A Message from your Pastor

November 21-22, 2009

Dear Friends,

We had a bit of excitement at the 10:30 Mass last Sunday when one of our servers accidentally caught her hair on fire. She suffered some minor injuries, but is doing fine.
I want to extend my thanks to all those who so quickly responded to the situation and helped her put out the fire before it caused any real lasting harm. Your quick response is a sign of your care and willingness to offer your own self in a dangerous situation. You responded exactly as Jesus calls us to do; to offer your life for the sake of your neighbor.

I also extend my thanks to those attending the 10:30 Mass for your prayer-filled presence after the event and your continued focus on celebrating the Eucharist in the midst of many distractions.

This is the week when we give thanks to God for the many blessings we have received. I will be thanking him for the opportunity to be your pastor, for the daily witness you give to me of your dedication to the work of the gospel, for your support and prayers for my ministry, and for your willingness to share your faith with me and others. For all this and so many other things, I am deeply grateful.

This week, too, we send out parishioners with baskets of food to give a Thanksgiving meal to more than 350 families in our community. Those deliveries are precious encounters between the Body of Christ. Those bringing the food and those accepting the food are involved in a spiritual encounter where both are fed and touched by the presence of the divine.

Next Sunday we begin the season of Advent. It is our liturgical time of waiting and preparing to have Jesus be reborn in our hearts and lives. Hopefully, you will be able to find the time to pray and reflect during this month of Advent preparation. Doing so will certainly be helpful in the process of opening your hearts to an ever deeper presence of Christ. Please look at the opportunities in the parish for further spiritual growth and times for private prayer. Those of you who are interested in a bible study; we will be studying the prophet Hosea on Monday mornings at 9:15 a.m. and Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Steinhausen Center. Please join us!

Happy Feast of Christ the King!

Fr. Damian