Angels of Harlem

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” — Bl. Mother Teresa

Holy Saturday in Harlem.

As we pulled into the Children’s Aid Society, I started humming U2’s Angel of Harlem. In fact, our missionaries were about to participate in the “Angel for a day” program.

The activity consisted of our teenagers being “buddied-up” with youngsters from the local area who gather at the Society after school and on the weekends. They are able to play in a safe environment and so avoid the dangers of the street.

Well, the Saturday sun shone brightly as we played, danced and snacked and had the chance to be angels for these underprivileged children. The smiles were contagious and were the best preparation for that night’s Easter Vigil when we would light our candles from the great Paschal Candle reminding us that no darkness can smother the light of a single candle.

Now, back home, all of us will continue being angels by bringing smiles to all those we encounter.

 

 

About Fr Simon Devereux LC

FR SIMON was born on February 4, 1979, in Dunedin, New Zealand, the seventh son of Marie and Michael Devereux. He entered the novitiate of the Legionaries of Christ in Cheshire, Connecticut, on September 15, 1997. After his novitiate and year of humanities in Cheshire, he studied a bachelor’s in Philosophy at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome from 2000 to 2002 and from 2005 to 2007, a licentiate in Philosophy. In between, he worked as a youth minister in Quebec, Canada, and he made his perpetual profession in Rome on October 4, 2005. In 2010 he completed a three-year bachelor’s degree in Theology and was ordained on Christmas Eve of the same year with 60 of his brother Legionaries by Card. Velasio di Paolis. Two of his brothers are also Legionary priests. Fr Simon is now based at the Legion of Christ seminary in Cheshire, Connecticut.
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