Dear friends,
Happy Birthday to our Mother Church! Pentecost Sunday marks the beginning of the Church, the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles to embolden them in their commission to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Make 16: 15). What the Apostles started in proclaiming and spreading the Gospel has continued uninterrupted to the present day and will continue into the future for as long as the Earth exists. Thanks to the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit, the work of the disciples of Jesus remains as important as ever. However, given our nature and proclivity to sidestep our Christian call to responsible discipleship, it is good to ask the Holy Spirit to renew in us his gifts so that we might be reinvigorated and reinspired in our duty to proclaim the Gospel – “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” In the Pentecost Sequence, we invoke the Holy Spirit to come down on each and every one of us as we resound with one voice, “Veni, Sancte Spiritus,” “Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!” In praying the St. John’s Parish Community Prayer, you are, in effect, proclaiming this everyday: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your Peace and kindle in us the fire of your love.”
I take this moment to thank our entire Faith Formation team: Dawn Hurley, Schonda Rodriguez, Gaye Solano, Tom Buddington, and Terry Tagye who, along with our dedicated catechists and volunteers, have toiled relentlessly this past year to keep our programming alive, despite the many challenges posed by the pandemic. Final sessions for SJE Kids, EDGE, and Life Teen programming were held last week, and we extend our best wishes for a safe, restful, and fun summer. I also want to thank the parents/guardians and grandparents for their unfailing support of our programming, continuing to make faith formation a priority in their homes and in our communities, growing our Catholic faith together. Our team is now gearing up to board the Rocky Railway train for a weeklong adventure beginning on 14 June to teach our kids that no matter what life throws our way, “Jesus’ Power Will Pull Us Through,” this year’s Vacation Bible School theme.
I am very grateful to those who have signed up for service in one or more of our numerous ministries. With the gradual return to some semblance of normalcy, we are ready to reopen and reinvigorate all of our ministries. We sincerely appreciate those already serving and know that, without your involvement and dedication, we would not be able to do all that we are called to do as a parish. For those who have recently signed up, we are hosting an Open House on Wednesday, 26 May, from 2 to 6 p.m. in the parish hall. We invite you to join us for a “meet-and-greet” and to help make plans to get things going again. For those who have not yet signed up but would like to join a ministry, please come and see where your gifts and talents might best be put to service in our parish and local communities.
I would like to thank Fran Notaro for her service in coordinating our Hospitality Ministry, one crucial to both parish and liturgical life. As we begin to revive this ministry, I’d like to welcome Mary Broderick and Brigita McGuinness to the leadership role and thank them in advance for their commitment.
I would also like to thank Gavin Keith who came to us at a critical time during the pandemic. This young man’s expertise ensured livestreaming of the Mass when so many were unable to attend, along with archived recordings of weddings, funerals, First Communion and Confirmation Masses, and other noteworthy milestones in the life of our parish. With heavy hearts, we say goodbye but wish him all the very best as he pursues other opportunities to further his education and experience in the field of communications. Thank you, Gavin!
Finally, this week we celebrate our graduates, both high school and college. Congratulations on reaching your goal! We thank God for the gift of their lives and their many talents, and we wish them God’s abundant blessings as they enter another phase in life. Thank you, parents, for your love and support.
Have a blessed week!
With love, Fr. John