Now that we are already past the halfway point of the first month of the new calendar year, I am looking ahead to February and in this pastor's column, asking you to do the same and to mark down some important dates.
Firstly, on February 10, 11, 12 and 13, we will have a parish mission led by Deacon Glenn Harmon and his wife, Linda, whose ministry is based in California. The title of the mission is "The Road to Emmaus".
Deacon Glenn will preach at all the masses the weekend before the mission to encourage your participation. He has been preaching missions all over the United States for many years and is in high demand. Please make plans to join us for this spiritually-uplifting experience.
Secondly, we are blessed to have our bishop, Anthony Taylor, coming to us on Saturday, February 15 (at the 4:00 p.m. Mass) to have a special blessing for couples who have recently celebrated or who are, this year, celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary, as well as those who have been married 50, or more, years. A reception will follow in the parish hall, and more details will follow as we get closer to the event.
Finally, before we get too far away from the Christmas season, I want to say THANK YOU to all those who remembered me at Christmas with cards, gifts, Masses and goodies to eat. God bless you for your thoughtfulness to me AND your generosity to the Clergy Welfare Christmas Collection which brought in $17,209 from our generous parishioners.
Firstly, on February 10, 11, 12 and 13, we will have a parish mission led by Deacon Glenn Harmon and his wife, Linda, whose ministry is based in California. The title of the mission is "The Road to Emmaus".
Deacon Glenn will preach at all the masses the weekend before the mission to encourage your participation. He has been preaching missions all over the United States for many years and is in high demand. Please make plans to join us for this spiritually-uplifting experience.
Secondly, we are blessed to have our bishop, Anthony Taylor, coming to us on Saturday, February 15 (at the 4:00 p.m. Mass) to have a special blessing for couples who have recently celebrated or who are, this year, celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversary, as well as those who have been married 50, or more, years. A reception will follow in the parish hall, and more details will follow as we get closer to the event.
Finally, before we get too far away from the Christmas season, I want to say THANK YOU to all those who remembered me at Christmas with cards, gifts, Masses and goodies to eat. God bless you for your thoughtfulness to me AND your generosity to the Clergy Welfare Christmas Collection which brought in $17,209 from our generous parishioners.
If you keep doing what you are doing - you'll keep getting what you are getting.
I thought of this saying as I prepared to write my pastor's column which, at this time of the year, entails encouraging you to consider participating in the March for Life in Little Rock next Sunday, January 19. It seems that my words of encouragement are heeded by the same people who go to the March every year. Let me say that I think it 's great that we usually fill-up a busload of people to go to the Mass and March for Life. I pray that these faith-filled believers in the sanctity of human life, will continue to take the time annually to give public witness to the importance of protecting human life from the moment of conception in the womb of a mother.
But what about the many who have not participated in the March and probably won't, no matter what I, or anyone else, says or writes? Well, after walking into the narthex of our church and seeing all the baby items that have been brought and donated so far, I remembered that there are many ways to promote the sanctity of human life, and I thank God for the many who are doing it in this and in other ways. The effort is ongoing and varied, and I am confident that all that we do will ALWAYS give honor and glory to the God Who created every human being in His image and likeness. Our ongoing prayers and actions DO make a difference.
I thought of this saying as I prepared to write my pastor's column which, at this time of the year, entails encouraging you to consider participating in the March for Life in Little Rock next Sunday, January 19. It seems that my words of encouragement are heeded by the same people who go to the March every year. Let me say that I think it 's great that we usually fill-up a busload of people to go to the Mass and March for Life. I pray that these faith-filled believers in the sanctity of human life, will continue to take the time annually to give public witness to the importance of protecting human life from the moment of conception in the womb of a mother.
But what about the many who have not participated in the March and probably won't, no matter what I, or anyone else, says or writes? Well, after walking into the narthex of our church and seeing all the baby items that have been brought and donated so far, I remembered that there are many ways to promote the sanctity of human life, and I thank God for the many who are doing it in this and in other ways. The effort is ongoing and varied, and I am confident that all that we do will ALWAYS give honor and glory to the God Who created every human being in His image and likeness. Our ongoing prayers and actions DO make a difference.
The Church allows for time at weekend Masses for announcements to be made. While somes churches use lay ministers to make these announcements, I have chosen to be the one to make these announcements of upcoming events because I often will offer encouragement to participate in whatever is being announced. Though I cannot and will not announce everything that's upcoming (that's why I urge you to always read the entire bulletin), I believe that there are more ears listening to what is said than eyes who will read what's in the bulletin. Those who listen at church and read the bulletin will receive a double encouragement and confirmation of what is upcoming. While I promise to do my best as we start a new calendar year to limit the number and length of announcements, I give thanks (as I hope many of you do) that we are all members of a faith community that has so much to offer us in our growth in the ways of the Lord. Finally, for those who wonder about it, I sometimes split-up the announcements (some before Mass and some after the post-Communion prayer) for two reasons: firstly, because we have so much going on and I don't want to risk an overload at any one moment AND secondly, because there are things that need our attention and action as we are leaving Mass and therefore, given some of our memories, are best announced right before Mass is ended. I will try not to repeat announcements before the end of Mass that I have already made.