Tag: Poinsettia Donations

Around the Parish – January 7, 2024

Written by on January 6, 2024. Posted in Around the Parish, News.

Happy New Year! As we step into 2024, I pray this message finds you embraced by the promise and possibilities that the new year brings, filled with the grace and blessings of the season.

Eucharistic Ministers for Nursing Home Visits:

I am grateful for those dedicated individuals who currently visit local nursing homes to bring the Eucharist to residents. However, we aspire to enhance this outreach by restarting weekly visits. We need more volunteers to serve as Eucharistic Ministers for these crucial visits. Your willingness to share the gift of communion is a powerful way to bring comfort and joy to those in need. Please contact the parish office for more details if you are interested in joining this vital ministry.

Mass Volunteers – Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors:

A heartfelt thank you to all who contribute their time as Eucharistic Ministers and Lectors during our masses. Your service is invaluable. Yet, the need for more volunteers persists. Don’t hesitate to step forward and offer your talents. Your involvement strengthens our worship experience as a community.

Epiphany Water and Blessing Bags:

Visit the sanctuary by the statue of Saint Joseph this weekend to find Ziplock bags containing chalk and the Epiphany House Blessing prayer. During mass this weekend, I will bless the water and chalk, which you can then use to bless your homes and workplaces. Please take one bag per family and follow the directions provided.

Spring Bible Study Registration:

Our Spring Bible Study awaits, and I encourage you to register by Monday, February 5, 2024. The cost is $20 per person, and your timely registration ensures that all necessary books can be purchased. We benefit from a parish discount, so let’s delve into the Word together.

Vacation Bible School Planning Meeting:

Although it may seem distant, Summer 2024 Vacation Bible School is on the horizon. Join our planning meeting on Wednesday, January 31, at 6 pm. Your input and enthusiasm are crucial to making this experience memorable for our children. Please mark your calendars and attend if you can.

Here are a few thoughts for the week ahead:

Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. Fear has two meanings: forget everything and run or with God, face everything and rise. The moment you received God’s forgiveness in confession, God forgave you; now do your part and leave the guilt behind.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – December 31, 2023

Written by on December 30, 2023. Posted in Around the Parish, News.

As we gather together in the warmth of our parish family, I am reminded of the profound beauty and challenge embedded in the concept of the Holy Family. The Holy Family, composed of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, serves as a timeless model for our earthly families. It is a beacon of love, devotion, and resilience, yet it is essential to recognize that even the Holy Family faced their share of trials.

In our human journey, it’s easy to fall into the trap of perceiving the Holy Family as an unattainable ideal, forgetting that they, too, encountered hardships. Mary and Joseph navigated the uncertainties of an unexpected pregnancy, sought refuge in a humble stable, and fled to Egypt to protect their child. Their experiences echo the very challenges many of our families grapple with today. It is through these struggles that the Holy Family becomes a relatable guide for our own earthly journey.

In embracing the reality that no family is perfect, we find solace and inspiration in the Holy Family’s unwavering commitment to each other and to God. Imperfection does not diminish the value of our earthly families; rather, it underscores the need for compassion, forgiveness, and a shared commitment to growth.

As we reflect on the Holy Family, let us remember that their strength lay not in the absence of challenges but in their response to them. Mary’s fiat, Joseph’s trust in divine guidance, and Jesus’ obedient submission to his earthly parents exemplify virtues we can cultivate in our own lives. It is in striving to embody these virtues that we draw closer to the ideal set by the Holy Family.

Our families are a work in progress. As we celebrate our joys and confront our challenges, let us be mindful of the transformative power of love and faith. In recognizing the imperfections within our families, we create space for grace to flourish and for God’s guiding hand to lead us toward greater unity and holiness.

May the Holy Family be a source of inspiration for our families, encouraging us to navigate the complexities of life with faith, love, and a commitment to grow together. In our imperfection, let us find the grace to mirror the divine qualities exemplified by the Holy Family.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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Around the Parish – December 25, 2023

Written by on December 24, 2023. Posted in News, Around the Parish.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to all! As we rejoice in the Christmas season, let our hearts turn to the profound beauty of the Incarnation – the moment when God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christmas is not merely a commemoration of a historical event; it’s a celebration of God’s intentional choice to be present among us. The manger in Bethlehem becomes the sacred stage where the divine and human intersect.

In the simplicity of the stable, God’s boundless love takes tangible form. The infant Jesus, born in humility, embodies a radical message: God’s desire to be intimately connected with humanity. The Incarnation reveals a God who doesn’t stand at a distance but enters into the very fabric of our existence.

As we exchange gifts and gather with loved ones, may we recognize the ultimate gift – Jesus’ presence in our lives. His birth is a declaration that God is not a distant observer but an active participant in our joys and struggles.

The significance of Christmas lies not just in the festivities but in the transformative power of God dwelling among us. Jesus’ presence brings light to our darkness, hope to our hearts, and salvation to our souls.

This Christmas, let our celebrations echo the profound truth of Emmanuel – God with us. In our interactions, may we mirror the love and compassion demonstrated by Jesus in his earthly journey. As we reflect on the Incarnation, may our lives become a testament to the ongoing miracle of God’s presence in the world.

May the gift of Jesus’ presence inspire us to be present to one another, sharing the love and grace that flow from the manger in Bethlehem. In doing so, our Christmas celebrations become more than rituals; they become a reflection of the eternal significance of God dwelling among His people.

Wishing you a Christmas season filled with the joy and wonder of the Incarnation.

Pax et Bonum, Fr. Andy

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