By EMMALEE ITALIA
Contributing Editor
Relishing the opportunity to commemorate their parish’s patron, the feast of St. Dominic was celebrated in a prayerful, yet festive way by the parishioners, staff and friends of St. Dominic Parish, Brick, Aug. 11.
“Over the years, this feast has really taken on a life of its own!” said Father Brian Woodrow, pastor. “It continues to get bigger and better, simply because we always start with what’s most important, and that is the Holy Eucharist!”
PHOTO GALLERY: Brick parish commemorates patron saint’s feast day
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., was principal celebrant and homilist of the feast day Mass that was concelebrated by priests from the parish.
“I love it here at St. Dominic’s!” he said, thanking the clergy and volunteers, and congratulating the parish’s First Communicants at the Mass.
Following Mass, a statue of the patron saint, whose feast day falls on Aug. 8, was carried in procession around the parish grounds as the congregation joined in the singing of hymns and reciting prayers.
“I find that the younger families love [the procession] even more because many of them never grew up with stuff like this,” Father Woodrow explained. “A lot of these traditions faded away a bit. The resurgence and enthusiasm are incredible.”
An outdoor parish picnic and carnival continued the festivities, with food, games and activities for all ages. The gathering capped a weekend celebration that began with the parish’s second annual car show Aug. 9.
Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., concelebrates Mass with St. Dominic pastor, Father Brian Woodrow, right.
In his homily, the Bishop spoke of natural and miraculous bread in the Old Testament, and the spiritual bread of Jesus, as reflected in the Gospel readings for multiple Sundays in July and August.
“In the Gospels, the scriptural story of bread throughout the centuries leads us to a conclusion: we hear and read about the living bread, bread that has come down from heaven: Jesus the bread of life,” he noted.
“Natural bread is earthly. Spiritual bread is heavenly. Natural bread is corruptible; spiritual bread is not. Natural bread has limits. Spiritual bread is without limits. Natural bread feeds the body. Spiritual bread is food for the soul.”
Bishop O’Connell entreated parishioners to remember the centrality of the Eucharist to the Catholic faith. “In this bread is real food, true life and every goodness and blessing. We pray in faith, give us this bread always,” he said. “As Catholics, we join with today’s psalm and proclaim to ourselves and one another: taste and see the goodness of the Lord!”
“For the Bishop to be there was a blessing in and of itself,” Father Woodrow said. “I love the fact that by doing these time-tested traditions together, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. All we need to do is celebrate as one family the way we always have done, with love and authentic joy in Christ.”
This year’s celebration was particularly unique, he noted, because it was the first year that the Shrine to Blessed Carlo Acutis in St. Dominic Church was fully completed.
“To have these two great saints being honored under one roof amidst all the music, food and celebration made this so spectacular,” he said. “The secular world can throw a party any old day of the week, but how great is it that we get to have an even better time filled with faith friends and family, all while celebrating our saint’s birthday into Heaven?”
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