Becoming the Child of God You Are

03-03-2019Pastor's LetterRev. Gregory B. Wilson, VF

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

What a gift and a blessing it was to have Sr. Magdalena and Sr. Mary Avila here for our parish mission! I hope you were able to join us for at least part of the mission. It was a superb preparation for the holy season of Lent. Also, please pray for the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. They are a terrific example of a thriving religious community with around 140 sisters and a median age of 31. Their primary apostolate is teaching in schools. May God continue to bless them, and may their words to us in the parish mission bear great fruit!

Ash Wednesday is this week, March 6. Although not a holy day of obligation, it remains an important, solemn day for Catholics around the world as we go into the desert with Jesus. It’s a time to refocus, reform, and repent. It is an opportunity to examine our lives, give our struggles to God, and invite Him to help each of us become more the image of God – the child of God – that we are.

God – the child of God – that we are. “Lent is the perfect time to form new life-giving habits and abandon old self-destructive habits. But most of us just give up chocolate. Then, when Easter arrives, we realize we really haven’t grown spiritually since the beginning of Lent. Giving things up can help us to have a meaningful Lent, but that’s not what Lent is really all about. Lent is about doing something – something bold to become a better husband or wife, father or mother, son or daughter, friend, neighbor, etc. What if this year you did more than just give up something during Lent? Do something life-changing.” (from Dynamic Catholic)

This year as well, there Dynamic Catholic is offering a free resource you can sign up for online – Best Lent Ever. Just go to the address that follows, and follow the instructions. Your sign from God is here. God is offering you something free to help. Take it! www.dynamiccatholic.com/best-lent-ever

In addition to the Lenten activities you’ll find in the bulletin, we are also planning another evening to pray for the healing of victims of sexual abuse, especially those abused by clergy and others in the Church. We’ll also pray, of course, for the “concrete and effective measures” that will come from the recent summit held at the Vatican. The bishops of the United States are already working on ways to intensify the Dallas Charter, which will include establishing “specific protocols for handling accusations against bishops, user-friendly reporting mechanisms, and the essential role transparency must play in the healing process.” (Cardinal DiNardo, President of the USCCB.)

Finally, an update on our columbarium project. The project is moving along extremely well. Very soon we hope to allow people to begin purchasing niches. Keeping in mind that columbarium projects are unique, there will be a certain number of niches we will have to pre-sell so that it pays for itself. We will not have a debt for this project. Praying that you and your loved ones have a holy and fruitful Lent!

Father Wilson

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