Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The words from Ash Wednesday still echo in our souls: “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” Recalling that our time on earth is limited can help us be about the business of discipleship in the here and now. For a disciple, there should always be a certain sense of urgency. We marked ourselves with ashes as a “new beginning,” allowing the life of Jesus Christ to make us whole and new again, and to fill us with renewed purpose for living His life through our own.

As we go with Jesus into the desert this Sunday, we notice some liturgical changes to the liturgy. The Church alters the liturgy somewhat in order to help us enter more deeply into this most penitential of seasons. First, you’ll notice more silence. This is meant to help us enter more deeply into contemplation and to meditate on the Word of God and the Sacrament we are receiving. There is no Gloria for the Sunday Masses. This hymn of joy along with the Alleluia we forgo until we joyfully bring them back again at Easter. We do, of course, live today on the “other side” of the Resurrection. Our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving is done in joy because we already know the supreme happiness that awaits Christ’s faithful in heaven. It has already been won for us through the Passion, Death, and glorious Resurrection of Christ.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We stand again on the brink of the holy season of Lent, forty days of grace to prepare us for our great feast of Easter. This Wednesday, Feb 22, is Ash Wednesday. While not a Holy Day of Obligation, it is nevertheless an immensely important day in the life of every Catholic seeking to be a more faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Masses for Ash Wednesday: 8:20am, 12noon, & 5:30pm in English; and 7pm in Spanish.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In case you missed my announcement at the Masses last weekend: The Bishop has asked and I have accepted a new assignment. On Mar 9, I will take on the position as rector of the cathedral parish in Charleston. (Some have asked what the title “rector” means. Traditionally, the priest in charge of a cathedral parish is called “rector” since the bishop is considered its proper “pastor.” It is also where we get the word “rectory” to designate a house where priests live.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We give a heartfelt congratulations to our parishioner, Alex Leguizamon, who on Sat, Feb 4, was ordained to the Holy Order of the Diaconate. Alex has been preparing for over five years, and now his prayer and hard work have come to fruition! Since Alex is bilingual, we will be seeing him serve at both the English and Spanish Masses.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
“The anniversary of a church’s dedication is celebrated with the rank of a solemnity.” – Roman Pontifical, Rite of Dedication of a Church, 27.

This Sunday we recall the day our church building was consecrated and dedicated to the worship of God. At that moment, this space was transformed from being a mere building into a church – a true, holy place of worship. If you were present on that chilly night of February 2, 2015, you might recall the first action of the Bishop was to sprinkle the people, the walls, and the altar with blessed water. This symbolized the moment of your own baptism, that exact moment when you were transformed from being a “regular person” into a true temple of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On Saturday, February 4, our parishioner Alejandro
(Alex) Leguizamon will be ordained a deacon at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston. For about five and a half years, Alex has been preparing, and now the time has come! Please pray for Alex and his family as he makes his final spiritual preparations for this important gift of the Holy Order of Deacon.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thinking back into one’s childhood, one of the things that often comes to mind is learning to say “thank you.” It seems odd that such a thing has to be a learned behavior. As we grow older and reflect on the love and sacrifices others make for us, I believe it becomes easier to see and appreciate the importance of expressing gratitude to those around us.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday, Jan 8, as we joyfully celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, we also are happy to host a visit from our Bishop, Jacques Fabre. This will be Bishop Fabre’s very first visit to Aiken. The Bishop will be the main celebrant for the 11:00am and 1:00pm Masses. Then, at 2:30pm we will host reception for him in St. Angela Hall. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Bishop Fabre!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy New Year of Grace – 2023! The civil new year brings us an opportunity to have that moment in time to start again. For us as Catholic Christians, we have a unique opportunity since this transition occurs during one of our most powerful and important liturgical celebrations – the Season of Christmas. In particular, today is what we call the Octave Day of Christmas and the celebration of the most important title of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mother of God.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

If you are visiting with us, welcome! The Christmas Masses often bring many visitors to our parish, especially family members and friends of parishioners. We pray you find a warm welcome from our family of St. Mary’s Parish and School. I invite all visitors and parishioners to receive our free gift, the book Holy Moments by Matthew Kelly, as you leave Mass. It will deepen your faith, hope, and love. Special thanks go to our generous anonymous donor, who has made the gift of this book possible.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are in the midst of a 120-Day Million Dollar Challenge, and pledges have been coming in already as I write this! Since the holidays create accelerated deadlines for this bulletin, I am writing this column only a couple of days after we introduced the challenge at Masses. I will be providing updates on our progress as soon as I can get them to you.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This weekend at the 11:00am and 1:00pm Masses, we make our final farewell to Fr. Francisco as he leaves us to become pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Greenwood. In his over two years with us, he has become part of our St. Mary’s family. He won’t be far away, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy a visit from you.

On December 19, we give a very warm St. Mary’s welcome to Fr. Orlando Serrano. Please see a personal note from him below. Welcome, Father Orlando!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As Advent begins to get into full swing, we come to the truly beautiful Holy Day of Obligation, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this Thursday, Dec 8. Love means that we joyfully fulfill certain obligations – things we must do. But, it is an obligation fulfilled in joy. People who are married know this! Catholics out of love not only are obliged to participate at Holy Mass all Sundays but also a very few Holy Days.