Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Anthony of Padua


Preparation of the turkeys and hams by Sister Agustina's team including parish Social Minister, Ubaldo Cisneros!

Fr. Grinnell and Fr. Acho blessing the food.

Saint Anthony of Padua's Thanksgiving Dinner is a popular event.
















With entertainment provided by our parish communities.

And lots of deserts!

Photos by Scott Engdahl

Monday, December 1, 2008

New Book Highlights Parish Peace Garden

Since we're all usually pretty busy on Thanksgiving Day with food, family, and giving thanks, you may have missed the article, Gardens Where People Grow by Adrian Higgins, in Thursday's Washington Post Home section. It reports on the new book, Open Spaces -- Sacred Spaces, which beautifully describes the gardens in and around the Washington area that have been funded by the TKF Foundation, the organization that funded our Peace and Remembrance Garden at St. Anthony of Padua.



As the article notes, our Peace Garden is one of the gardens highlighted with pictures and commentary in the book. "At St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Falls Church, the foundation worked with the pastor, Horace "Tuck" Grinnell, and others to create a garden of peace and remembrance that includes a columbarium." It notes that Fr. Grinnell is quoted in the book: "I think the TKF vision of what gardens do for the human spirit is exactly what the postmodern world needs. People feel deeply fragmented and yet open to a spiritual awakening that is almost pre-conscious. A garden is exactly the environment people need to open the door to mystery and spirituality."



The full article is available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/NewsSearch?sb=-1&st=Gardens%20where%20People%20Grow&



Parishioners may purchase a copy of this wonderful book for $25.00 after the Masses on Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th. Thereafter, it'll be available in the parish gift shop. Part of the proceeds will benefit our Peace Garden.