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Weekly Bulletin

Pastor's Blog,

We give thanks for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith, labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)

I have expressed my own gratitude with these words of St. Paul before but I cannot think of any other passage that better describes how I am feeling in light of all the hard work and dedication that our staff, ministers and volunteers continue to do on behalf of our communities. I am so blessed that in the midst of a pandemic, somehow we are able to shoulder on and take on the weight of our situation. Because of all of you, we are able to bear the burdens that none of us could have anticipated last year.

We are fast approaching the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls. While we will offer limited opportunities to worship in person, we are keeping the tradition of our All Souls Memorial Mass alive by recording the celebration in advance. You will be hearing more information about this soon.

Paul’s words remind us that we too have a role in remembering others, including those who have gone before us. I am remembering a quote by Flavia Weedn that I came across when researching for a funeral homily: “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” The beauty of our faith is that we believe that they are remembering us also. As difficult as it is to grieve the departed, our All Souls Liturgy allows us to remember our loved ones with gratitude that they were part of our lives.

Our joint service for all three parishes will be filmed at St. John the Baptist. The names of the deceased to be remembered are being compiled from our registries that record those who have had funerals in the churches. This year it is important to remember all those who have passed during the pandemic, especially during the early weeks where church services weren’t allowed. We encourage you to submit the names of others who have passed away since last November so that we can remember them as well. These names would include your friends and family members, as well as others with ties to our communities. Please don’t assume others will be submitting names on their behalf All are welcome.

Due to our filming schedule, please submit any names this week by calling or emailing the office by Sunday, October 25, preferably the Friday before. As we continue to navigate new challenges due to the pandemic, I would like to encourage everyone to help us move forward in the footsteps of Jesus. May our parish families pray and work for the betterment of all and may we always find the time to share our traditions with renewed visions.

God bless you all!

Fr. George

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