Totally Yours

05-19-2019Pastor's LetterRev. Gregory B. Wilson, VF

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Pope St. John Paul II’s motto was Totus Tuus, “Totally Yours.” He had placed himself totally in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary so that he might imitate her eternal “Yes” to God in everything. She teaches us by her example and intercession how to offer an enthusiastic “Yes!” to God’s plan for our own lives. We can learn how to be good and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ by imitating the best and first disciple, Mary.

In this same spirit, St. Mary’s is excited to again offer our annual summer camp June 10-14 for children in rising grades 1-6, led by the group Totus Tuus, a summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship. Our week-long program assists parents and grandparents in the evangelizing and catechizing of their children and grandchildren by supplementing the work they are already doing. (You are, after all, the first and primary teachers of your children in the ways of the faith.)

Totus Tuus is concerned not only with teaching the faith but also igniting the hearts of the team members and young people. The result has been the formation of young adults who continue to dedicate themselves to the Church’s mission of evangelization. Mass will be celebrated every day in Old St. Mary’s at 11:30am, and parents and all parishioners are invited to come and pray with us. Also, on Wednesday evening, June 12, we’ll have a parish dinner, and all are invited.

The Feast Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians is this Friday, May 24, a solemnity for us. Perhaps plan to attend Mass and pray for your parish! Our mission remains the same as when we were founded in 1853: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (St. Matthew 28:19-20). It can be summed up in the last words of the Virgin Mary beautifully preserved in Scripture, “Do whatever He tells you” (St. John 2:5). Please join us in Old St. Mary’s for the holy rosary at 5pm followed by Mass with special music at 5:30pm. Please note that the school Mass will be transferred from the normal Wednesday to Friday, May 24 at 8:30am in Old St. Mary’s.

We continue to pray the Prayer of St. Michael at the end of Sunday Masses, especially for the holiness of the Church’s ministers and laity. Of course, the patronage of St. Michael the Archangel is dear to many people as the Patron Saint of police officers, the military, sailors, paratroopers, firefighters, paramedics, against illness, and even grocers. While mentioned several times in the Bible, his final appearance is in Revelation 12:7, where Saint Michael and the forces of heaven defeat the dragon (Satan), who is defeated “by the blood of the Lamb.” Jesus has conquered – join yourself to His victory.

Yours in the Risen Christ,
Father Wilson

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