Reconnecting with the Community

People enjoying picnic food

Sunday Mass is a communal experience. We gather together in church and celebrate our faith through the Eucharist. But sometimes with life being the way it is, we have a hard time being communal. With bills to pay, children to feed, and an uncertain job market, we occasionally drift away from focusing on our faith and connecting to our brothers and sisters in the community. But God is always there to remind us that we’re adrift. And it is usually in the form of our church community that we replenish our faith. Take St. Francis Parish, in Bridgeport, New York – a community staffed by the Conventual Franciscan Friars.

This past Sunday the parish organized its annual picnic. The special nature of the occasion was marked by the celebration of Mass in the out of doors. Gathered together under a sunny sky, the congregation remembered once again how great God is to have created all that is around us.

After Mass, the parish picnic began. Hot dogs and drinks as well as a roasted pig kept everyone satiated. Much like at other parishes around the country, committees from St. Francis set up information boards highlighting their activities and inviting interested persons to join their midst.

St. Francis Parish’s annual picnic was fun for all involved. It allowed parishioners to forget briefly about their various life concerns and as Pastor Friar Raynald Yudin put it, “catch up with old friends and meet new ones.”