Easter Challenge

Easter 2017 brought an unexpected challenge to the residents of St. Columban's Retirement Home, Bristol, Rhode Island. A fl ower wreath, hung on the chapel door as an Easter decoration, attracted the attention of a pair of local wild robins, who saw it as an ideal place to build their nest and raise a family.

The residents of the house were unaware of this until a keen-eyed member of the staff noticed the nest and discovered that it already contained three eggs waiting to be hatched.

For the residents of the house the challenge now was how to make the residents of the nest feel welcome and secure, especially with the repeated opening and closing of the chapel door as members of the local community came to take part in the Mass on Sundays, and during the week.

“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for her young, near your altar, O Lord of hosts.” (Psalm 84, 3)

The decision was taken to open the door well before Mass time each day, and to leave it open until Mass was over and the visitors had gone home. Then the door was quietly closed, so that the parent birds could give the rest of the day to the task of bringing their fl edglings into the world, and teaching them how to survive.

We care for the birds of the air because the Lord shows us the way. "Not a single sparrow falls to the ground without your Father knowing it." (Matthew 10, 29)

The Columban missionaries living in Bristol, Rhode Island, provided this update.