50 years of anything is a golden achievement.
Reaching 50 years of age is more than half a lifetime for most.
Reaching 50 years of marriage is sheer Divine Grace. (I know someone who will jokingly quip, “You mean…sheer misery!!!”)
Tonight, we just came from a dinner that celebrated 50 years of service to the Lord and to the Jesuit community. One of the original elders of our community, Fr. Herb Schneider, S. J. has been a Jesuit priest for that long.
It was a FUN night. The Music Ministry serenaded Fr. Herb with a capella songs; pictures of Fr. Herb from the past were flashed on a wide screen during dinner; there were Filipiniana songs from the South Sector, followed by a beautiful Hawaiian dance from the graceful women of the Central Sector (our sector!); taped honorings, live honorings, and anecdotes about Father kept everyone laughing….The emcee, Eddie Mendoza, was at his “punchline best” and did such a good job of it. Then at the end, each sector had their turn having the not-to-be-missed photo op with Fr. Herb.
Fr. Herb has been a part of community since 1975 (32 years ago). We were not even in community then!!! He has been a part of it more than half his lifetime as a Jesuit priest. Isn’t that something?
Those who honored him tonight had many opportunities in the past to “break bread” with Fr. Herb in formal and informal situations — up close. My own experience with him has been lackluster, too few and far in between. But our community’s identity will never be complete without mentioning Fr. Herb and what he has done in his own way to share his thoughts, homilies, presence, and the much-sought-after dishes and wine concoctions he lovingly prepares for friends.
Fr. Herb, may the Lord continue to bless the work of your hands, strengthen you in mind, body and spirit always, and reward you a thousandfold for being such a blessing to each and everyone of us in community.
Happy Golden Jesuit Anniversary!!!!!
