Prime Timers Harvest Mass and Luncheon
Halloween October 31st, 2001

“Happy Halloween!” Father George Wertin, dressed in his priestly attire, greets about 50 or 60 of us over 55ers at the beginning of an Eve of All Saints Mass in the church on Wednesday morning. So started a special celebration for the Prime Timers of St. Joan’s, courtesy of the parish.

Lovely piano music by parishioner JoAnn Potts creates a mood that is both reverent and relaxed, and because of the church setting, intimate, too. Right off, George tells us that saints come in all stripes, and that indeed all of us gathered there qualify for that title. We are only a little doubtful, but mostly comforted by those words.

The first reading by parishioner Roger Dick quotes from the book Secular Sanctity by Edward Hayes. To be a ‘new’ saint will require knowledge and skill of ones work as well as the heart of an artist and lover. Right away images of firefighters and uniformed police at Ground Zero come to mind. All work, as the Carpenter from Nazareth taught us, is holy, priestly, sacramental and worship.

The second reading from John’s First Letter tells us that we’re all children of God, and our spirits continue to rise. By the time that reading is over and we begin to sing Amazing Grace, our voices are sounding strong and downright confident of our newly affirmed status.

Then George reads the Gospel from Matthew 5, a recipe for becoming saints he says: Blessed are the poor in spirit; Blessed are those who mourn. . .Blessed. . . Blessed. . .Blessed. . .

He then tells us that there are two varieties of real saints. First there are the really heroic, those who are easily recognized as such by bravely rising to the occasion in extraordinary ways. Again Ground Zero and its new saints come to mind. Then there are those ordinary people who do ordinary things in extraordinary ways. He reminds us that these are the folks who are not perfect, but are just willing to grow.

George wants some concrete examples of saints and asks us to name a few of our favorites. St. Francis (everybody’s favorite! George remarks), Martin de Pores, Joan of Arc are named. A woman raises her hand and says she grew up on a farm where her family had a picture of St. Celia above the piano to inspire her brothers who all took lessons and needed a push to practice now and then from above. Alberta Johnson says she grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, with Passionists priests who suffered persecution from their fellow Whites for being so close to the Black community back in the 50s. Father Carl was one of these who lived among his people and devoted his life to that community, and who in Alberta’s eyes was, and still is, a true saint. Someone else names Martin Luther King, and I mention my grandmother, Annie Corrigan.

Afterwards we listen to JoAnn’s rendition of Autumn Leaves and are reminded again of the lovely season that we are being treated to this year. We gather in a circle around the altar while George prepares the simple gifts of the earth that bring Jesus’ love to us and that bind us in love to one another. As we take communion, JoAnn plays Try To Remember, particularly poignant for this audience. The Mass ends with our heartfelt rendition of Let There Be Peace On Earth, almost a prayer now and truly appropriate for these times.

Following Msss, we are led downstairs to the Hospitality room where we find tables festooned with sparkles and orange candles in black pots, with festive napkins and plates on orange tablecloths, but that’s only the beginning.

The feast that greets us is mindful of that shared by farm workers after the harvest, only we didn’t have to work for this wonderful meal: roast pork, mashed sweet potatoes, brightly colored red peppers, zucchini, carrots and corn, and applesauce along with several different kinds of breads, and wine at each table for those who want it. All this is followed at the end with apple crisp and cream. Ahhhhhh! Saints never had it so good, thanks to Cathy Meyer of TLC Catering in Eden Prairie.

Then Julie Madden introduces us to Mark Stillman and his lyrical accordion. He serenades us while we eat. She is dressed in a slinky black outfit topped by a pointed wizard’s hat. Julie and her crew of helpers do magical things in the kitchen that make all this look effortless, but we’re all old enough to know that, of course, it isn’t.

Jo Youngren and her husband,Dave, have been members at SJA for a little over a year now. However, about 20 years ago Jo was a member and worked with Harvey Egan and Cy Speltz for 4 years. Her first husband, Jack Welch, was buried from there, and later Jo and Dave were married in what is now The Itaska, but at the time was a warehouse with a large gathering of SJA folks attending and Fred & Anna supplying the music - the church in a slightly different setting at the time giving us their blessing. Jo and Dave have been married for 19 years and back in Minnesota for the last 13.

Where else but St. Joan’s are its seniors honored so well and with such class? In a few short hours we have been treated to food for both body and soul. Now we are strengthened to meet and greet any little goblins that we might encounter later this night. We leave thinking we are the saints who come marching in. Thank you, Joan of Arc for making us all feel so special.

Peg LaSota is interested in the biographies of parishioners... any suggestions?? She also loves studying piano, recorder, Spanish, and of course...singing in the choir!