In the past few weeks at the Shrine, things have been business as usual, working in the office and completing small, but important, tasks. While it is easy to think of the Shrine in terms of big events such as the Feast Day or our Friends of the Shrine Pasta Dinner, I’ve realized the equivalent importance of these normal days in between. The simplest tasks, when put together, make for smooth days at the Shrine, keeping the wheels of the machine up and running. It takes many hands to keep the Shrine open, and everyone who contributes is an important member of the team.
In my time here thus far, it has become clear to me that one of the most important aspects of the Shrine is the tight knit community it has fostered. From visitors to employees to Friars and everyone in between, so many people put their utmost effort into the Shrine – volunteering, working in the offices, assisting at Mass, or simply visiting regularly.
Though I have only worked here for six weeks, I see the same faces every day – outside the Shrine, in the office, in the church themselves. Though many new visitors flow in and out of the church each day, I always find myself comforted by those I recognize, people who are always sure to say hello every time I walk past, and who are eager to make me feel welcome here.
Through the work they do for the Shrine and the happiness they bring to my days here, I am thankful for everyone who is a part of the Shrine community.
“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
Written by Kathryn Chaney; a rising Senior at Boston College