Dear Friends of Carmel Mission,
At this time of year we remember our loved ones who have gone home to God. May they rest in His loving embrace.
This weekend, in particular, we honor our Veterans on Veteran’s Day. November 11 is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice between the Allied forces and Germany, marking the end of World War One.
The poem on our Bulletin cover was written by Thomas Kettle, a cousin of my father. Tom Kettle was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was an elected member of the British Parliament, prior to Irish Independence.
He joined the British army because he believed in the right of every person to freedom and justice, especially in the face of tyranny and oppression.
While fighting in the muddy trenches in France, Tom received word that his beloved wife had given birth to their first child, a daughter, whose darling face he would never see.
Tom was killed by enemy fire as he fought in the trenches. They found a pocket notebook in his army coat, containing a number of poems that he had written during his time in battle.
Tom was a person who had a brilliant mind and a generous heart. He also had a deep faith in God and a burning desire for justice and freedom. Tom Kettle died “for a dream born in a herdsman’s shed, and for the secret Scripture of the poor.”
May that dream never die for us.
Blessings,
Fr. Paul
Please take a moment to read our Carmel Mission Weekly Bulletin.