As indicated elsewhere in this newsletter this year's Fellowship Day focused on the recently canonized saint, Padre Pio. Many aspects of his life seem out of place in the twentieth century, and perhaps none more so than his life-long familiarity with the angels. Indeed, conversations with angels seems a thing out of the past. We must admit, however, that it is also very much a thing of that past we call Biblical. Since Fellowship Day I have been struck by how familiar many of the Biblical characters are with the angels. Perhaps it is Padre Pio who is normal in this regard and we, who would be embarrassed by angelic visitants, are the odd ones.

As it happened, Fellowship Day fell on the Feast of the Apostle St. Barthomew. Angels played prominent roles in each of the readings. The passage from the Book of Revelation began, "An angel spoke to me." In the Holy Gospel it was our Lord Himself who spoke of angels when he gave the promise to Nathaniel, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." And this was no fantastic coincidence, since angels appear so very frequently in the Scriptures.

Although angels play such a big part of the Biblical story from the Garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem, there is, nevertheless, something superfluous or redundant about their role as well. While much of the time God seems to prefer to act through His intermediaries, the angels, at many other times He seems perfectly willing to operate on His own. At times it is angels who carry out God's will while at other times actions are attributed directly to the hand (or the finger) of God. Angels often serve to convey messages from God but He is just as capable of speaking from heaven or in some other way to reveal His will without any go-betweens. St. Benedict in the Rule emphasizes God's omniscience by reminding the monk not only that "his actions everywhere are in God's sight" but also that they "are reported by angels at every hour." Angels could be understood only as a backup system, since there is nothing they do that God at other times seems perfectly capable of doing for Himself.

It might be argued that, especially in the modern era (with e-mail and all), we could just as well get along without angels. It is possible to treat angels as literary embellishments, mere figures of speech. Yet, as a matter of simple observation, I would say that those who have chosen to eliminate angels from their spiritual landscape, do not seem to be closer or more directly in contact with God. When angels are not allowed to speak, God's own voice seems to fall silent as well. Angels may appear to be unnecessary buffers between God and us, but they separate us only in the way a lens in a telescope separates us from that which we want to see more closely. Angels magnify the Lord, and through them His presence is transmitted without any loss. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God we become more aware of mystery, life, and presence in all creation, and this angelic world of praise is always directing us back to their-and our-Source and Origin.

Angles also magnify human life and worth. The doctrine of the guardian angels has sometime been overdrawn and sentimentalized. Yet at root it proclaims the unique importance of the individual and the inalienable worth that is directly imparted by God to each human life. Especially over the weak, the elderly, children, and the unborn the guardian angel stands as a witness and a warning to those more powerful. To our conscience also this heavenly guardian testifies, urging us even when we are alone never to betray the dignity and holy freedom of baptismal grace.

St. Augustine reminds us, "'Angel' is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit.'" The word "angel" means messenger, and as such is only a job description. What they are is spiritual beings, a part of that half of the created world that the creed refers to as "unseen." Obviously this means that when angels are "seen" or experienced our human imagination will have a large part to play. This accounts for the widely varying descriptions of angels in the Bible and in Christian experience down to the present day. Angels can be animal or human, winged or non-winged, masculine (Bible) or feminine (most art), adult or chubby infant, fearsome or cute, elaborately detailed or a vaguely perceived. When the unseen is "seen" is this not what we would expect?

It may well be that visions of angels in our time will not be as sharply focused as in ages past. They may tend more toward the vaguely sensed variety and lack many of the typical accessories such as wings, halos, or robes. But this does not mean they cannot be just as real for us as for Christians in the past. Talk about angels is not frivolous and silly if it is based on belief in God and is accepted in obedience to His revelation of Himself. The good angels are not independent agents but are confirmed in their service to Jesus Christ. There is no angelic work that is in opposition to the redemption and salvation of the world that is willed by the Father through His Son and in the Holy Spirit. A visitation from the angelic world is always a summons to deeper participation in the life of the Holy Trinity and God's plan for humanity. And for His part, as the Scriptures show, God does not accomplish His saving works without the serving and adoring presence of the angels. "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?"

Padre Pio is said to have sometimes written to people who were unable to visit him that they should send him their guardian angel. I do not know the particulars of how that may have worked. But perhaps it is safe to assume that the angels, whom Christ at the judgment will command to "gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other," do in some way anticipate that ministry among believers even now. Because of the ministry of angels we are closer and more united to one another and to Christ than if we were merely on our own. Let us glorify God who has "ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order."

Sincerely,
Fr. Richard G. Herbel

News & Notes
We are grateful to St. James' Lutheran Church in Grosse Pointe Farms for the gift of a large red pulpit Bible. It replaces the old, somewhat tattered Bible on the lectern in the center of the new church.
Justin Mitchell spent about six weeks here this summer as a long term guest before returning home to work and school in West Virginia. During his time here he participated in the prayer and work of the community. He also assisted for a time with the morning Bible School at Zion Lutheran Church in Detroit.

Some time ago the handsome wooden sign at our entrance passed beyond being attractively weathered to being dilapidated. In July a new and legible sign was finally hung. We are thankful to Ernie Baker (a retired advertising executive) for getting this project finally accomplished.

The evening of August 30th Dr. George Weckman gave a recital on our ten rank Serrick Organ. His selections featured the work of the German composer Dieterich Buxtehude. The evening concluded with the praying of Compline and a reception in the Retreat House.

Fellowship Day
The Fellowship of St. Augustine was founded by Fr. Arthur in 1956. It continues today as our extended family of prayer. This year's annual Fellowship day marked our 46th anniversary. The day began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist followed by time for visiting over coffee.

The featured speaker was Pastor C. Bernard Ruffin who delivered a morning and afternoon presentation on the life and witness of Padre Pio. Although a Lutheran, Pastor Ruffin is recognized even in Roman Catholic circles as something of an expert on the now canonized Franciscan priest. His book, Padre Pio: The True Story, is one of the best available on the topic.

Building News
We have received sufficient funds over the summer to allow us to erect the bell tower for the new church. We have notified the contractor, John Baker, and he is working on getting this project completed before December. Many thanks to those who contributed to make this possible! We hope also to be able to afford some basic landscaping around the building before winter as well.
Of course we have other buildings beside the church, and these require regular maintenance. The office building originally built for Fr. Arthur has required a new roof and other repairs in excess of $6,000. The eleven bedroom windows in the retreat house are not energy efficient and most have faulty opening mechanisms. These will need to be replaced before next summer or preferably this winter. We do not have an estimate yet but a fair guess including installation would be about $800 per window.

Not as captivating but not to be neglected there remains the mortgage on the new church. From $145,000 it has been reduced to $131,000. This is ahead of the bank's schedule but still leaves a long way to go. Gifts may be designated for any of these building projects or, if undesignated will be used where needed most.