Dear Parishioners; We come to the end of the liturgical year with the Solemnity of Christ the King. The official title of today’s feast is “Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.” Through his death on the cross, rising from the dead and ascension into heaven, Jesus won our salvation and opened the way to eternal life. Today’s Gospel reading from the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew is the parable of the sheep and goats at the end of time. It closes with what we know as the corporal works of mercy.
Dear Parishioners; Life is best described as a journey with a beginning and an end. As we come to the end of another Church year, we are invited to reflect on what is often referred to as the last things – judgment, heaven and hell; but we do so not in fear but in hope, for while our earthly lives will end, the promise of life eternal shines forth in Christ.
Dear Parishioners; Next week, our second collection will be for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Over forty-six million people in the United States live in poverty. This collection supports programs to empower people to identify and address the obstacles they face as they work to lift themselves out of poverty. By supporting this collection, you give people a hand up, and not a hand out. Learn more about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development at www.usccb.org/chd/collection.
Dear Parishioners, This week, November 5 – 11, 2017, the Church celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week. Did you know that in our country, compared to fifty (50) years ago, there are 20,000 fewer priests and 130,000 fewer religious sisters? At the same time, the Catholic population has continued to grow steadily. Many factors have contributed to the decline: growing secularism, a lengthened period of adolescence, attitudes about celibacy, etc. During this week of National Vocational Awareness week, please continue to pray that young people from our parish community and throughout the country will hear and respond to God’s call.