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| Deacon Janet Blakeley, ARCWP blesses Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community |
Janet, please come
and stand before us and receive our blessing that is filled with love and
gratitude for your 80 years of being the Body of Christ in our world.
Our hands are capable
of so much and are a means of showing our love for others, and yours, Janet,
enriched the lives of so many people, including myself and your grandchildren some
of whom are here with you today. You have also blessed the members of this
community.
Your hands have reached
out to many people - friends, strangers, the struggling and have remained open
to life. They have written letters of love and encouragement, have typed many a
post graduate paper for others in order to earn extra money. Even the latest
technology hasn’t intimidated you……. texting helped you keep on touch with
grandchildren!
Your hands have
cradled children, and hugged those you love. Your hands reached out to the poor
of this country and Haiti. These same hands have brought comfort to many.
For 76 years you
brought delight to so many by playing the piano and you have deepened and
enriched your own spiritual journey. Playing becomes prayer.
One of your greatest
gifts to people is your generous hospitality and your ability to make everyone
feel so special and welcome. Your superb cooking is a labor of love and those
who sit at your beautifully set table are fed, both physically and spiritually.
This is sharing Eucharist.
So we thank God for
your full life, your goodness and your openness to life.
And so we pray:
(Please raise your hands in blessing) Generous and loving God, we thank you for
the full life with which you have blessed Janet. Continue to bless her with
good health, life-giving friends and family. May she be filled with the continued
awareness of your deep love for her. Amen
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| Left:Janet Blakeley, Right: Sally Brochu reads blessing for Janet's birthday |
Blessing with oil:
Janet, may the God of love bless you and bless your hands that for 80 years expressed
God’s love through your love of all. God, may these hands continue to be your
hands in our world for these are woman’s hands and they are holy, just as we
are holy. Amen
Janet, you have now
reached an age of wisdom, would you give us your blessing?
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