Dear Parishioners:
Daylight Savings Time greetings from the rectory! I hope everyone remembered to “spring ahead” and set your clocks appropriately. I am looking forward to the sun setting later.
It has been an interesting 10 days. As you may have heard, on Tuesday, February 24th, I had some sharp chest pains and so I went over St. Catherine of Siena Hospital. After a Cardiac CAT Scan, they discovered I had some blockages, so I am now a new member of the “STENT CLUB.” I had two stents placed in my arteries. And, so, I am on a daily aspirin, blood thinner, etc. I meet the cardiologist on Thursday, so will know more then. I am pretty sure that I will have to give up hotdogs for breakfast!
I will say that I received excellent care at St. Catherine’s Hospital. As you may know, the Cardiac unit is really under the auspices of St. Francis Hospital which is the flagship hospital for all things cardiac. The doctors, nurses and staff were great!
I hope you had the opportunity to come to some or all of the Parish Mission with Fr. Hugh Gillespie of the Montfort Missionaries. Whenever we give God a little bit of time, God can do great things for us. On TUESDAY, MARCH 10th, at 7:30 PM, Fr. Brian Barr will be leading us in an Evening of Recollection. We will pray Evening Prayer together and then Fr. Brian will speak on “Meeting Christ in the Desert this Lent.” Also, we have Stations of the Cross every Friday at 12:45 PM (after 12:10 PM Mass) and 7:30 PM (with the choir).
Fr. Cona and I were also on the Catholic Faith Network (CFN) Telethon last Sunday evening. We had a great time, and I think we helped raise some money for CFN. The students in the school got a big kick out of it! Fr. Cona won the “popular” vote; he had the most pledges BUT I won the “electoral college” – I brought in the most per pledge. Nonetheless, I will be taking him out to dinner because, as all of you with adult children know, the “kids” still never pay, and dad always pays!
Pope Francis has said, “Lent is the favorable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbor… May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true conversion.”
Sometimes we say, “I would love to do these things, but I am just too busy.” St. Francis de Sales once said, “Every Christian needs a half-hour of prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour!” Very wise words from a very saintly man!
These Lenten opportunities are simply that: opportunities. As with all opportunities, we can choose to take advantage of them or not to take advantage of them. Take advantage of these opportunities; allow the Lord, who loved you so much that He died for you on the Cross, to touch your heart and bring you closer to Him.
Remember: Together, we can do something beautiful for God.
In Christ,
Msgr. Brian McNamara
Fr. Brian