[00:00:01] Speaker A: Welcome to Faith Break.
Finding God moments in your everyday.
Each week on Faith Break, hosts Karen, Luke and Ann Gallagher bring spiritual refreshment to your daily life.
The Holy Spirit has been very active in our faith community this year.
It's June 8th before our podcast takes a summer break.
Karen and Ann celebrate the birthday of the church by naming the graces of this year and looking forward to some peaceful time with God this summer.
[00:00:41] Speaker B: Hi, everybody. Welcome back to Faith Break. I am Ann Gallagher.
[00:00:45] Speaker C: And I am Karen Luke.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: And we are friends, co workers, moms, wives, and we are here every week to help you find your God moments in your everyday. Yes. And today is a special day because we are celebrating Pentecost, the birthday of the church. So happy birthday to us.
[00:01:07] Speaker C: Yes. And how exciting it is that we get to celebrate it with our new Pope, Leo.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:01:12] Speaker C: That's gonna be so much fun, man.
[00:01:14] Speaker B: The Holy Spirit has been active this year in our parish and beyond. Right.
This is also a special episode because it is our final episode of this season of our new podcast. We're going to be taking a little break for the summer, but we'll have some little treats for you.
We'll talk about that a little bit later. But yeah, we have had our run of 28 episodes and so five.
[00:01:41] Speaker C: Look at us.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: So, yeah, today we're going to be just celebrating the Holy Spirit, talking about what she's been up to in our lives and in our church this year, and maybe look ahead a little bit to the summer months and how we can continue to be open to the movement of the Spirit this summer. So, yeah, it's so exciting. I can't believe we're almost to the end of the ministry year here. It's been such a marathon.
[00:02:08] Speaker C: It's been amazing. I figured out this was a couple weeks ago, but that first week of May when we had like communion and confirmations.
[00:02:17] Speaker B: Oh, yes.
[00:02:17] Speaker C: I was at work for something for 10 days in a row.
And then I took.
Finally I took Thursday off and I got the kids to school and then I went back to bed and I only napped until 12:30. Amazing.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:02:36] Speaker C: And it was like the weirdest thing. Cause I woke up to Connor calling me because he needed his sixth grade formal tickets.
[00:02:46] Speaker B: Oh, boy.
[00:02:46] Speaker C: He's like, I need my money. I was like, you just interrupted my holy napping.
But anyway, yeah.
[00:02:51] Speaker B: All right, well, may there be many holy naps in your future this summer.
[00:02:54] Speaker C: I can't wait. Yes.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: Let's do our God moments first. What's yours?
[00:02:58] Speaker C: So, my God moment. I Don't know if you and Brian have this thing, but whenever I say, hey, Jer, I got an idea, he goes completely numb. Cause he's like, this is gonna cost a lot of money or it's gonna take a lot of time.
And so our backyard, it's just overgrown, and it's just a mess. And every summer, spring, summer, I'm like, we gotta get it cleaned up. We gotta get it cleaned up.
So, my God, moment is Jeremy actually agreed with me.
[00:03:31] Speaker B: Hey, there is yard work in your future.
[00:03:35] Speaker C: So he actually went to a Zen meditation at the Buddhist center, and I think he got inspired because he went to their garden in the back.
[00:03:45] Speaker B: Oh, nice.
[00:03:46] Speaker C: And he's like, that was really cool. We could do blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, perfect, let's do it.
[00:03:52] Speaker B: And the weather's been so beautiful.
[00:03:53] Speaker C: I know.
I wanna enjoy my backyard and my fires again.
So that was my God moment is.
[00:03:59] Speaker B: Jeremy, it's your happy place in the summertime and green with me. That and camping. I love it.
[00:04:04] Speaker C: What's yours?
[00:04:04] Speaker B: Oh, I am looking forward to something.
I am going on a week long silent retreat in about 10 days from when we're recording this. What? Do you want to come?
[00:04:23] Speaker C: I am having anxiety just thinking about a ten day silent retreat.
[00:04:27] Speaker B: I can't wait. Oh, my gosh, I cannot wait.
[00:04:29] Speaker C: Can you. Can you give me, like, an outline? Like, do you get to talk at all?
[00:04:34] Speaker B: Yes. So it's a directed retreat, so I'll meet with a director every day.
[00:04:38] Speaker C: All right.
[00:04:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
But, like, other than that, it's not.
[00:04:41] Speaker C: When you're eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can't talk to anybody.
[00:04:46] Speaker B: No. And I can't wait.
I have not done an extended retreat since before my kids were born.
So it's been, like 20 years. So it's time. It's time. And so pray for me.
[00:04:59] Speaker C: I will.
[00:05:00] Speaker B: And I might be texting you at some point.
[00:05:02] Speaker C: Can you text and journal? Like, I can do whatever I want.
[00:05:05] Speaker B: Nobody's, like, gonna be okay. There's not gonna be, like, the police. Unless I'm, like, disturbing somebody else or something. But, yeah. So I will pretend I'm really looking forward to having a break because it has been a fantastic year. But I am tired and I need some downtime to recoup from all the energy we've spent this year on all of our awesome things that we've been doing and enjoying.
[00:05:27] Speaker C: It's been great. It's been great. So where have you seen the Holy.
[00:05:31] Speaker B: Spirit moving this year?
Well, hello. Our podcast has Been super fun to work on with Jeff and you and all of our guests, all of our special guests. It's just been kind of a labor of love and really fun. So. So I've enjoyed that. I've enjoyed our Alpha program, our new community building, faith growing thing we're doing for adults. And I think it just was a year that I really felt like I was gonna go deep on a couple of things that were. I thought were really important and not get too. Too lost in the weeds of, like, kind of bigger picture stuff or anything like that.
And it's been really good.
[00:06:18] Speaker C: It has been.
[00:06:19] Speaker B: It's been. Yeah. A lot. We've done a lot. How about you? Where have you seen the Holy Spirit?
[00:06:22] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. I mean, those first communion kids, the confirmation kids, just the kids in general.
We started children's liturgy again in, like, I don't even remember when it was, like, January, when. Yeah. March. And the amount of kids that want to go and are volunteers at both parishes that take that on.
But I always have one more. Like, I have one major thing, and it's all the baptisms.
[00:06:59] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:07:00] Speaker C: That we have celebrated this year.
And we have more coming up. I swear, like, every week in my email, it's like, hey, I'm so. And so we want to have our baby baptized. And I'm like, yay. No, it's great.
And I got to be my great nephew's godmother. And so I was saying after the celebration, I was like, man, it was a lot easier being a godmother than leading the whole thing. I didn't have to do the class. I didn't have to. Like, I just showed up and wiped his head. But I don't know. Baptisms are always like. They're just.
[00:07:40] Speaker B: They're just so joyful.
[00:07:41] Speaker C: Joyful and so special. And so.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, I just think, you know, now that we're, like, kind of taking a glance back at the whole year, like, just how much energy was in our parishes. Like, I mean, we. I think our Mass attendance is up. We. On the weekends, we're seeing a lot more people come to Mass. Our programs for kids and teens are booming, and it was just a really good.
The teens want to help out with things and volunteer. And we're heading into.
[00:08:12] Speaker C: Oh, I have. Wait, before. We don't whisper that yet.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:08:17] Speaker C: One of the other Holy Spirit movements is. You were talking about Alpha.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:08:22] Speaker C: With the adults. But I want to give a shout out to the littles that come.
[00:08:26] Speaker B: Oh, I know.
[00:08:27] Speaker C: For Alpha, with their parents.
[00:08:28] Speaker B: So fun.
[00:08:29] Speaker C: Our young, amazing, amazing, amazing childcare volunteers who are just.
[00:08:37] Speaker B: We've really seen our parishioners step up and give of their time and their talent this year in ways that have been awesome to see.
[00:08:43] Speaker C: Okay, now you can.
[00:08:44] Speaker B: That's it. Oh, well, no, because we're talking about volunteers, and I thought you might want to talk about vacation Bible school, which is coming up soon.
[00:08:52] Speaker C: Yeah. And that's where the Holy Spirit is going to be taking me for the next couple of months, because it's all vacation Bible school from all vacation Bible.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: School all the time until July.
[00:09:03] Speaker C: I'm actually thinking about getting a shirt that says, stay away from me. It's VBS time, because it's gonna be a lot, but it's fun.
[00:09:14] Speaker B: It's fun work. It's fun work.
[00:09:15] Speaker C: It's fun work. And then actually, I enjoy the week more than the planning of it. And people are like, why? Because there's hundreds of kids running around. I'm like, yeah, but it's more energizing than trying to plan it all.
[00:09:29] Speaker B: Talk about napping, though, during VBS week.
As soon as I hear one every day.
[00:09:37] Speaker C: Yep.
So, yeah, it's just I'm. I'm super excited and really, I'm excited because we have some volunteers that have never volunteered for vbs.
[00:09:49] Speaker B: Yes, we do.
[00:09:51] Speaker C: That answered my call, you know, or didn't want to say no to me. I don't know which one.
And then we have some people that are coming back, and it's just.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: It's gonna be a great summer. I'm so excited around the church.
[00:10:04] Speaker C: I'm so excited.
[00:10:05] Speaker B: What are you. Where are you hoping the Holy Spirit takes you in the next few months besides VBS and through vbs? Because the Holy Spirit will take you through vbs. But what are you hoping for this summer?
[00:10:18] Speaker C: I'm hoping to just enjoy spending time with my family.
Camping.
One of the reasons. Well, I love camping for many reasons, but one of the major things is I totally unplug.
So it's just great not having anybody be able to get ahold of me or checking my emails or anything like that. So I'm hoping that the Holy Spirit guides me in allowing myself to put.
[00:10:49] Speaker B: Things work aside for a period of time, a healthy period of time.
[00:10:55] Speaker C: Yeah, it'll be interesting because the, you know, Jeremy and I both work during the summer, so we have to make sure that we plan.
Otherwise the kids are going to be bored by themselves and it's just. It's not fun. So.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:08] Speaker C: Yeah. What about you?
[00:11:10] Speaker B: Well, you Know, summer is actually not my favorite time of year. I think I've probably talked about this before, but, like, so Brian's a teacher, so when summer rolls around in the Gallagher house, I'm getting up and going to work and doing things, but everybody else in the family has, like, two months off, so.
[00:11:28] Speaker C: Do you get fomo? Like, fear of missing out of them doing stuff?
[00:11:32] Speaker B: Well, sometimes that's a part of it, but another part of it is, like, I think being out of the routine, it can feel like chaos to me, but I'm still in the routine, so, you know, and I just get hot. And summer's just not my favorite. So I think I actually might have a little bit, like, reverse seasonal affective disorder. Like, normal people get that in the winter when it's dark. But I get it in the summer when it's, like, hot and I get cranky and I can see that. Yeah. I get frustrated with my family because they're home all day and, like, the laundry hasn't been folded. I'm still doing this when I get home. Anyway, I'm going to try not to complain about that kind of stuff, and I'm going to try to have a better attitude and just to give myself some space.
Like, one of the nice things about our summer schedule, though, as ministers, that it is fewer evenings.
[00:12:19] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:20] Speaker B: Out when we're in the grind of, like, the youth ministry year. I'm often at work three, four nights a week in certain seasons. And in the summertime, it's only a few. Probably only a few nights all summer will I work. So that will be a good time for me to, like, do some yoga, maybe have some date nights.
You know, do things with the kids. I'm just. I'm hoping to have a more peaceful summer this year.
[00:12:50] Speaker C: Speaking of yoga, is there plans for another Ignatian?
[00:12:54] Speaker B: I have a meeting where I'm going to be meeting with her soon so that we can talk about because I.
[00:12:58] Speaker C: Was not able to make it, and I was so mad.
[00:13:01] Speaker B: That was another Holy Spirit. When we did Ignatian yoga with Tracy, I loved it.
Yes. We will be planning more of those for the parish. I'm just not sure when yet.
[00:13:10] Speaker C: Awesome.
[00:13:11] Speaker B: Yeah. What are you hoping for for this summer? Oh, just besides, just.
[00:13:15] Speaker C: I. I just want to enjoy.
[00:13:19] Speaker B: Enjoy. All right.
[00:13:20] Speaker C: Yeah. I don't want to have any expectations except when I have my camping trips.
[00:13:27] Speaker B: Did you put those on the calendar yet? Because.
[00:13:28] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:13:29] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:13:29] Speaker C: Oh, no, I'm sorry. I put them on my home calendar.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: As long as you know what you're doing. Yeah, because I'm always afraid that I'll put that stuff on last and the calendar will get filled before, you know, but.
[00:13:40] Speaker C: So one of my God moments was camping with our friends.
And the only weekend that we were able to do it is the weekend of Connor's birthday. Like his birthday falls on like a. I think it falls on Tuesday or Wednesday.
So the following week. So I was like, oh, we'll just have to celebrate it before he actually turns. But July is just.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:04] Speaker C: Packed, fun, good activities and I am very much looking forward.
[00:14:08] Speaker B: Fantastic.
[00:14:11] Speaker C: Family, fires, camping, friends.
[00:14:15] Speaker B: Well, thanks. Well, we are hoping that the summer.
This summer the Holy Spirit moves in all of our listener and viewers lives too.
We are going to be taking a little break from doing weekly full episodes. But I think we're gonna be. We'll have a few little treats in store for the summer. We might be doing some shorter little bloopers, 5 minute faith mini breaks or highlights. Just something to keep you going through the week. And we're thinking about doing a couple of field trips.
[00:14:46] Speaker C: Yes. I think VBS is one of those field trips.
[00:14:49] Speaker B: Yeah. So maybe we'll have a special vacation Bible school episode where we go on the road.
[00:14:54] Speaker C: And I think that'll be great because when we, when we talk about vacation Bible school, I don't think a lot of people realize what is actually going on during those hours, you know, so it'll be really fun to give an insight on what's actually going on and how much fun we can get into learning about our faith. Yeah, I think that's the most important part.
[00:15:23] Speaker B: The best week of summer.
[00:15:24] Speaker C: Yeah. And then our other one we might do is wait.
[00:15:28] Speaker B: So we do a summer service retreat with our teenagers. So we're hoping to do maybe something around that event too.
[00:15:34] Speaker C: And I want to come to dinner one night with you guys.
[00:15:36] Speaker B: You should totally do that because those sisters are the best.
[00:15:40] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: Yeah. All right. Well, you know, I just want to thank everybody who has listened or watched us over the last.
Started in six months ago, maybe started doing this.
And thanks to those of you who've like commented to us about different episodes and stuff. We've had a really fun year. Yeah, it's fun.
[00:16:06] Speaker C: I think, I guess the Holy Spirit moving to go back. I didn't know.
Kind of keep it short or whatever. But it's been really fun having seen who comes up to us.
[00:16:17] Speaker B: Yes, right.
[00:16:18] Speaker C: It's not just. It's not only young adults, but we have this one gentleman at transfiguration who's in his 80s. He's like, I love listening to you guys. And I'm like, aw.
And somebody said something at parish council about how much, you know, like, they heard how much I was like, this is crazy. Oh, and sorry, I just remembered we have a friend, Mary Haas. Do you remember Mary from Holy Trinity?
[00:16:46] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:16:47] Speaker C: So she's retired and she lives in Georgia. Oh, she does? Yes. And the baptism for Harrison was at Holy Trinity, and I actually talked to Mary because one of the workers, Pat, was like, oh, let me call Mary for you. And Mary from Georgia watches our podcast. Yes.
[00:17:07] Speaker B: Oh, that's so fun.
[00:17:07] Speaker C: So we're not only.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: Hi, Mary.
[00:17:09] Speaker C: Yeah, we're not only in, you know, Menden and Canary Falls, but in New York, but we're in Georgia, so.
[00:17:17] Speaker B: Cool. Yeah. See? See what can happen when you just take that first step in faith and, like, trust the Holy Spirit to just blow you the rest of the way there.
[00:17:25] Speaker C: Exactly.
[00:17:26] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:27] Speaker C: So thank you, everybody. It's really been a humbling experience to share this with you guys.
[00:17:33] Speaker B: Yeah. And we hope that your summer is full of peaceful moments, that you see God every day in the small things and hopefully just have a little bit more spaciousness and downtime for yourself to kind of enjoy the moment.
[00:17:51] Speaker C: Absolutely. Thank you so much.
[00:17:53] Speaker B: Thanks, everybody. We'll see you around this summer and next season. Season two of faith Break.
[00:17:58] Speaker C: Oh, I like it.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: Have a great summer, everybody.
[00:18:03] Speaker A: Thanks for taking a faith break with us today.
Karen Luke and Anne Gallagher are lay ministers with the parishes of St. Catherine of Siena in Menden, New York, and Church of the Transfiguration in Pittsford, New York.
More about our parishes, including weekly live streamed Sunday Mass, can be
[email protected] or Transfiguration. Pittsford Engineering today is by Jeff Beckett. Join us for new episodes of Faithbreak each week in studio on YouTube or on your favorite audio podcast or music.
