May25, 2024 - Sixth Sunday of Easter
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Last weekend some of you were surprised by the news about Wayne Goldmann’s passing away. We were all surprised about what and how fast it happened, so I am going to put it for you in a time frame.
On Friday, the 19th of April, Wayne went to the hospital for gold bladder stones removal. He returned home after the 4-hour procedure. When the painkillers wore off, he was in pain throughout the night. Saturday morning he called ambulance because of the pain. He was admitted to the South Side Hospital and we all thought he will be taken care of.
On Sunday the 21st I went to visit him at 11:30 and I gave him the anointing of the sick. We talked normally but with all the medicines that he was getting he was still in pain and tired.
On Sunday evening at 11:00pm Alexandra, Wayne’s daughter received call that he needed to be intubated because he had difficulties breathing. He was put on dialysis because they realized that his kidneys were not working. He was sedated for the procedures.
When I went to see Wayne at 11:30am on Monday the 22nd, there was no normal communication with Wayne because of the sedation. His first dialysis machine was not working properly so they were setting up the second machine for it. His heart rate was high around 130 and his blood pressure was low- around 65/35. His other numbers were not improving at all.
At that situation I gave him another anointing of the sick with the Apostolic Blessings that we could call “last rights” as it was becoming obvious, that Wayne is not going to recover. As nothing was improving; but only going downhill. Wayne passed away around 8:15pm that Monday, April 22nd, due to unexpected medical complications. He was surrounded by family and friends. Hi passing was very peaceful, almost unnoticeable.
We buried Wayne on Friday, April 26th. After Mass in St. Anne’s he was interred at The Resurrection Cemetery on Wellwood Avenue in Farmingdale.
We all are in debt to Wayne for his service to the Parish, who in many ways served in different capacities: as the morning custodian by opening the church every day, blowing the entrance leaves, flowers or snow, checking on general operations of things around; as the sacristan he was preparing things for different Masses, Baptisms or Adoration. As the teacher and believer, Wayne was preparing other adults for the Sacraments; as a parish driver he was picking up the food for our parish outreach or pizza that is donated to us daily on the end of the day. He would get for us the bread we were donating at the door of the church or those drinks that we distributed at the entrance. Wayne would supervise any repair works on the parish grounds if I could not be around, and any other things that would come up to be done. As a lector he would read at Mass and as a Eucharistic Minister he would help to give away the Holy Communion, he would go to the nursing home to bring Communion or Ashes. He supervised our annual procession between our parishes in Brentwood and Islip. He would help with any other job that came along. He would take care of our parish pick-up to be served and running. He would go shopping for what was needed. He is irreplaceable by a single person.
We thank you Wayne for being who you were to us: a brother, a friend, a companion, a believer and witness of Jesus. We pray for you to receive your reward of heaven for your generosity with us, and we ask you to intercede for us before God, that we continue to do what the Lord is asking of us to do.
Rest In Peace Wayne!
I want to thank all of you for the respect and affection that you have shown to the family of the late Wayne Goldmann, by being present at the Funeral Home, where Deacon Andres did wonderful prayer; at the Funeral Mass where Deacon John shared with us great homily and experience of Wayne’s friendship; and at the Cemetery where we witnessed the lowering of the casket into the ground.
Wayne’s only daughter Alexandra is getting married here at St. Anne’s this Saturday May 4th at 3:00pm. She extended her invitation to the wedding Mass for anyone who wishes to be there for Wayne. It was announced last Sunday.
God bless You Wayne! See you through God’s mercy before the Lord in heaven.
The readings for this Sunday prepare us for the coming feast of Pentecost. They invite us to take on the challenge of being perfected by God’s love; seeing what Christ did for us, seeing that Christ loved us to the end by surrendering himself for our sake as he loved us first before even we were born. Jesus wants to perfect the love that is in us. He wants us to experience the fullness of it by sharing it with others, so that being born to eternal life ourselves, we may help others to be reborn. Will we be willing to accept that invitation, or will we selfishly choose to circle around ourselves never experiencing the fullness of life and of love that Christ brings to us? The invitation is open to everyone: “love one another as I love you” (John 13:34b). Let us remember that every act of kindness in God’s name, it is an act of God’s love for others.
God bless everyone always!!!
Fr. Stan
