Labor Day Weekend, Catholic Style

So what do you do on the Sunday before Labor Day?  I know a lot of people spend time with their families, maybe have a cookout.  My husband even knows someone who got married today.   Labor Day is generally the end of beach season, the end of summer, and for beachcombers like me, the start of more affordable rates for trips “out East.”

I had the pleasure of being present at an ordination and a reception for a friend of mine who became a transitional deacon.  Today was the diaconate ordination for several candidates from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, on Long Island.   Metropolitan New York is interesting in that, besides the Archdiocese, there is also a Diocese of Brooklyn and a Diocese of Rockville Centre.  The population and the demographics are such that there are just that many Catholics from Manhattan to Montauk (for those of you not familiar with New York, Montauk is the easternmost tip of the Island).

The diaconate Mass was a wonderful way to show support for a friend of mine, a new deacon who not only is a great friend to my brother, but also served our wedding Mass.   He is the type of person that people will surely refer to as a “good priest” once he becomes ordained.  I was lucky enough to attend the Mass early in the day, and joined the new deacon and his family for a party afterward.

It was a bit surreal to walk into a beautiful backyard on Long Island, with gorgeous landscaping and a large colonial in its center, and see a sea of “Men in Black”.   There were probably at least thirty to forty clergymen in attendance, chatting with several new deacons and making small talk.  It was nice to see them all come out to support our friend, but also to demonstrate that the Church is still vibrant and alive.   We even had the pleasure of meeting a nice Catholic family in our age group, and we were able to share tales of teething and baby wearing while enjoying fantastic Italian-style desserts.

Even though there was plenty of food and drink to be had, I’m sure our afternoon was not a typical party for a holiday weekend.  But it was relaxing to spend time with everyone, and a nice way to bid farewell to summer.   As we begin a new season, these new transitional deacons are taking the next step in their journey to the priesthood.  It’s nice to be able to share in that moment, even as a lay person, and to watch someone you knew as a child grow more deeply in his faith.

One of the great things about the party was the amount of family there for our friend.  He comes from a large extended family, and there were cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and even his grandmother in attendance.   It was a religious occasion, but also very obviously a family occasion.   Our friend was able to spend time with his fellow religious, a community unto itself, but also able to share in the moment with family and friends.

All in all, today was a positive, relaxing day, and a sign of good things to come for the Catholic Church.