O'Dea Graduation Mass {St. James Cathedral}

  

One of the sweetest text messages I've received in quite some time came late at night last week from our Godson/nephew Niko:

Aunt Bridget,  I have 1 extra ticket to my graduation its at St James cathedral on may 30th at 7 would you like to come? !   Arrive early cause it'll be hard to park probably

Tim wholeheartedly endorsed my attendance, and so I made plans for the 90 mile trip to Seattle for Niko's graduation.

By the time I had parked and entered, St. James Cathedral was packed for the admit-by-ticket-only O'Dea Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation.  I looked around and saw only a sea of people and not a single open seat in the main body of the cathedral.  There were a hundred or more open seats~reserved for the guests of honor, the 2012 graduating class from the all boys' high school.  But just beyond the graduates' rows, in the choir loft, were a few open seats.  I made haste for the first open chair I spotted, and had essentially a front row seat in the back, elevated for a prime viewpoint.

O'Dea Choir

During the opening procession, I kept my eyes peeled for Niko as the stream of maroon caps and gowns rounded the main altar and flowed into their assigned rows.  "Focus! focus!" I told myself, "Keep an eye out for Niko so you'll know which row he's in."  Once they were seated and facing the main altar, I would never be able to pick Niko out from the crowd.  "AGH! You missed a few... is that him?  Is THAT him?  Focus!"  I was determined to pinpoint his location in the class.  Suddenly he came into view, and then came closer and closer, skipping the seat assignment all together and heading into the choir loft! Unbeknownst to me, Niko was among the graduates who would be participating in the boys' choir.  You can imagine my profound excitement and inexpressible joy to be sitting only a few feet from Niko!  Praise God!

Congratulations, Niko!

The Mass, sung beautifully by Niko and his choir, celebrated reverently and solemnly be Rev. Ryan, reached its apex when Jesus Himself came to us in Holy Communion (as always).  What a Great Guest to have at your high school graduation and in your very being!  We prayed for all past graduates of O'Dea High School, which includes our current (outgoing) pastor, Fr. Qui Thac Nguyen and our incoming (July) priest Fr. Altenhofen, as well as my dear Dad, who always remembers his days at O'Dea with a smile.

My family of origin celebrating Niko's graduation from O'Dea:

Dad, Peter John, Grandma O'D, me, Molly, and Mom

Godbrothers

Peter holds his Godbrother Samuel

Samuel's new tongue trick

Joseph and Peter sit with sleeping Samuel while Aileen and I dart into a shop.

A side benefit to Zachary's recent appointment at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma was the opportunity for his siblings and chauffeur to visit with our Godson/Godbrother Samuel and his mom our dear friend/Godmother.  Linked by many layers of love and years of friendship (Aileen and I since second grade at St. Charles), our time together is always phenomenal in some way or another.  This recent afternoon rendezvous occurred while Samuel's older brothers were in school, Zac was touring UPS, and the dads worked, so the five remainders enjoyed a stroll in Tacoma's Proctor neighborhood with an obligatory cup of coffee. 

Samuel, with his delightful smile and energetic attention for friendly faces managed to stay awake for almost the whole visit, save a brief snooze in the stroller as we perused the shops.  He captured our hearts, and we longingly await our next opportunity to enjoy his company (and that of his fine family).
Such a treasure to behold!

Joseph smiles with his Godmother, Aileen.

Aileen and Bridget

The Presentation {Samuel John Baptized}

Rob and Aileen's newborn son, Samuel John, is dressed in his baptismal gown ~ the gown worn by his mother ('67), brothers Peter ('99) and Ryan ('03), and by his dearly departed sister Lucy(+'01).

With great joy we present our newly baptized Godson Samuel John, born again in Christ through the Holy Spirit in the waters of baptism on January 8, 2012.  As Sam's Godparents, we promised before God and the entire community to support his parents, Rob and Aileen fulfill their duty in raising and forming Samuel in the Catholic {Christian} faith for his entire life.  On his behalf, we renewed the vows of our own baptism(s), vows made on our behalf at our baptism(s) by our Godparents and parents.  We renounced sin and professed our faith, after Father Hagelin solemnly reminded us:

Dear parents and Godparents:   You have come here to present this child for baptism.  By water and the Holy Spirit, he is to receive the gift of new life from God, who is love.
On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring him up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life, which God gives him, is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in his heart.
If your faith makes you ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptized.

Father Brad Hagelin baptizes Samuel John with consecrated (holy) water and the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ

The light of Christ, represented in the Pascal candle

Fr. Hagelin lights Samuel's baptismal candle (from the Pascal candle) and presents it to Tim and me, as a tangible reminder for us to keep the light of Christ burning bright as we support Samuel in his Christian life.

 

“Christ himself says, ‘I am the light of the world.’ And we are the light, we ourselves, if we receive it from him.... But how do we receive it, how do we make it shine? ...[T]he candle tells us: by burning, and being consumed in the burning. A spark of fire, a ray of love, an inevitable immolation are celebrated over that pure, straight candle, as, pouring forth its gift of light, it exhausts itself in silent sacrifice” ~Pope Paul VI.

Baby Sam, born again in Christ!

 Godparents, parents and brother Ryan, together with Sam after his baptism.

Our new Godson, Samuel John, cherished child of God

Now, Master, You can dismiss your servant in peace;
You have fulfilled Your word.
For my eyes have witnessed Your saving deed displayed for all the peoples to see:
A revealing light to the Gentiles,
the glory of Your people Israel. 

~Luke 2:29-32

This Gospel passage, known as the Canticle of Simeon, proclaims the moment the Light of Christ, Christ Himself, entered the temple in the arms of his parents, who dutifully presented their firstborn Son to the Lord.  The Presentation of Our Lord, celebrated at Mass today, February 2, with candle-light processions, has been a part of Christian tradition since at least the fourth century.

The Presentation of the Lord in stained glass;

Church of the Assumption, Bellingham, WA

What's in a Godparent? {Flashback Friday}

Our Godson, Niko, celebrated his 17th birthday yesterday.

(Mike, MacKenzie, Jacob, Zac, Brendan, Peter, Joseph and Niko, April 2008)

Our Goddaughter, MacKenzie, received her First Holy Communion April 20, '08, (our wedding anniversary!)

at St. Charles Borromeo, Tacoma;

together with her twin brother, Brendan.

Tim and I with our Goddaughter, Hope, baptized May 10, 2009.

(photo by Renee)

What's in a Godparent?
Not long ago, I overheard a conversation that went something like this:
"(Name and name) are going to be (child's) Godparents."
"Oh, that's great!  When is (child) being baptized?"
"(Child's) not being baptized, (name and name) are just going to be the Godparents in the general sense."
Huh?

The role of a Godparent is very specific, and Godparents take on some pretty big responsibilities in the promises they make before God and His Church at the baptism.
At baptism we are born again in Christ, set free from original sin.  We are given the gift of salvation! Redeemed with sanctifying grace!

But we can lose that precious gift, for we are also given the gift of free will ~ and we can choose to follow Christ or to turn away from Him.

Godparents promise to help guide the baptized in the Christian life, to help the baptized grow in virtue and grace.  Parents are the primary teachers of the faith, but should the parents turn away from the Church, and away from God, the Godparent's role as teacher in faith would become primary.  That's a pretty big responsibility, with even bigger implications.

As Godparents, the greatest gifts we can give our Godchildren is the example or witness of our living faith, our constant prayers for their spiritual growth, and our continued efforts to build them up in Christ.

This week I have witnessed Anna's(+)  Godparents, Rebecca and Nick, humbly walk along with Anna's parents through the suffering and sorrow of her tragic death ~ into the celebration of Anna's life at her funeral today.  Rebecca said, "I always prayed that she would become a saint, I just didn't expect it would be this soon."

Rebecca and Nick serve as a great reminder for all of us who have taken on the role and responsibility of being a Godparent (and certainly for all Christian parents).  Let us recommit ourselves to leading our Godchildren (and children) along the road to sainthood, to heaven.  Let our prayers for them never cease.  Let our example be one that brings the Gospel to life.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Dear Anna Marie, pray for us!