Dear Parishioners:
Congratulations to all our high school graduates! Our local public schools celebrated graduation this week and our Catholic high schools celebrated graduation over the past few weeks as well. While our graduates should be proud of their accomplishments, I would say that the best is yet to come. In a special way, I urge all graduates to listen to God’s call in their lives. Many times, at graduation, we ask the graduate, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would say the better question is to ask is: “What do you think GOD wants you to be when you grow up?” God has plan for each one of us; part of that plan may be a vocation to the priesthood and religious life. I urge all graduates to pray and ask for God’s guidance for their lives in the future.
I also encourage all our graduates who are going away to college to become connected to the Catholic community on their campus. Every college, secular or religious, has a Catholic group (often, but not always, called the Newman Club or Newman Center). The Newman Center provides pastoral support and Catholic ministry to students, in addition to providing a space to meet other Catholic students interested in growing in their faith.
As you know, this week we celebrate the 4th of July, also referred to as “Independence Day.” This day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the 13 colonies regarded themselves as a new nation and no longer a part of the British Empire. Interestingly enough, the actual vote to declare independence took place two days earlier, on July 2nd. While a Committee of Five worked on the actual wording of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was the principal author. As it turns out, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the only signers of the Declaration to later become President and both Adams and Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.
Summer has arrived and I hope that many of us have vacations, large or small, planned. I simply ask that you do NOT take a vacation from the Lord. Don’t forget to go to Mass over the summer, even if you are in an unfamiliar place. You can simply “google” MASS TIMES and you can find a Catholic parish in the area of your vacation.
God’s grace does not take a vacation from us; let us not take a vacation from Him! As I noted a few weeks ago, on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), reception of the Eucharist is essential to drawing closer to Christ. Holiness is a life-long project and takes a spiritual discipline. It is not easy BUT it is possible for everyone!
I also respectfully ask that you continue to support our parish financially during the summer. Collections usually drop off during the summer months and the Parish does need your continued support, even during the summer months.
Remember: Together, we can do something beautiful for God.
In Christ,
Fr. Brian
PS: Don’t forget our PARISH CLEAN-UP DAY. It will be on Thursday, July 4 from 9:30 to 11:00 AM.
Bring rakes, cutters, saws, loppers, shovels, etc. See you then!