Dear Parishioners:
This past Saturday, July 26th, was the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, the Blessed Mother. That also makes them the grandparents of Jesus. So, I like to call July 26th “Catholic Grandparents Day.”
Pope Francis said:
There are some things we really need to take care of: children and grandparents… Grandparents are the living memory of the family. They passed on the faith; they transmitted the faith to us…How important grandparents are for family life, for the passing on of the human and religious heritage which is so essential to each and every society. How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogues, especially within the context of the family.
Pope St. John Paul II said:
Grandparents are “messengers of tenderness” and the “wisdom of lived experience.”
Pope Benedict XVI said:
They (grandparents) are living examples of faith and tradition, passing down wisdom and religious understanding to younger generations.
I would also like to encourage all grandparents to take seriously the responsibility of passing on the Catholic faith to our grandchildren. Take the grandkids to Mass, teach them the Hail Mary, Our Father, etc.
I would also like to encourage everyone to sign up for the CATHOLIC ACTION NETWORK. Go to: www.nyscatholic.org. The Catholic Conference will send you emails regarding important issues and legislation affecting us as Catholics. It is a good resource to know what is going on.
I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the Catholic Ministries Appeal. As you may recall, this is a yearly appeal from the Diocese to fund the good works of the diocese. The Catholic Ministries Appeal is not new; in fact, the Appeal is more than 40 years old. The Appeal first began under Bishop McGann!
As part of the Appeal, every parish has a goal. There are envelopes at the doors of the church. As you may recall from bulletin inserts about the Appeal, the Appeal helps pay for the great work of Catholic Charities (meals-onwheels, senior citizen housing, unwed mothers, etc.), Catholic school and clergy formation for priests and deacons, Young Adult and college Campus Ministry, etc. I, myself, make a pledge each year because I believe that the work of the Appeal is important. Please join me; no gift is too small.
Remember: Together, we can do something beautiful for God.
In Christ,
Fr. Brian