A Humbling Day

No exciting events in the Joannaworld lately.  Rebecca, on the other hand has had a lot of excitement.  You can read about it here!  

I seem to have been spending more time than usual at church recently.  This is not due to an uptick in piety, but more to how things just happen to happen.   A few days ago, I went to the St. James Mass in Remembrance of the Deceased Homeless of Seattle.  I have planned to go to this every year, and I always seem to forget about it when the day actually comes.  This year, fortunately, a friend and fellow volunteer working with me at the Cathedral Kitchen reminded me and we went together.  Mass at St. James is always moving, but this service was particularly so.  The names of the fifty-seven homeless people who have died were printed on the order of worship, and after Mass, the cathedral bells tolled fifty seven times for the departed.    Patty Bowman, Director of the cathedral's social outreach program, gave a very moving reflection on the loss that we all share when our regrettable economy allows such pervasive homelessness to happen - and when we ourselves allow these unfortunate people to sink into invisibility.  She said that there are over 8,000 homeless in King County, and 40% of these are children.   Also, over 40% of the homeless men here are veterans, many of whom suffer from psychic wounds received during their military service - serving the rest of us, that would be. These numbers are truly shocking.

Several inter-faith groups presented hand knitted hats, gloves, and scarves made by their members.  Pictured is one four huge baskets of knitted things which surrounded the altar.   

Let's hope that either I remember to remember next year, or that some friendly soul reminds me again.