A Note from our Pastor 9-18-22

A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday we are celebrating Catechetical Sunday. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops describe the significance of this special celebration:

“Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the role that each person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. This year, the Church will celebrate Catechetical Sunday on September 18, 2022, and the theme is: “This is my body given for you” (Luke 22:19).

The bishops go on to explain:

“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. The term “Eucharist” originates from the Greek word eucharistia, meaning thanksgiving. In the celebration of the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the instrumentality of the priest. The whole Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — under the appearances of bread and wine, the glorified Christ who rose from the dead. This is what the Church means when she speaks of the “Real Presence” of Christ in the Eucharist.”

As I wrote in my letter dated September 4, 2022:

“Our collective responsibility to recommit to passing on the faith to our children falls on Sunday, September 18^th. I am always touched when reviewing the latest document, the “Catechetical Directory,” which formerly described the role of the parents as the “primary educators of their children in the faith.” It now refers to parents as “the primary witnesses to their children in the ways of our faith.” You see, education is about passing on information, witnessing is about passing on a lifestyle of faithful discipleship.

Our Faith Formation Program’s primary responsibility is to supplement what the children are already learning at home. Yes, our role is secondary to that of the parents. Many have taken this role to heart. Others need to reevaluate how they are fulfilling this responsibility. All parents can commit to a deeper involvement with witnessing to the ways of our faith by bringing their children to Mass each Sunday and reviewing what they have learned during each week’s class.

Of course, I am deeply grateful for the leadership of Lucy Creed, the Director of Faith Formation, and her two administrative assistants; Amy Lisa and Myra Ruppert. Most especially, thankful to those who serve as Catechists and in other roles in this important program of Faith Formation. . .”

I would also like to acknowledge those men and women who are involved with the catechesis of adults through our Pre-Cana Program, Baptismal Program, Adult Confirmation Program, RCIA (OCIA) and now the Alpha Program, which began this past week. Alpha is meant to awaken (or reawaken) faith in Jesus Christ in a personal way.

May God bless all our efforts to reach out to others as we walk with them in their journey to a deeper discipleship with the Lord. In that way they will be prepared to acknowledge and respond to the gift of Jesus who reminds us that “This is my body given for you” (Luke 22:19).

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.