Dear Friends in Christ,
Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! Happy Easter! Thank you for your presence and prayers as we celebrate this special feast. I especially extend a warm welcome to anyone who is visiting with us from other places or faith backgrounds. As we gather today on the holy ground of our parish campus, we celebrate the beautiful gift of life that God has blessed each of us with. If you are with us today but do not worship with our community on a regular basis, I welcome you home to the Catholic Church and extend an invitation to visit with one of the Priests, Religious Sisters or Staff to answer any questions you may have about our faith. We are here to serve you and to guide you in the journey of the beauty of our faith.
During the Easter Season we focus on celebrations of the Sacraments of Initiation. At our Vigil Mass we welcome 8 new Catholics into our Parish Family and others will be joining us in Full Communion in May. In a few weeks we will be celebrating First Eucharist with the children of our parish and every weekend we celebrate the gift of baptism. Today after all of the Masses and in honor of the Year of Faith, we have a special gift of a holy water bottle for you to take home as a reminder of your own baptism and entrance into the Church. Water is necessary for life to be sustained and flourish. Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are introduced into a life of faith and an amazing journey with the Lord. I pray that as we continue to walk together towards a personal and intimate relationship with Christ, we may grow towards embracing a heart that is burning to know, love and serve God by loving and serving others. Is your heart burning?
Thank you also for your patience as we continue through the process of construction on our campus. The new driveway and drop off is almost complete and will be a great help to our parishioners with special needs. The parking lot on the west side of the church building is complete and you are welcome to park there on the weekends. After the 6:30am Sunrise Mass we will be taking a walk around the track and field for the first time. This is a soft opening as we are visioning the use of the field as well as preparing guidelines for its use. Once again… your patience is appreciated!
I pray that you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter! When you come before the Lord, please pray for me, for the other Priests who serve our parish, for our Religious Sisters- the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and for our Staff. Know that we will pray for you, your loved ones and your intentions. We may not see each other each day but may we meet each day in our prayers!
In Christ,
Very Rev. Stephen D. Parkes, V.F.
Pastor