February 4, 2011
Personal Reflection
Stewards of God’s Grace . . . called to be holy . . .
Pat Earley, a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish (the Old Cathedral) pauses for a photograph as she prepares to serve as lector at Mass. (Message photo courtesy Zoe Cannon) Click for a larger version.
By ZOE CANNON (Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes)
God calls us to serve him. As we continue to support the awareness of vocations, and sharing the gifts God gives to each of us for this purpose, we must remember the great number of single persons who are especially close to Jesus’ heart. Their witness deserves the affection and consideration of the Church. Some live their situation in the spirit of the Beatitudes, serving God, neighbor and caring for other family members in a commendable fashion. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”. 1 Peter 4:10
The single life may seem like a last resort for anyone who doesn’t feel called to the priesthood or religious life, or find a suitable spouse for marriage. But the single life is just as much a vocation, a divine call, as any of the other circumstances. The Church needs lay Catholics who dedicate themselves to their occupation and still spread the Gospel without having to worry about supporting a family. So God calls certain people to the single life to do great good in the Church. Single persons can wholeheartedly dedicate themselves in a unique way, by fulfilling their prophetic mission. The single Catholic represents Christ wherever they are and whatever they do, by the silent witness of a holy life, bringing God into the world in a very practical way.
A great witness to this call to single life is Pat Earley from Vincennes. She is a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, also known as the Old Cathedral. “I was born the third of nine children. Both my parents were members of large families, so I have dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins. My mother is a cradle Catholic; my father converted to Catholicism shortly before he married my mother.” Pat grew up in St. Philip Neri parish in Bicknell, receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation while attending their religious education program, until graduating from high school at North Knox. She then began a career with the United States government. Pat worked for the U. S. Bureau of Mines/Mine Safety and Health Administration for nearly 34 years in a variety of administrative support and management positions. She retired in 2005 and participated in the Diocesan Lay Ministry training program at Brescia College, which she completed that year.
Pat was a lector in high school, and later became an Extraordinary Minister of Communion. Since the late 1970s she has been involved in the religious education program for public school students at St. Philip Neri and St. Francis Xavier. She accepted the position of Coordinator for Religious Education at St. Francis Xavier in the fall of 2005, and continues to serve in that capacity. “I have enjoyed the benefits of being able to hand on our beautiful Catholic faith and practices to the next generation of Catholics. In my preparation, I believe that I have learned more than I have been able to teach my students.”
She also takes part in a wide variety of parish activities like the Catholic Parishes campaign, the Why Catholic? program, preparing bereavement meals, coordinating the Jonah fish fry, and working the summer social, among other things. “Taking part in these activities has given me the opportunity to meet and get to know many of my fellow parishioners,” Pat said. “Frequent Mass attendance is the most important means of practicing my faith. Since my retirement, I am able to attend daily Mass quite often, which is a great joy to me. I enjoy my weekly hour in Eucharistic Adoration, as well as the rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and reading the Liturgy of the Hours. Adult formation programs like Why Catholic? and the classes for the Lay Ministry program have helped to increase my knowledge of Church teaching. I find the Catechism of the Catholic Church to be an outstanding tool for passing on the faith as well.”
“After my father passed away, my mother sold the home in Bicknell that we grew up in, and moved to Vincennes, where she and I have shared our home for more than 10 years. During that time, we have both grown spiritually, as mother and daughter, and as friends. I had lived alone for over 20 years, and having another person in the house was a bit of an adjustment for me, but we look after each other. Having her with me all the time has been a blessing. Although I never made a conscious decision not to marry, I have found great satisfaction in the single life. Not having a spouse or children to look after, has given me the time and energy to take part in parish and family life. In my early 20s I assumed that I would marry and raise a family, and when that didn’t happen, I felt for a while that there must be something wrong with me. Slowly, I began to realize that God must have other plans for me, and as I accepted that idea, I began to recognize the many opportunities to help others outside the roles of wife and mother. My advice to others who are considering or have chosen the single life; to always be open to what God puts in front of you every day, and do your best to show His face to those you encounter, as well as to see His face in theirs.”
People, who share their closeness to Jesus’ heart, deserve our appreciation. Thank you, Pat, for serving others so well. Amen!