How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in’t!
The Tempest

What do Dorothy Day, Mother Theresa, and Jean Vanier have in common? Besides their love of the Lord, they masterfully inspired volunteers to do the hardest of work in exchange for an encounter with the sweetness of Jesus. Mike Audet and Dan Stallings, who organized our recent parish clean up, may have achieved something of that magic on March 18th. With a huge turnout, a completed “punch out” list and a full dumpster to show for the effort, the parish cleanup day achieved success. The fact that several laborers lingered in the alcove by the Kindergarten playground for expertly grilled hot dogs (with all the fixings) testifies to having also achieved that sweet encounter. Mike Audet pointed out, “Carl and Geoff did a nice touch with the grilling, a simple thing, that brought it all together.”

Dan Stallings provided the cleaning materials and typed up each task allowing Mike Audet to organize phalanxes of workers to wash windows, pull weeds, vacuum curtains and empty both the kitchen supply room and much of the dirt room of extraneous material. Dan Campion was astonished at the transformation of the dirt room, “this is historic.” Mike Audet observed, “I was surprised by how many people showed up. It spread the work so nicely; it wasn’t a burden for anyone. It was easy.” Pete Muldoon watched a near collision as three volunteers reached for the same weed, a clear indication of the bounty of laborers.

Bill Mulholland and Pete Muldoon were so eager to complete their mulching responsibilities; they offered to buy extra bags at the upcoming mulch sale to finish the job. With all of Brian Edwards’ six feet, he and his pint-sized son, Matthew, bent down, picking up trash while Annemarie held their little one, Theresa. Peg Daly scaled the wooden shelves in the supply closet to hoist boxes into newly defined ‘rightful places’. Maggie O’Neill and Therese Intrater cleared out orphaned cake plates and empty bottles giving the kitchen a fresh look. Albert Agbonyitor deftly wielded his trusty trowel while others crowded around Brian Barr to weed while garnering gardening advice gratis from this horticultural expert. Bill McDermott loaded branches and old boards, supplied by Shannon Spellacy, into the dumpster. Monica Bradford and Allison Mulholland rubbed windows sparkling clean on one wing while Danny Castillo and Dominic Campion “cleaned them as best we could.” Brian Barr later reflected that “It was a wonderful event with parents and children and teachers working together. I worked with my son Michael and Sr. Doreen mulching the front of the school. It meant a lot to help the school and to beautify this wonderful resource that we have.”

The McCarthy’s, Barone’s, Cavaliere’s, Ruppert’s, Kane’s and Alzona’s were among the many who struck up conversation over hot dogs and cookies. With our brick building blocking a brisk March wind and the cheerful sunshine beaming on the crowd, an impromptu backyard style barbeque offered respite for the weed weary warriors. Perhaps the good grilled dogs held them there. Perhaps it was the camaraderie. In any case, dads and moms reluctantly pulled themselves away to ferry children to the next activity, satisfied that the hard work was done. Without their generous spirit and the bending, the raking, the mulching and the cleaning, our parish would be less pristine and a little less jubilant.