3 minute read
Meet Andrew Langdon: Experiencing Joy Through Genuine Stewardship
When you see Andrew Langdon at Mass, you often see his parents, Bill and Arleta Langdon, sitting with him. Their friendship and mutual devotion serve as a beautiful witness to the love they have for Christ and each other.
“My parents are members of St. Canice, which is the church I grew up going to as well,” Andrew says. “I was brought up Catholic because of the strong faith of my parents. My mother was Protestant, but she joined the Catholic Church after she met my dad. One of the first things they did when they started dating was go to Mass together. My mom used to play the organ for our parish as well.”
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Attending Mass is also a testimony to what Andrew sees as “returning the favor.”
“Now I take my parents to Mass just as they took me to Mass when I was growing up,” he says. “It is a very important family event for us. I am impressed that they still try to go to Mass every week if at all possible, regardless of their health issues.”
In addition to giving his time and talent generously to his natural family, Andrew also loves to contribute to our parish family in many ways. He especially appreciates the opportunity to work with the young people at both St. Patrick's Parish and St. Canice.
“I really enjoy working with the youth and seeing them grow in their faith,” he says. “They inspire me! I like building relationships with them and watching them grow into independent and confident adults. I like helping out with Confirmation retreats. I notice the Holy Spirit moving through me when I am working with the young people. I need to open myself up and be vulnerable in order to lead and guide them in their faith formation. This is good for me!”
Drawing upon his expertise as a Technology Coordinator for the Grass Valley School District, Andrew gives his time and talent to help with the audio-visual aspects at our parish. Since 2011, he has been doing audio recordings of our parish Masses. Over the last few years, Andrew installed a new sound system at our parish, and he generously donated equipment to make this possible. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrew was also able to help arrange for Masses to be streamed live from St. Patrick’s.
“Years ago, when my father was in the hospital, I started thinking that we should set up something so that people who can’t come to Mass or have health issues can still be involved in our parish,” he says. “Now my father has bad hearing problems, so I am working on ways to help the Mass become as comprehensible for him as possible. As a technologyminded person, I am looking for ways to make the experience of the Mass more enriching for others.”
By using his talents, he has experienced the joy that comes with an authentic stewardship way of life.
“This is my God-given gift and it should be given back!” Andrew says. “I really like working with technology in general, but especially when it is for the Church! Regardless of what kind of environment you are in, we should live our lives as a good example for others.”
Furthermore, Andrew is very involved in the choirs at both parishes. He is a cantor for the 5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil Mass and the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Canice Church, as well as the 9:30 a.m. Mass on occasion. He also cantors for the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick’s from time to time.
“If there is a need for me and I am available, I am happy to do it!” Andrew says. “Singing is a prayer! A lot of people seem to appreciate my singing, so I am very glad to be able to give back to them in this way."
Andrew Langdon
