Creativity

     I attended the funeral of the brother of a classmate of mine from Pittsburgh.  This morning Camillo Joseph "Cam" Mele was buried from Madonna del Costello Church in Swissvale.  Cam's brother, Father Joe Mele, rectory of Saint Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh and my seminary classmate, was celebrant.  A number of priests as well as Bishop David Zubik and the two auxiliaries of Pittsburgh, Bishops William Winters and William Walterscheid were also present.  My prayers go out to Cam's wife, Sharon, and to his family.

     In his homily, Father Joe spoke of his brother's artistic creativity.  The Mele's were in the florist business, and Cam, who attended the Pittsburgh Art Institute years ago, was a powerful creative force in the business.  Many of our parishioners have their origins in Braddock, and remember the Mele Florist Shops in North Braddock and elsewhere.

    Father Joe gave some powerful thoughts on creativity, and the beauty of sharing in God's creative work.  Whether it is design or color or flower arrangement or painting or writing or sculpture or sharing ideas, to create is to give light, to bring the beauty of God and his creation to the forefront of what we have been given and what we experience.   Our world becomes ordinary and uncertain when we fail to allow ourselves to mount the wings of eagles and soar to unthinkable heights through the use of our creative spirit and our appreciation of the beauty of God's Word and Life. People like Cam, and Father Joe, and so many countless others who broaden our horizons and whet our appetite for beauty light the way for us.  For them we are thankful.