October is Diocesan Heritage Month!
In 2015 it was determined that the month of October would be designated as ‘Diocesan Heritage
Month’. As part of this year’s observance, we are asking that Sunday, October 24th be celebrated as
“Essential Workers Sunday”. Essential workers include health care professionals, first responders,
and front-line workers (including teachers and clergy). “Essential Workers Sunday” will honor those who have answered the call to serve during the Pandemic. These workers give unselfishly of life, labor, and sacrificial love to ensure that the basic needs of our communities are met, providing care, food, shelter, and security. From our store clerks to our surgeons, from our firemen to our teachers and
pastors, we want to dedicate this important day to honoring their sacrificial service. Some ideas to
consider for October 24th include:
- Using the Propers for Saint Luke’s Day – as October 24th falls within the octave of the Feast of St. Luke.
- Inviting parishioners identified as essential workers to stand or come forward for prayer
- Providing a small token for parishioners to take with them – to gift to the essential workers in
their life.
The historical and liturgical foundation of the body of Christ is rooted in anamnesis, our memory,
our remembrance – Christ’s story of redemption. Christians are called into discipleship and
missional living incarnating the memory of what Jesus did for the human family. As the baptized
community, our faith and vocation mandate is to be the Redemptive Church proclaiming and
exercising the gift of reconciliation, love, hope, new life and new beginning as we live into the Ezekiel
Principle (Ezekiel 18: 21-32). Jesus is forever transforming his Church into something new and
relevant and vibrant (Revelations 21: 5). This Service of Healing and Thanksgiving recalls and invites
the faithful of the diocese to a time of reflection and prayer for essential workers and their families,
whose labor of love, faithfulness, sacrifice, commitment, and dedication have brought us (and
continues to bring us) through this unprecedented time in our history. And for that, we say thanks be
to God!
In addition, I am encouraging every parish to designate any Sunday in October to be Diocesan
Heritage Sunday. This recommendation is advanced to encourage every parish to celebrate and give
thanks for the many blessings received over the years. Also, to use Diocesan Heritage month to shine
the spotlight, highlight and discuss what it means to be part of a diocesan family and the parish’s role
in promoting collaborative and meaningful diocesan collegial and community formation initiatives. I
sincerely welcome any thoughts, insights, ideas and intimate stories, including the hope, vision and
dream for how parishioners view the diocese going forward. Let us reflect on ways we may, as a
diocesan family, draw closer and live even more deliberately and intentionally into the mission and
vision of God for the Church on the Eastern shore of Maryland.
ADDITIONAL READING:
● Download the History of the Diocese of Easton (PDF) – shared with permission
The History of the Diocese of Easton gives a detailed account of the diocese and was written by
the Rev. David Michaud. It is provided for the online use of members of the Diocese of Easton.
Prior written permission from the author is required for the reproduction and/or sale of this
publication. Permission is granted by the author to use limited excerpts from this publication
so long as the title of the publication and the author’s name are cited as the source.
● Download Henry C. Lay, Pioneer of the Southwest (PDF) – shared with permission