Season of Welcoming

[00:00:03] Speaker A: This is Faith Break, a podcast about recognizing God moments in our everyday lives with hosts Karen, Luke and Anne Gallagher. On this week's episode, Karen and Ann welcome special guest Lindsay Rickey and explore how we can experience a welcoming parish community. What the difference is between being welcomed and being and feeling like you belong. And how we can be better at welcoming others in the future. [00:00:38] Speaker B: Hi, everyone. [00:00:38] Speaker C: Welcome to Faith Break, where we're finding God moments in our everyday. I'm Karen Luke. [00:00:44] Speaker B: I'm Anne Gallagher. [00:00:45] Speaker C: And we have a very special guest with us. Hello, Lindsay. [00:00:50] Speaker D: Hi, Karen. Hi, Anne. I'm Lindsay Rickey. [00:00:54] Speaker B: Lindsay is one of our favorite parishioners. Lindsay is the mom of teenagers who have gone through our youth ministry programs. You've volunteered as a confirmation small group leader over the years and are currently a member of our parish pastoral council. [00:01:11] Speaker D: Yes. [00:01:11] Speaker C: Jack. [00:01:12] Speaker D: Jill. [00:01:12] Speaker C: Jill of all trades. [00:01:15] Speaker B: So we invited Lindsay to come on tonight or today this week because we are talking about the season of welcoming. And Lindsay is actually. I don't want to call you a transplant, but you're someone who found our parishes and to be a place of welcome and I think are passionate about making sure that other people also feel welcomed in our parishes. [00:01:38] Speaker C: You have been a very good cheerleader, too, because there's a little crowd that follows with you. [00:01:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:01:46] Speaker C: So we begin our episodes with our God moments, and we were hoping that you would like to share in that with us. And is there anything that. Do you wanna. [00:01:56] Speaker D: Yes, I do. First of all, I love listening to your podcast and watching them as well, too. So I have to remember that this is a video. So now I get to see where it's set up. [00:02:06] Speaker B: Share it with all your friends. [00:02:07] Speaker D: Share with all my friends. A lot of times I listen to you when I'm in the car on the podcast, which has been great. So I appreciate it. So I've heard you talk about your God moments, so, yes, I will think of a God moment. Recently, my family and I, we went away on vacation for New Year's right after Christmas. Excuse me? After Christmas, the kids are getting older. We wanted to do something a little bit different with Christmas. So we were home and we told them we would travel, but we told them on Christmas morning where we were going. Oh, how fun. So we went to Punta Cana, which was the first time we'd ever been there, and we were together for a week. And so there were a lot of God moments in that week, but one in particular I'm thinking of is again, sunshine, the beach, the steadiness of the waves. And just those moments that. Just remembering that no matter what, that ocean right now is coming and going. And I feel like that a lot with God, no matter what's going on, that God is that constant, that steady that will be there today, tomorrow, you know, 900 years from now. So it was kind of a moment, but I had several of them throughout the week, and just being with family was nice as well. [00:03:20] Speaker B: That's great. [00:03:21] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:03:21] Speaker B: Now Michael's still in college. [00:03:23] Speaker D: He's a sophomore. Yeah. This summer. So he was with us. [00:03:25] Speaker B: So he was with us. [00:03:26] Speaker D: He's back at school now, so. Yeah. So all four of us together. So I love that. [00:03:30] Speaker C: Nice. [00:03:30] Speaker B: Good. [00:03:30] Speaker C: That's excellent. [00:03:31] Speaker D: That's excellent. [00:03:32] Speaker C: Anne, what about you this time around? [00:03:34] Speaker B: Okay, so this time around, for my God moment, I'm gonna give a shout out to our peer leaders, because this past weekend, I had, like, back to back meetings. We met with the teens who are gonna be small group leaders and talk givers on our upcoming search retreat at the end of February. So we have. Elizabeth is one of them, and we have several new people who have not done a search talk before who are coming and giving a witness talk and a little nervous about it, but they're gonna do great. And then. So just to see their willingness to serve. And then we went right from that meeting into our confirmation meeting, and we have about 20 teens who are there to help the younger. 20 older teens who are there to help the younger teens go through their confirmation process. [00:04:23] Speaker D: And. [00:04:23] Speaker B: And that's just been such a joy this year is watching these older teens look out for the 8th and 9th graders, inform relationships, and just be role models in the faith. And I'm thrilled at how they give to our parish. So this is my general shout out to all of our peer leaders. Thanks for being my God moment this week. [00:04:43] Speaker C: Awesome. All right, so let's get into the seasoning of welcoming. And you have been a huge advocate of our parishes and how welcoming we are. But I want to ask you a question. What's the difference between just being welcomed and feeling like you belong? [00:05:05] Speaker D: That's a really good question. [00:05:07] Speaker B: Or do you want. Even before you get into that, do you want to say a little bit about how you found. Oh, okay. Let me just talk about how you got here. [00:05:13] Speaker D: Yes, yes. And some of it's a little bit of a blur. So if I have the dates wrong. [00:05:20] Speaker B: It'S been a couple of years. [00:05:21] Speaker D: It's been a few years now. Yeah. So both of my kids, I was born and raised Catholic, as was my husband. And we kind of just assumed that's what we would do with our families. And we did. And we were not going to. We would go to church regularly, but when it fit, my husband likes to say we were convenient Catholics. I've also heard the term cafeteria Catholics. You take what you want and leave the rest. So that's kind of probably where we were at. And then there were some changes again within the diocese. I think it was around 2014 that Diocese of Rochester said that women could no longer preach from the homily. And I remember being like, but these homilies. Sister Barbara Moore was at our parish and would give the best talks. And I was a little disheartened by that. And then was it 2015, 2016? The Spotlight movie came out, which was based on the reporters from the Boston Globe that did. About the sex abuse. Sex abuse crisis, which had happened earlier, but it was more becoming talking about that and then here hitting Rochester. So there were a series of events, plus, what's going on in the world? And that I was disheartened, I guess, and felt, I don't know if I want to do this. And my son was getting ready to be confirmed or to start the process. And I was like, am I just doing this because everyone in my family before has done this. And there's like a. I don't know if it's a metaphor or story, but someone's watching their grandmother make a ham, and they cut off half of it, and they put it in, and then they do it. And then over the years, you know, several generations, and then someone's like, why are you cutting off the edge of the ham before you put it in the pan? Well, that's the way everyone's always done it. And then later you realize, well, they did it because the pans and the ovens were much smaller. We don't have to do that. [00:07:15] Speaker B: We have a bigger pan now. [00:07:16] Speaker D: We have other options. [00:07:17] Speaker C: I've never heard that. [00:07:19] Speaker D: That's great. So I kind of felt like, am I just doing this because that's what's done. And what do my husband and I want for a family? What do we want for the kids? And so I was kind of like one and a half feet out the door, and I started to explore. And I had been to Transfiguration a few times. I loved their music. I just loved it. And I remember calling Ann. I always say, I was in the Trader Joe's parking lot. I don't think I said I was in the Trader Joe's park parking lot. And I called and I said, could you tell me about your youth ministry? You know, what's your approach, how you know? And you answered the questions honestly, transparently, and beautifully. And I just remember feeling like, well, maybe I could do this, you know, and, let's see, you know, And I was very upfront with you as well, saying, I don't know about all this. And you listened, and I felt you listened without judgment, and I appreciated that. And I think it was like the next you called and said, you know, we do have room for your son, but we also could, you know, as always, now I'm learning within the Catholic Church, there's always a need for more volunteers and helpers. It's sometimes a small group that do a lot. So you said, any chance you would consider helping as well? And I'm like, we just talked yesterday. I am like, the worst. You do not want me. And you said, you're like a teenager in a way. [00:08:49] Speaker B: Well, you have the same questions. [00:08:51] Speaker D: The same questions as a teenager. Yes. And I was like, huh? Okay. And you said, you know, you don't have to have all the answers. I don't have all the answers. You know, you said that as well. And I just thought you were very humble and open. And so that was my very first experience of welcoming and then over, you know, 100%. And you continue to be that way, Ann. And then later I met you, Karen, and you're the same. [00:09:17] Speaker B: The funny thing about that is that you were. I say this to you now because we've known each other for a couple years, but you were the parent who called after the first confirmation meeting. [00:09:26] Speaker D: Oh, I'm still doing that. [00:09:28] Speaker B: I had all the small groups set, and I had, like, three or four other calls from parents calling after the program had already started. Can I still get my kid in? I'm like, my small groups are full. So I had had that good first conversation with her. I was like, you know what? I feel good. I have a good feeling about her. I think she could probably do this. And I was like, well, we have room for Michael, if you'll come be the small group leader. Yeah, well, what do I. I feel like I almost roped you into it, but it turned out awesome. And then you came back and did it when Elizabet was getting confirmed and. [00:09:56] Speaker D: Even with my son, because we were kind of, like, new to this parish, so he didn't know anyone else that was going. And so he and I would go, was it once a month or twice a month? And then we would do stuff throughout the month. So it was kind of an experience for us over the course of two years. That was nice. And it was something that we had together. My son's always had a very strong faith and. But was at an age where if we stopped going and stopped doing, then that's what we would have just done, and he, at some point, probably would have picked up his own journey. But looking back in hindsight, I'm grateful that I was able to keep up with the faith formation aspect of it. And really, honestly, I learned a lot. I mean, I went to Catholic school until high school, but there were so many things that I'm like, that's why we do. I still have a lot of questions. Like, to be honest, I'm confused when we sometimes say the Nicene Creed and sometimes say the Apostles Creed. [00:10:53] Speaker B: So the presider can make a game day choice about that. [00:10:56] Speaker D: Oh, it's game day. Okay. I've been trying to figure this out. [00:10:59] Speaker B: And. [00:10:59] Speaker C: So are you gonna throw him under the bus? [00:11:02] Speaker B: Yeah, I tell them I can do it. [00:11:04] Speaker D: Father Mike, is Nicene or is Apostles. [00:11:07] Speaker B: It's shorter. [00:11:07] Speaker D: The shorter one. [00:11:08] Speaker C: Whatever. [00:11:08] Speaker B: Father Mike. Well. And I love him. [00:11:11] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:11:12] Speaker B: So we. Yes, he always does the short one. And Rob, we typically do the longer one, but sometimes we do different liturgical seasons. [00:11:18] Speaker C: Yeah. So I. [00:11:20] Speaker B: But it's the presider's decision, and both are fine. [00:11:22] Speaker D: That's helpful, Ann. See, you can ask Ann anything. You can ask her anything. And it's just. That's the environment. You give to the teens. That's the environment. It really. It's wonderful. So I appreciate it. So I. [00:11:34] Speaker B: It's actually part of why we have a peer leadership team. I was talking about them earlier because the teens who will come back and serve as leaders, they get all of the catechesis a second time or sometimes even a third time if they're leaders for women. [00:11:47] Speaker D: So I did the program twice with my son, and then, I think took a year off, and then when my daughter was starting, did another two years with her. But I will say she is now. I am doing parish council. I'm not doing the peers right now, but my daughter is continuing it. And so she's doing it and making her own friendships and growing her own leadership in that way. But it is through those peer relationships that have then formed her, I think, you know, because I had talked about, oh, you should go to NCYC or this. I'm not doing that. And then she came home from a youth group. Oh, they were talking about. And so. And Sarah or someone else was mentioning it. [00:12:25] Speaker B: She had such a great time. [00:12:27] Speaker D: Yeah, she loved it. She loved it. So again, the parent can kind of get them there. But the environment that you've created within the youth program, I think is. It's special. And not every parish has it. And we're grateful to. We're fortunate to have it. So I kind of want to nurture it. Oh, and now we're doing. Now I am helping out because Elizabeth is working with the kindergartners. And so now I'm kind of in. Not as much the teens, but into Karen's program, which is equally as precious and huge. You have a lot of kids and a lot of families and you forget with the older teens and stuff, how stinking cute five year olds. [00:13:08] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. [00:13:11] Speaker D: And trying to learn the, you know, the size of the cross, which way you do it. [00:13:16] Speaker C: You know, it's funny, when you said that, it just brought me Father Mike. He came up to me after our first reconciliation and he goes, you know those kids. And I was like, you can't tell me anything. He's like, no, no, no, I wasn't gonna say that. He goes, are they all left handed? [00:13:29] Speaker D: Yes. I was just gonna say. And then you throw in a left hand. [00:13:33] Speaker B: They were doing it. [00:13:33] Speaker D: And I said, what? He goes, they all side with their left hand. [00:13:36] Speaker C: I was like, I know why. Because we're on Zoom. [00:13:40] Speaker B: You have your meetings on Zoom. [00:13:41] Speaker C: We have our meetings on Zoom. So when I do it, it's backwards. [00:13:48] Speaker B: See, we learn a little something every. [00:13:50] Speaker C: So I always. I have to remind myself to take your right hand, even though mine is on the other side. It's my right hand. So it's really. I mean, they're just like sponges. I love it. [00:14:00] Speaker D: But then I would say to the parents, don't put it all on Karen in the end. [00:14:04] Speaker B: Wait, do left handed people do a left hand? [00:14:06] Speaker D: No, you're supposed to do it right handed. But they would be more inclined to go with their left hand. I think. [00:14:11] Speaker B: I think the important thing is that you go across before you go, isn't it? [00:14:15] Speaker C: Yeah, you definitely have to do the cross. [00:14:17] Speaker B: I never thought about that. Cause I'm not left handed. [00:14:19] Speaker C: Yeah, but it was just really funny. It's like almost all the kids did it. I was like, hey, they did it, though. [00:14:24] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:14:26] Speaker D: I mean, they were too sneaky cute. [00:14:28] Speaker C: Yeah, they are adorable. [00:14:30] Speaker D: I love one thing that I notice as well, for the younger kids going up for communion with their family and coming up for Christ, just getting into the routine and used to it and how, you know, the line feels special and just to go. [00:14:43] Speaker B: And they can still get a blessing, even if they're not old enough to receive. [00:14:48] Speaker C: They're still part of the Mass. Yes. [00:14:51] Speaker B: Okay. So we were talking. [00:14:52] Speaker D: I think your original talk, you understand it. Yes. [00:14:55] Speaker C: Ann interrupted my question. It was. [00:14:57] Speaker B: It was about the difference between being. [00:14:59] Speaker C: Welcomed and feeling belonged. [00:15:01] Speaker B: Feeling like you belong. [00:15:02] Speaker D: Yeah, I think that's a really good question. I think I felt welcomed right away. I felt welcomed right away. I think the belonging was probably more is more. This is my thought. Belonging may come from an internal feeling. Like welcoming could be more what other people or your environment is. But belonging might be an internal thing. And so for me to feel like I belonged to the parishes of transfiguration and St. Catherine was probably a little bit of time. I probably felt like I belonged more in faith formation and the confirmation prep before. I felt I belonged at church and at Mass. But a lot of that was me again. I started with one and a half feet out the door. I was one foot in, and then one and a half feet in, you know, crossing the threshold. And it was. I believe you guys did a Lenten retreat. It was a day retreat at Notre Dame Retreat House. [00:16:10] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh, we did. That was with your. Not your typical church ladies when Vicki was here. [00:16:17] Speaker D: And so throughout the confirmation process, I have. And even sitting here, anything that Ann or Karen asks, I will most likely say yes to. And you didn't ask about that. They keep asking me to do. Yeah. [00:16:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:28] Speaker D: But you didn't ask me to say it. [00:16:30] Speaker C: So you do it. [00:16:30] Speaker D: Well, that's why. Well, I feel like I just learned so much. And that's why I enjoy your podcast. Just listening to it or picking up tidbits. The one you did on Advent was really great. Or just little weekly things. It's been wonderful. And so I remember you were saying you were doing this day retreat at Notre Dame Retreat House, and it was on a day that happened to be off, and so I'm gonna go. And I went and it was beautiful. And I said, because I kind of, again, being that convenient or cafeteria Catholic, I would kind of say, well, I like the idea of this, but I don't like that. And so even with Lent, I'm like, why do I have to give something up? Like, I didn't like, you know what I mean? And I just. Three weeks in, I'm not going to be doing it anymore. Then I'll feel bad. So I didn't really like that. But I love fish on Fridays, like, as a family. I think that's fun kind of thing. So I would do certain things, but it was at the retreat that I learned that Lent is really more of a. You're looking at it as a time to grow your relationship with God in such a different way. And I had this perspective change, and I'm like, yeah, I would like to do this. And so I kind of said, okay, I'm gonna start going to Mass every Sunday, start receiving the Eucharist. Just put myself in. [00:17:47] Speaker B: You went all in that last week. I remember you're like, I'm gonna do it every week. [00:17:51] Speaker D: And it was kind of like, you know, my husband would go to Mass with me when I went, but I was like, I'm going. Whether or not anyone else in the family goes, like, no pressure. Like, I do kind of feel like everyone is their own journey. And, I mean, I definitely am on my own journey. And so I'm like, I'm going. And the more you go, the more you put yourself in the environment. Receiving the Eucharist weekly. I don't know, I can't be the first person to say this, but something shifts, something changes. And that was through. And then I saw the whole Easter celebration so differently. Oh, the Trudeau and. Yeah, you did the whole triple Earth. Yes. It was just so beautiful. And I was like, do they do this every year? Like, there are all these other Masses. And seeing the folks that went through the OCIA or the RCIA program and, like, as adults, for them to. I think that's really inspiring to see adults making the commitment to decide to convert to Catholicism is. I think it's beautiful. [00:18:54] Speaker B: You gotta come this year because we have eight. [00:18:55] Speaker D: You have a lot. [00:18:56] Speaker C: We have seven adults, eight kids. And eight kids, out of the seven adults, three are being baptized, four kids are being baptized. It's gonna be a festival, the Easter Vigil. You've heard me say it before, but that is by far my favorite liturgy in our Catholic Church celebration. There's just something about it that it was beautiful. [00:19:24] Speaker D: So I would say so that experience through that Lent is where I felt more of the belonging, I felt more of the shift. But I also put myself out there. Like, I'm going to Mass every day, and I could say hello to the person sitting next to me. I could introduce myself. So I think, you know, it's a two way street as it is in any relationship. If you want to feel like you belong in a new neighborhood or your school or your team or wherever there does have to be a little bit. But sometimes people are hesitant. And I was in those early years trying this out. Maybe as soon as my kids are done confirmation, I'll feel like I led them and then I'll step back again. But it kind of hasn't worked out that I have all these, like, new friend groups and communion now. [00:20:10] Speaker B: You guys are all there, like, every week now. Lizzie's volunteering across the board, doing absolutely everything she can. You got Steve to come to. [00:20:17] Speaker D: Oh, yes, Steve. We loved Alpha. That was great. That was a wonderful experience. Yes. I want it. Whenever you. You're talking about Alpha, I want to come and promote that again because that was just a great. So even so again, I was kind of like, I'm going to Mass every week, and then next thing I know, he's like, he's there every week, too. And then it's just kind of now he's on his own journey. [00:20:37] Speaker B: We would like to replicate what happened with you to everybody as much as. [00:20:42] Speaker D: We can, because at the same time, I still struggle. I mean, we do, too. Exactly, exactly. [00:20:48] Speaker B: But, you know, you just. You were on your journey and you did it one step at a time. And it's like we could see the shift from, you know, I feel like when you're being welcomed into someplace, it's somebody else inviting you to their table, but when you belong, you're inviting them to. You're inviting others to your table. [00:21:05] Speaker D: Right? Yeah. [00:21:06] Speaker B: So. Or to our table, you know, and that's kind of. I don't know. I would hope that as we move forward into the future, coming years, you know, which are probably going to be filled with change that we can keep our eyes on, like that, that goal. [00:21:23] Speaker D: You know, I think it's probably a quote or, you know, an idea that's been said much better than how I'm going to say it right now, but. By Brene Brown, social worker and researcher. And she talks a lot about belonging and the importance of belonging. And I think she says kind of like, there's fitting in and there's belonging. It's a lot easier to fit in because you can just wear what everyone else is wearing and say the. That everyone expects you to say. And you can see that a lot with teenagers. [00:21:52] Speaker B: Sure. [00:21:52] Speaker D: You know, and how hard that is. But you can also see it with adults doing the same things that everyone expects them to do. And then when you really think about it, like, you can fit in, but do you belong? I think belonging is like, I'm showing up with, like, I'm not Prepared today. Ann and Karen with it. That's all right, Linds. Come on in. Have a seat. You know, it's. You're so seen in a different way when you belong versus fitting in. So I think that is. I feel like I noticed that that's what you're doing within the faith formation programs. That's what drew me to it. Is that not, like, just strict doctrine? This is the way you must behave in order to be Catholic as well as, like, this is who is loved here. And it's a wide spectrum of folks and people and journeys and stuff. So I appreciate that. [00:22:43] Speaker B: That's been a big, like, kind of a buzz phrase in faith formation the last five or so, maybe more than years. Is that, like, the idea that belonging can lead to behaving, can lead to believing, where our paradigm for a long time was like, well, believe first and then. And for a lot of. I mean, people have their own. People come in at that, different ways. But for a lot of people, you need to feel like you belong first before any of the other stuff can really happen. [00:23:10] Speaker C: Well, I think from what I'm hearing from the parents of, like, our first communion kids and things like that, like, I don't feel equipped enough to teach my kids. And I think that that's where the belonging feels, that if you have that sense of belonging, you'll know that it's okay to question and it's okay not to have all the answers. And the flip side of the families after they go through. [00:23:39] Speaker D: Even confirmation, they're. [00:23:41] Speaker C: Like, just same as you, Lindsay. [00:23:42] Speaker D: I didn't know that. [00:23:43] Speaker C: Oh, that's really cool. And there is this shift, and it's not a hoop to jump through, but it's something tangible to, like, oh, okay. And I think that that's where the sense of belonging, if they feel comfortable enough to ask the questions. [00:24:00] Speaker B: Yeah, but you also are someone who's like, you made a decision to show up for that lent right to be present, because you might not have felt like you belonged if you hadn't made that commitment yourself to give yourself. [00:24:11] Speaker D: Had I not gone to the retreat where something shifted in that moment of just hearing. You know what I mean? But, yeah, there's a series of steps, but, yeah, but I did make a commitment to serve, and you were always. [00:24:20] Speaker B: Willing to serve from day one. You served in the program. Right. So it does kind of go both ways. [00:24:27] Speaker D: There's also this where I come to again with crossing the threshold and back into, like, yes, I do want to see the Catholic Church succeed. I do Want to see it be a safe environment for all. I do want to see. And also how I was like before, you know, women aren't allowed to do anything in churches. Well, that's just not true. That's what I was telling myself for a lot of times. And then now when you connect with a parish and I see Margie and Karen and Ann and Charlene and all of these women that are making everything happen, as well as having a supportive parish priest who's encouraging that the sisters of St. Joseph and Rochester, the work that they do, just connecting yourself to things and then like, oh, huh. I see it differently now that I have more information and that could be applied in all aspects of life as well. And now I'm at a point where I can also look back on being. I don't know how many generations of early baptized Catholics is that. I know that there are certain prayers, there are certain moments that my grandmother, my grandfather, my great grandparents would have gone through these same rituals. They would have been at an Easter vigil. And yes, it might look a little different, but not that different. So I also like that now as. [00:25:56] Speaker B: A member of parish council, you're in a new role now and you're in a position where, you know, as we're, you know, we're two parishes, but we're really like one community. And this is messy. And what does this mean and what's it gonna look like in the future? I wonder if you can talk a little bit about what some of your hopes are about how we as a faith community can move forward in a way that will be welcoming to new people and giving them pathways so that they can find their way in. Not to put you on the spot or anything. [00:26:31] Speaker D: Yeah, well, and I think, you know. [00:26:33] Speaker B: It'S a leadership role. You're in a big leadership role right now. [00:26:37] Speaker D: I think, though, that I do have to probably, you know, maybe defer or realize or acknowledge maybe that there are two parish communities that have been around and they, you know, people are used to this. We cut off the ham before we put it into the pan. This is just what we've always done. And I know that change is hard. And so I wasn't there throughout all of the, you know, I haven't been there at either church for 20 or 30 years. So we're going on not even a decade yet. So I don't want to make assumptions of like, we should just do this. However, my perspective is when coming in, what I've always seen, because when we were at the faith formation, it's always been combined. [00:27:23] Speaker B: We've been combined for three years. Is this our third year? [00:27:27] Speaker C: Third year, fourth. [00:27:29] Speaker B: See, we don't even know. It is our job to know. When Michael came through confirmation, we were just transitioning. [00:27:35] Speaker D: There were actually. Cause you're right, there were some of his grade that were, I think, doing it at St Catherine's but we didn't know about that at that time, but. Right, right, right, right. But we weren't from your community and you accepted us. So I would hope that that same type of attitude perspective would be going on within the churches. But I do think there's a lot of behind the scenes stuff that I'm just not privy to. And that's okay because it's, you know, looking forward and moving forward. I think they're two vibrant communities, very welcoming. We have the same parish. Our priest is at both. So I think of looking at it as a community. Yeah. So I don't have a ton of answers online, but I feel hopeful. [00:28:22] Speaker C: I feel hopeful. You don't either. That's why we asked you to come on. [00:28:25] Speaker D: Yeah, I feel hopeful. [00:28:26] Speaker B: And that's actually a gift you can give the parish council is that you are relatively newer and have been kind of in both parishes for, you know, so you don't have a lot of the, like, we've always done it this way stuff. You can name the values of our faith community because you've. That's why you showed up here. [00:28:46] Speaker D: But. Yeah, yeah, yeah, correct. While I started at transfiguration for the confirmation programs for both of my children. And I loved it. We ended up then when Mass times switched and then because again, I was going to Mass and then, you know, more. The family started going more regularly with teenagers. We like the 10:45am the later Mass. And also I love that it's. You have Holly as a sign language interpreter on Sundays and it's an accessible church service on Sundays at St. Catherine's so I love that. So that was another reason why I switched too. But there's other times where Steve and I will go to an 8:45. We feel we can go to both parishes, both at any time. And I really hope that anyone else would feel that as well. And I would say if you don't feel that, talk to someone at parish council. Yeah, you can talk to me about that and share that because that would be a valid, A valid thing to know. And I probably would also say, but it's not just parish council. It's not just the community that needs to do it. Is a welcoming environment. But sometimes you do have to kind of put yourself out there as well. [00:29:58] Speaker C: I like that you said that. Because a lot of the time people are like, well, like you said, a cafeteria thing. What can you offer me? But there needs to be. I tell the families I can't come to your house and pick up your kids or wake you up or do that. So the ownership of your faith and wanting that you do have to step into that role and take that chance. Glad that you recognize that and look. [00:30:30] Speaker D: At where you are now. [00:30:33] Speaker B: Should we do some scripture passages? Yeah, I've got a couple here. This is Romans 12, 4, 5. For as in one body, we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function. So we, though many, are one body in Christ and we belong to each other. I like that one. [00:30:54] Speaker C: I like that one, too. [00:30:55] Speaker B: Yep. [00:30:56] Speaker C: What part of it do you like? Like why? [00:30:58] Speaker B: I like the ending. That we belong to each other. [00:31:00] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:31:01] Speaker B: Because it's not like. Like you said, like, I show up and I expect this from the church, but I'm not participating in it. It's that it's a relationship among all of us, and everybody's important and part of it. [00:31:16] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:31:17] Speaker B: You know. [00:31:18] Speaker C: You know, I'm thinking just the current state of our lives and everything that's going on in our world. Like these scripture passages that you had picked, I was like, if we. If we could just all realize that we are all human and we all have this love and we are created in the image and likeness of God, how much different we would treat other people. And that is what I like about that quote. Like, we are all part of this community, and the choices that we make will affect not only ourselves, but everybody. [00:31:59] Speaker B: Well, then, so Romans 15, 7. The next one I had was welcome one another as Christ welcomed you for the glory of God. There's this idea that, like, you know, let the stranger be received as Christ and that when someone shows up, we welcome them because that's. You said that person is in the image and likeness of God, and that's. We don't know what brought them to our doorstep that day. When the first time I talked to you, we didn't. You know, I knew what you shared with me, but I didn't know your whole story. And. Yeah, so that's a big responsibility. [00:32:37] Speaker C: And I'm looking over, but Matthew is my favorite. We talked about. We've talked about this at confirmation, and the kids are really understanding this. I think that we have to remind ourselves that our teens are so social justice oriented. And this comes from Matthew 25. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And it's just like, yeah, Jesus did that for us. We should do it for other people. That's one of my favorites. [00:33:26] Speaker D: Yeah. Okay. [00:33:27] Speaker B: There's more, but I think that's enough for now. Do you have anything else you want. [00:33:30] Speaker D: To share or add or. I think listen, you know those scriptures. And again, like, reading scripture and all has been a new experience for me as well. Again, even going to Catholic school, it wasn't like I knew scriptures. Wasn't like I really understood the Sermon on the Mount and Beatitudes and all that. And it's like, what a great way to live. You had also, kind of, through faith formation, had recommended the chosen. We would watch that. And so that would be something I would say, if you're like, I don't get all this. Like, that's kind of an easy way to kind of step into. [00:34:01] Speaker C: Let's do a chosen watch party. [00:34:03] Speaker D: Yeah, I think there's actually. [00:34:04] Speaker B: We did that for the first couple seasons. That was before the pandemic. [00:34:07] Speaker D: And then I'm thinking, that's a great way. Yeah. I really like, though, this one when we were reading the Romans one about, for us, in one body, we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function. That's reminding me just of our community, of our faith community. And where for me, the faith formation for confirmation was what helped my spiritual trajectory. But for someone else, it could be going through a funeral service and the compassion that they received there that I don't have the experience with. Or for someone else, it could be the Christmas basket program. And I felt like I made new friends there because I was helping out for three weeks in a row or doing this or that or there's a new Lorraine's caring connection, the new letter writing. Just a group or the women that make the prayer shells. There really is, I think, something for everyone, whether it's within transfiguration and. Or St. Catherine's or the Greater Diocese of Rochester or the Diocese of Syracuse or wherever you can find it and sometimes just find what it is that you feel. How you know, is it you want to feed someone that's hungry, do you want to visit someone that's in prison? Do you want to do or something like that. There's something for everybody. [00:35:32] Speaker B: Yeah. That's a good invitation to end on, I think. [00:35:36] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:35:36] Speaker B: Lindsay, thank you for coming and chatting with us. [00:35:38] Speaker D: This is so fun to chat with you. [00:35:40] Speaker B: Thank you. I know. [00:35:42] Speaker C: It'S nice to have another voice and face on our show. Well, thank you, everybody, for listening. And I'm just gonna add, if you haven't felt that welcomed or that sense of belonging, maybe put two feet in. [00:36:00] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:36:01] Speaker B: Dangle a toe. [00:36:02] Speaker C: Dangle a toe in. Feel free to ask Ann and I if there's any that you could do. We can help you search your gifts, and I'm sure we'll find someplace for you. But we want to thank everybody. [00:36:15] Speaker D: I would say, like, even sometimes it is it's two feet in and sometimes it's two feet forward, one step back throughout the journey or, you know, there will be things that are disappointing because we're human. Our leaders are human, therefore, so. But there's also things that are hopeful. So then, you know, you get stepped and then you go forward and then you find the momentum. So that's good. [00:36:37] Speaker C: So thank you for all of your. [00:36:39] Speaker D: Wisdom sharing with us. [00:36:41] Speaker B: Thanks, Lindsay. [00:36:41] Speaker D: Thank you, everybody. [00:36:42] Speaker C: And we'll see you next time with our husbands. [00:36:47] Speaker D: That'll be a good one. [00:36:48] Speaker B: It'll be our Valentine's Day episode. So Jamie and Brian are coming back on. [00:36:53] Speaker D: So thank you. [00:36:54] Speaker B: Thanks, everyone. Have a great week. [00:36:55] Speaker C: Bye. [00:36:57] Speaker A: Thanks for taking a faith break with us today. Karen, Luke and Anne Gabriel Gallagher, our lay ministers with the parishes of St. Catherine of Siena in Minden, New York, and Church of the Transfiguration in Pittsford, New York. More about our parishes, including weekly livestream Sunday mass, can be [email protected] thanks to our special guest today, Lindsay Rickey. Faith break is engineered by Jeff Beckett. Join us for new episodes of Faith Break each week in Studio on YouTube or on your favorite audio podcast or music applied.