LOVES PARK—St. Bridget Parish was the setting for the annual Catholic Women’s League Pre-Lenten Mass and Reflection, plus a Fat Tuesday Luncheon on Feb. 17, the day before Ash Wednesday.
Msgr. Gerald Kobbeman, spiritual director for the CWL, celebrated the Mass and gave a short reflection later, just before the Italian beef/pulled pork luncheon began in the Mardi Gras decorated parish hall across the drive from the church.
In his homily, Msgr. Kobbeman spoke of God who never tempts us. He quoted from the first reading from St. James: “Each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire.”
“When we get ready to go to confession,” he said, “we should look at why we did (sin).” Giving the example of two women who missed Mass three times, he said one missed because she was in the hospital, while the other admitted to just being lazy. It’s a “whole different set of circumstances” with the same result. The “why” was what mattered, he said.
“During the Lenten season,” Msgr. Kobbeman said, we should “look at what’s going on inside of ourselves when we are tempted to do something wrong … It’s what’s behind the offenses that is really the important thing” to ask ourselves about.
Later in his reflection, the priest quoted a saying: “Live well. Laugh often. Love much.” He encouraged the roomful of women to “live to the best of our living” with smiles, gratitude and no negativity.
He spoke of seeing the positive side of things, asking all to work on the “laugh often” idea.
And regarding the “love much” advice, he noted that “true love is to be concerned about the other person and not ourselves … Go out of the way to show another person how important they are in our lives.
“We’re there to make the world a better place.”
As is the case with most CWL events, attendees were encouraged to bring new packaged items for the Pregnancy Care Center. A handful of CWL members collected baby clothing, diapers, hygiene items and more in the foyer of the parish hall.
The CWL exists to, indeed, “make the world a better place” through several events each year where members pray, donate and make items for the clients of numerous service agencies in the area.
