Dear Friends and Parishioners,
Pax Christi semper vobiscum!
Congratulations to our students who were confirmed this weekend. I ask everyone to say a prayer for them that they may respond well to the call we all share to Christian discipleship in the spirit of service. I hope that their parents and godparents continue to journey with them as they embark on another stage of their sacramental life. Please know that our parish has a responsibility to everyone who receives the Sacraments to provide an impactful encounter with Jesus that would strengthen their commitment to discipleship. Our parish is challenged to give witness to our Profession of Faith. Inspiration is key to sustaining the life of those who choose to celebrate the sacramental life of the Church in our parish. Yet the question is: Have we committed ourselves as families, as members of a faith community or as individuals to live the Gospel convincedly for the sake of others?
It is extremely important that our commitment to Christian discipleship is life changing. Joy and enthusiasm are key factors for us to make others conscious of our participation in the mission of Jesus Christ. The same response must bring us a clearer vision of our identity as members and participants of our local parish. This summer we will have a lot of opportunities to express our willingness to be joyful participants in the life of our local church that will ratify our conscious response to God’s call to discipleship. As the Missionary Sisters of Saint John prepare to launch the Summer Camp for kids at the beginning of July, I would like to invite our parishioners who are already involved in working with school children to volunteer as activity facilitators, sports animators, outdoor activity organizers and many other duties that the Sisters need help with during the Summer Camp. Like our religious education sacramental programs, the goal of our Summer Camp for children is to educate, animate and provide them with a faith formation that is geared towards a conscious participation in the life of the Church. I ask also that our families consider enrolling their children to avail themselves of this very rare opportunity that promotes a culture of Christian discipleship.
In the long run, summertime is also a great opportunity for us to do outdoor parish activities such as food sales, outdoor Masses of Evangelization, field trips and other fellowship events that bring our people together. As announced over the last two weekends, the biggest fund-raising event of our parish will be on August 12th -13th -14th of this year. Please consider joining in the Kermes planning committee. The first organization meeting will be this Wednesday, June 8th.
One last thing, though it is already summertime and our church building is warmer because we do not have air conditioning, the Finance Council decided that they will not build a parish swimming pool this year! So, on a lighter note, you do not need to dress for church as if you are going to the beach. Perhaps we could reserve wearing shorts and tank tops as well as flip flops for when we go to the lake. This practice would help us maintain the proper decorum of our worship. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. This would also bring us a more meaningful consciousness that dressing up properly for church, especially during the peak of summer, is to send a message to our young children that a dress code is indicative of the importance of the place as well as what is appropriate for that place.
See you next weekend. God bless.
Sincerely in Christ and Mary,