Dear Friends,
Gratitude is the word that tumbles out of my mouth on the last day of the month of December and the last day of YEAR 2023!
One of my dear friends wrote me this note: “As I prepared during this Advent I counted my blessings and you were at the top of the list.” I thought, yes, counting our blessings is a perfect way to conclude this year. As I write this last piece at the end of this year, God is on top of my list, and of course you come just next to God Himself.
Thank you, Lord, for leading us through this year of blessings. Thank you that we were spared the worst hurricanes and disasters. Thank you for helping us navigate so many curbs, curves, bends and sometimes just plain straight roads. You have been with us all through the days and have blessed us with the so generous and wonderful peopleof this St. John’s Family.
With your astounding help and commitment, we have grown in our spiritual life. I trust we also grew closer to our goal of becoming saints. It is ok if we took two steps forward and one step backward, as long as we kept on the path and kept our focus on JESUS.
During this pastyear, we have seen wonders!
- We have accompanied people in their births and baptisms; we have seen the joy of our children receiving their First Communion and Confirmation
- We have seen the intentional efforts of the parents to ensure their children receive good Faith Formation
- We have seen many marriages and convalidations, all intended to give rightful place to God
- We have also accompanied the families grieving the loss of loved ones as they gathered for Funeral Masses, and we have prayed unceasingly for the repose of the souls of our beloved dead
- We have given prominence to our Eucharistic Lord, expanding hours of Adoration, reviving and amplifying our Adoration Team, and giving Him honor and praise through the many parishioners who have become committed weekly
- We have had spiritual sessions of various kinds to lift our heartsand aspirations
- We gave birth to many new ministries, clear signs of the presence ofthe Holy Spirit inour community
- We have given a prominent place to Brother Andre Bessette at the drop-off area, keeping him busy still, as he blesses all those who enterour campus
- We have accomplished our goal of honoring our Mother Mary with a beautiful Grotto meant to be an “oasis of peace and prayer”
Lord, what a blessing You have been to this community! Now all know why you top my list when I count my many blessings.
As we begin the YEAR of GRACE 2024, we seek God’s continued accompaniment, blessing, and outpourings of grace, humbly asking for His help in keeping our focuson HIM alone.
For those who have kept up with their resolutions from this past year, especially to follow the Bible in a Year and/or Catechism of the Catholic Church podcasts with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Congratulations! For those of you who are still thinking of a resolution for 2024, please choose to follow one ofthese podcasts. It is oneofthe best things you can do.
As always, we begin the new year with the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Because this feast falls on a Monday this year, it is not a holy day of obligation, but . . . we still will offer two Masses: one at 10 a.m. in the churchand another at 4 p.m. at the Grotto. Let us ask our Mother Mary to lead us through the year toward perfect faith and hope and love.
The 1st day of January is the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord. On this day, the 8-day high celebration of the Birth of Christ comes to an end, but the Christmas Season continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday, 8 January 2024. Please keep your Christmas decorations up until 8 January, so thatyou have due time to savor the sweet mystery of God becoming man.
On behalf of Fr. Vincent, the Deacons, and the Staff, I wish you a Joyful, God-filled, and Grace-filled New Year!
With Love, Fr. John