Dear friends,
On 14 September, the Church celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Although a great feast, it is not one associated with the Congregation of Holy Cross. However, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is strongly associated with our community. In fact, because of his great devotion to the Mother of Sorrows, our founder, Blessed Fr. Basil Moreau, assigned her Patroness of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Fr. Vincent will offer his reflections at the Masses on the history and founding of the Congregation of Holy Cross in LeMans, France in 1837. Our hope is that we might thank God for the work of the many influential brothers and fathers of our community. We at St. John’s are blessed to have relics of St. Brother André Bessette and Bl. Fr. Basil Moreau in our altar, interceding for us in heaven.
Today, on the 25th Sunday in Year C, Jesus continues to challenge us by inviting us to rearrange our priorities. He calls us to reflect on the place of wealth in our lives and how we use our gifts. Do wealth and material possessions occupy the central place in your life? How would you respond to this observation of Jesus: “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon (Luke 16:13).”
I thank all those who attended the funeral Mass of Fr. Donald Mainardi on Friday. It was a fitting homage to the simple soul who loved to celebrate Masses at St. John the Evangelist Community. May his soul rest in peace!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, 2 October. We will celebrate with Bishop John Noonan and thank God for the many blessings he has showered upon us. Please join us for the 11 a.m. Mass and plan to participate in our first-ever Eucharistic procession. A picnic luncheon will follow, and there will be games and goodies for the kids. Please help us to better serve you by indicating how many in your family will be attending the luncheon in one of three ways: using the tear-off sheet from the bulletin, going to our website, or calling the office at 321-637- 9650.
I would also request of those who are able to, please assist with the many planned activities; visit our website and use the SignUpGenius to respond. In addition, we are asking for donations of bottled water, sodas, and cookies for all to enjoy on that day.
Last weekend during all of the Masses, we listened to the presentation on the “Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church.” What a privilege and blessing for us as Catholics to know that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, and that he continues to nourish and sustain us on our journey of faith. May the powerful witness of so many saints sustained by the Eucharist help each of us to walk our journey with confidence in Jesus Christ, his Real Presence animating in our lives. Please visit our website for more details on the Eucharistic Revival.
Have a blessed week!
With love,
Fr. John