Patronal Festival at St. Mary Episcopal Church
Bishop Catherine Roskam, the retired Suffragan Bishop Diocese of New York and one of the most prominent female religious leaders in the country, will officiate at next week’s Patronal Festival at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Palms.
The day of celebrations, marking the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, will begin with a Mass in English and Spanish at 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 9. The service will include hymns in Spanish and English, under the direction of Mr. Mark Kennedy, Parish Organist and Choir Director.
The celebrant, Bishop Roskam, was consecrated a bishop in 1996, becoming the first woman bishop in the state of New York and the fourth woman bishop in the Episcopal Church.
She is co-founder of the Carpenter’s Kids, a partnership between the Diocese of New York and Central Tanganyika which now enables over 6000 AIDS orphans in Tanzania to go to school, and All Our Children, an initiative in support of public education in the U.S. She also founded the Global Women’s Fund of the Diocese of New York dedicated to educating women in the developing world, with priority given to women seminarians.
Bishop Roskam is also a nationally-known consultant on church growth, congregational development, and in multi-cultural ministry. In 2006, she was named by New York Magazine as “The most prominent female religious leader in the city.”
During an interview with the Culver City Observer, Bishop Roskam was very approachable and down to earth. Although retired, Bishop Roskam said she is still fighting for the causes she believes in. She also said she really enjoys visiting parishes in Southern California where she now resides.
The special feast to celebrate the birthday of the Mother of Jesus Christ is “a time for praise and thanksgiving in honor of Mary’s personal sanctity and vocation,” said church officials. “Mary is the foreshadowing of the hope and salvation as expressed in the perfect love of her Divine Son. The special celebration encourages all to strengthen relationships with God and one another as each seeks to connect with and live out the Light of Christ in daily living.”
Following Mass will be a reception in the church parish hall. Bishop Roskam will lead a discussion on “The Dignity of Every Person.”
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is located at 3647 Watseka Avenue, Palms, just north of Venice Boulevard. Everyone is welcome. For additional information, please contact via email at stmarythrive@gmail.com or telephone (310) 558-4124.
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