Dear Friends
I am so deeply grateful to all of you for being such great parishioners. Without your support we would not be able to accomplish so much in our parish community. Besides our uplifting liturgies and the many spiritually enriching programs and sessions and presentations we also reach out to the poor and those who are vulnerable. I was so thrilled and over joyed to see so many of you who had come to pack food for the Children’s Hunger Project whom we have been faithfully supporting. So, a huge thanks to all of you and most especially those who made it on Saturday the 16th November to physically be present to help in the packing of the food. What we have done is remarkable. Caring for the poor and the neglected and reaching out to them has always been one of the quintessential characteristics of the Catholic Church. We have yet again demonstrated our ability to be witnesses to mercy.
In his Apostolic Letter, Misericordia et Misera promulgated on 20th November 2016, Pope Francis designated the Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time “World Day of the Poor.” In that letter in para 21 Pope Francis wrote: “It will be a day that will help communities and each baptized person to reflect on how poverty is at the heart of the Gospel and on the fact that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (Cf. Luke 16: 19-21) there can be no justice or social peace. This day will represent a genuine form of new evangelization (cf. Matthew 11:5) which can renew the face of the Church as she perseveres in her perennial activity of pastoral conversion and witness to mercy.”
Apart from what we do locally as a parish to help the poor, the diocese has a very unique wing known as the Catholic Charities which reaches out to those in desperate need. I wish to thank you for your generous support of the activities of the Catholic Charities annual collection last week.
The Remembrance Mass has always been a very moving experience. On the 9th November we had the opportunity to remember those beloved ones who have gone on to the Lord this past year. As the families are still grappling with the raw pain of their irreplaceable loss, we continue to stand with them and pray for the faithful departed souls that they might reap the harvest of our prayers.
As you know there are so many ministries in our parish. While most are visible some are not. One such ministry is called the Altar Guild. I want to specially recognize Peggy Thorpe, Kathleen Nave and Emily and Steve Swihura who have been actively busy doing so much for the past many years to make sure that every thing is set up and ready when we come to worship. They remove the wax and make sure the Altar Cloth is neatly arranged and the candles are trimmed and that the priests Alb and Vestments are clean and pressed. They also make sure of the stock of sacramental bread and wine and candles. Thank you, team, for your perseverance and commitment to this much hidden ministry.
Have a Blessed Week!
With Love, Fr. John