Since i wrote about my experiences at St. Augustine, i have been reading other reviews, and realize…read morei was unfair. I was there in 2007 and years before. At first I was enthralled with it all, just like the recent reviewers were. But my reviews are about the St. Augustine church that stood by itself, not joined with another. The St. Augustine's that - to me - was a vibrant, active church on its own. I left and did not keep up with the changes i guess it went through in joining (?) with St. Francis.
I TRIED to be an ACTIVE, REGULAR member of ST. AUGUSTINE. First as a choir member, and often sang as soloist for weddings and funerals. I was trained for this since high school at the Brooklyn Conservatory School of Music (3yrs.), and have a degree in music from one of the major music conservatories in Manhattan. Well, so maybe i was too trained. I truly felt i had something i could contribute. That's ok. I understood.
So i tried attending the senior group, (maybe 8 members?), and seeing a need, i cooked for them for a while. Full trays of dinners for their lunches (egg plant parm.and the like.). That went well until the Business Manager started sending down family members, and staff to partake. (I am not stingy, ...but ???? how much can one give. ??) My trying to give to the senior group ended when they asked me to lead a Christmas sing-a-long. I supplied the printed words to the songs, but found this wonderfully diverse group unhappy. (too much classical, not enough Spanish, etc) The ONLY group that did not complain were the few from Haiti.
I truly loved the people crom Haiti...-
these wonderfully SOPHISTICATED, and CULTURED members, who loved the water colors i brought for all, and were delighted i brought copies of standard opera arias at various times. They seemed to be familiar with them, they sang along, wanted to learn and participate. Never, ever complained. I found them gracious, loving, and Christian.
I had to leave the senior group, though. Too much dissatisfaction from the other two groups. Over a number of years, i kept wondering if they realized i was just a volunteer?
my final and most strenuous effort to give back to the church/religion/institution i was born into was work in the library gift shop upstairs.it had been disorganized, with half opened boxes of shipments of items strewn around. Three lay women would give an hour or two every Sunday to be there. They seemed to want to be there to give "spiritual guidance", or something.. The church said it needed money, i tried to give of myself and gave at least 6 hours a day, 6 days a week to make it a practical, working library and place where people could get rosaries, statues, holy cards
every day i would bring the Business Manager an envelope with a little money . often bought things with my own money giving it to the church. After well over a year, of what i felt was a success, the criticism came.Older church goers demanded i buy more expensive items. But these same people never bought anything to contribute. They said they wanted a more high class place. The original three wanted to meet there for tea, and socialize.
Befoore they pushed me out, there were people up and down those stairs all the time, buying little things, - candles of their choice of color, and saint, to place before the crucifix downstairs. St augustine picture postcards were actually being sold.
Where js all this now. Empty. A museum. !ovely, beautiful church that should have continued to thrive with life. I saw the council, the Business Manager, the comminity look for what they could take. Not what they could give. I LOVE st. Augustune. But i had to walk away. Not only from the parish, but from it all.