From Our Pastors
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. During these strange days we have become increasingly aware of how interdependent we are.
This is particularly true in a community like ours. We depend on each other to provide what we can, when we can, so that all may share the benefits of our common life. Every day we celebrate masses, hear confessions, provide counsel, comfort the sick and homebound, reach out and support families in need. Our days are punctuated by the demands of busy parishes, both parishes in the midst of major renovations requiring much time and dedication and cooperation. And trying to manage it all during a pandemic and an unprecedentedly turbulent time in society.
These weeks of late summer we have been celebrating those special Catholic moments: baptisms, first communions and first confessions, confirmations, baptisms and marriages. This Saturday we will celebrate the 100 years and four months of Jose Perez Pagan’s life. With his family we will be able to pray him into eternal life full of gratitude and trust in the loving mercy of our God.
These are special moments. Blessings. A privilege to be a part of and to share. When a family calls asking for a funeral. When parents seek out baptism for their child. When a couple want to celebrate their God-given love for each other in church. How do such moments come about?
What makes all this possible? Your generosity week in and week out makes it possible. Our commitment and fidelity to turning up and contributing regularly makes it happen. Like many, during this time we have had strange dreams and sought to manage the rising anxiety. One recurring dream is we get a call for a funeral and no one is there to answer the call. The staff had to move on because we could not pay them. The priest had nothing to eat and nowhere to live. The church was closed for non-payment of bills. Like many small businesses throughout the country, indeed throughout the world, we are struggling to keep staff, pay bills, and stay open for when people need us. We are open. We are providing services. We are paying our bills. We are blessed. We are blessed because of you and your generosity.
Thank you for your ongoing support. Thank you for the hours you put into committees. The time and energy and creativity you put into the social action and outreach, faith formation, children’s programming, reading and serving at mass, hospitality and all the countless things you do – we do it together. It’s what makes us a community. It is what makes us Church. Thank you for remembering to send in your check or contribute via PushPay. It all adds up. It keeps the lights on and the doors open.
What you do, and what you contribute, is seen. It makes all the difference. And for that and for you we are grateful. So the very simple message this week is:
THANK YOU.
Fr. Mark Lane, C.O. and Fr. Michael Callaghan, C.O.
