic Worker sign, a painting of Dominican Saints & friends and a book of the Precious Blood priests.

Daniel and Stephanie from Ohio Dominican University filled the church with beautiful voices, drums and guitar, while I accompanied them on guitar and mandolin. George from The Josephinum was the server during Mass. Erin gave the closing reflection. She expressed appreciation for all the people who have been contributing and described the ongoing work of the Columbus Catholic Worker.

We call upon Joseph the Worker and Jesus the Carpenter to help us build the City of God, where our tears will turn into dancing.

After Mass, we dashed through the rain in the courtyard and gathered in the chapel of the Catholic Worker house. Fr. Scott opened with a house blessing prayer and Pat led us in a Litany to St. Joseph. Fr. Scott then gave Sr. Barbara first dibs on sprinkling Holy Water, who then passed it on to our founder, Cheryl. After that, the group dispersed, going through the whole house blessing rooms, including the food pantry downstairs, and passing the Holy Water around. Jake and Pat from the St. Vincent de Paul Society joined in, as well.

We concluded the evening with gregarious laughter, discussion and by sharing some wonderful food and cake. Friends new and old were there to kick off this event. There were also many Dominican sisters (former residents) watching over us, and quite possibly Dorothy, Peter and all the other saints, too.

It was a full house, in more ways than one.