Parishioner of the Year—Sally Mills!

Father Jerry: Now poor Father Steven and I were saving souls on the high seas of the fjords of Norway.
Father Steven: It was really the other way around.
Father Jerry: On the feast of the Sacred Heart, which I was weeping to miss with you.
But Father Steven had to have his way.
And so I was whisked away from the people I love to help him with his bucket list to see the fjords of Norway.
but we celebrated Mass for you on that feast day.
And another thing that we do on the Feast of Sacred Heart
is we always put one person or one couple
or one family on a lampstand,
and we say, look at this person.
Here is a shining example of what it is like
to be fully human and fully Christ at the same time.
That’s really our goal, isn’t it?
Is learning how to be human,
and learning how to be fully up to date
with the beauty and truth of Christ consciousness.
Well, what does a person look like?
You know, one of our neighbors.
And so we always like to bring down the screen,
and we always like to present an award for this person.
And this is the award.
This is kind of a sweet something to put on your mantle.
It says, “Priests, deacons, staff, and parishioners
of Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda, Florida,
hereby recognize,” who will it be?
“As the person of the year outstanding in witness
to the gospel of Christ and exemplary
in his or her service to the parish.”
Father Steven, you wanna join me down here so you can see?
And who’s it gonna be?
(audience applauding)
Would you come up please for just a second?
Yes, you also get roses from your guild members.
Come forward and your Carmelites and your people.

Sally: Oh, so you want me to talk?

Father Jerry: Oh, just to say something.

Sally:
Thank you so much. My mom and I came here, two little widows came here
seven years ago, over seven years ago, and the first I was, I’m looking right at
her, I came into Daily Mass and the first person to welcome me was Marie Ludwig
and she welcomed me and embraced me and told me about an organization, Guild of
lady in our church and that’s kind of all she wrote. But what I’d like to say
there’s so many wonderful people and volunteering in reading the liturgy of
the hours over this past week one of the lines caught me were called were called
from worship into service and I always think at the end of the Mass Father says
go on peace to love and serve the Lord and that’s what I think we’re called to
do and I had an example my whole life my mom still volunteers and she’s been the
example for my brothers and sisters for my for the her grandkids and for her
great-grandkids so I had a great example and I have a beautiful parish family.
Thank you.
Father Jerry:
Oh, Sally, what a light you are.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]