A Note from our Pastor 2-5-23

A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 ALPHA IS COMING SOON: Last Fall St. James parish offered the Alpha Program for a second time to members of our parish and some neighbors. Alpha is a wonderful program of spiritual renewal while building a sense of community among its participants. There were 46 people who participated in our Alpha along with 16 team members. We met weekly for approximately 11 weeks to explore our faith, deepen our commitment to Christ and the Church and create a deeper sense and experience of being a community of faith and friendship.

At all of the weekend Masses we are showing a short video about the Alpha Program prepared by Alpha USA. Viewing this video will give you a foundational knowledge what this program offers. After the Masses members of the Alpha Team will be in the Narthex to answer any questions that you may have. Hopefully this will open you to the possibility of participating in our next Alpha Program starting at the beginning of Lent. For those who wish you will also have an opportunity to register for this Alpha.

Next weekend several of the participants will share with you what Alpha meant to them personally. I am sure that you will be impressed with what they will share. Participating in Alpha could be a wonderful way for you to enter into the spirit and discipline of the Lenten Season.

I want to thank Dcn. Chris and Dawn Daniello for their wonderful leadership of Alpha here at St. James, who together with the team members make the program run so well.

JAMES CELEBRATES SCOUT SUNDAY: This weekend we are celebrating Scout Sunday in honor our local Scout Troop 689. These young men (33 Scouts) out of which 5 have attained Eagle, and boys (27 Cub Scouts) out of which 4 will be receiving medals, along with their leaders, have dedicated themselves to living a life of service, good citizenship and respect for God.

As part of their celebration Scout Troop 689 will be present at the 10:00 AM Family Mass after which we will hold a simple ceremony to acknowledge them, their leaders and families.

I want to thank Ann Ellingham and the other Scout leaders for their guidance and hands on assistance in making Troop 689 a wonderful way for these youngsters to get involved, learn new skills and use their gifts and talents toward the service of God, our country and local community.

 LENT BEGINS ON ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22: The Sacred Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which is a call for every Catholic (and Christian) to take a serious look at the manner in which we live out our baptismal faith.

Recall that Lent is a time of preparation for our celebrations of Holy Week: (Holy Thursday (The Lord’s Last Supper), Good Friday (the Passion and Death of Jesus), and Easter Sunday (Jesus’ resurrection to New Life). Baptism is our participating in the Paschal Mystery (the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus). On Easter Sunday we will renew our baptismal promises to Christ and the Church.

A Note from the Pastor 11-20-21

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate the great Feast of Christmas followed by the Feast of the Holy Family. What joy we feel as we now enter the Christmas Season which continues until January 9, 2022, when we will celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!

With this Feast we are reminded of God’s great love for all of us as He brings to fulfillment the promise that He made to our ancestors in telling them that he would send them a “savior.” In the fullness of time, Jesus was born of Mary in the town of Bethlehem to fulfill what the prophet had foretold, “And you Bethlehem are by no means least among the tribes of Israel for from you shall come a savior.”

Let’s ponder this inspirational poem on the ultimate meaning of Christmas by Howard

Thurman who wrote:

“When the song of the angels is silent, When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are again tending their sheep, When the manger is darkened and still. . .
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To rebuild nations,
To bring peace among people,
To befriend the lonely,
To release the prisoner,
To make music in the heart. . ..”

Howard Thurman points to the great challenge of Christmas; that is, to let the meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ become real in and through each one of us. After all, isn’t that what it means to be Jesus’ disciples in the world today? The best way we can live out our baptismal call is to become more like Jesus and to bring him to others. May our celebration of his birth this year stir us to this deeper commitment! Let the work of Christmas begin!

As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, we are also reminded that we make the Holy Family present in the love, compassion and support we give to each other. I remember a lesson that I was taught as a young student many years ago. What makes the Holy Family holy is the presence of Jesus in it. That is true to this very day! Merry Christmas, everyone! Let us celebrate the presence of Jesus among us, in our church and in our families.

Summer

I welcome our parishioners who are regularly with us and extend warm greetings to those visiting with us for the first time or here with a relative or friend.