Dear friends,
I wish to express my overwhelming sense of gratitude to all of you for the outpouring of support and generous love you offered to Fr. Brad as we bade farewell to him on Monday, February 20, 2023. Your presence at his Funeral Mass was an evident sign of your love for your beloved priest of God. He is blessed now with freedom from all the burdens of growing old, sickness, and pain. His sister Donna Parr and her son Brian Parr who attended the Funeral Mass at St. John’s are exceedingly grateful to all of you for the way we honored Fr. Brad. In her message she sent to me she said: “I can’t thank you enough for all you did for us and for the wonderful service for Brad. You are very special to me.” You are indeed very special in your generosity and hospitality. We continue to offer our prayers for the repose of Fr. Brad’s soul.
A very special thanks to all involved in making the funeral liturgy and the luncheon so special. We truly are blessed to have such a dedicated team of people willing to serve and to do it with a smile. Thanks also to those who visited Fr. Brad while he was at the Titusville Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and to you all for praying for his healing and recovery. Thanks to the many who expressed their willingness to be of help at the funeral and luncheon. Thanks to those who expressed your sympathies and who offered Masses for Fr. Brad. Thanks to Misty Huff who worked alongside him for 10 years. All praise and glory be to God. Fr. Brad was truly blessed.
I would like to share with you some of my personal reasons for gratitude concerning Fr. Brad. When I anointed Fr. Brad on the February 9th, I saw him wipe tears from his eyes. This was a sign to me that he might have known what was happening to his system. When I first heard he was going to Notre Dame, I was not very optimistic about his return. I feared that if he died there, we would not have his remains here to celebrate his funeral. So, I am very grateful to God for taking him so peacefully in his sleep while he was still with us.
I am also grateful to God for the 5+ beautiful years we spent together, wherein I had the opportunity to learn the way he did things and during which we shouldered some of the burdens together, celebrated some high points in his life such as birthdays and jubilees, and got to know lots of restaurants. I watched him cook dinners with passion (while dish washing of course was my portion), protected him sometimes from some difficult situations and people, watched over him when he went through surgeries, and was a caregiver when he was bedridden. I saw him retire yet show his continued interest in coming to St. John’s to serve even after he retired. I found such great joy in serving him. He was a father figure for me. He was a true pastor, a friend, and a brother in Holy Cross. Adieu, Fr. Brad! We will keep you in our hearts forever.
Ash Wednesday has already past, and now we set foot in the First Sunday of Lent. The First Reading, from the Book of Genesis, narrates the story of the fall of Adam and Eve, which paves the way for sin to enter the world and afflict humanity. St Paul tells us categorically in his letter to the Romans that through one man—Adam—sin entered the world. A primary focus of the sacred season of Lent is on helping us recognize the affection we have for sin even now and our continued need for salvation. The only antidote is Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Matthew today shows us how, through and by obedience to the Father, Jesus overcame his temptations to sin. This is an example for us of the way to break free from sin. St. Paul says it best in these words: “Just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act, acquittal and life came to all. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5: 19). Let us then spend these 40 days of Lent in openness to God’s Holy Spirit. May he transform us, so that we may avoid sin and break its firm grip on us.
Please see the bulletin for all the details about the parish’s events for this Lent. Every Tuesday we have something to help us enter more deeply into the season of Lent. All the Fridays of Lent are filled with time for prayer. And Fr. Tim Daly will be here to present our Lenten Mission on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, March 6 through 8, at 7 p.m.
Have a JOYFUL LENT!
With love,
Fr. John