Dear Friends,
We have just celebrated our fortieth day of Easter with the Ascension of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ! What a gift to acknowledge His great love that He brought before us here in our world. His ascension into Heaven reminds us that His love here is a welcoming invitation and a welcoming to follow Him into eternal life!
This beautiful month of May is dedicated to our Blessed Mother Mary. So many prayers and devotions are offered to her.
My mother's favorite prayer was the Memorare. I know it supported my mom in many moments of her life and when she was dealing with Alzheimer's. I said it in her name and for her peace and comfort often. I knew our Blessed Mother was with mom and responding to our prayer.
There is our beloved Rosary and the beautiful Hail Mary. There are so many forms of prayer, as I mentioned two weeks ago in my bulletin article that offer us devotion to Mary and her Son, Jesus.
A tradition is to crown a statue of our Blessed Lady in this month. I remember as a child at my own home parish, Holy Ghost, of an eighth grade girl being chosen to climb the grotto outside our church to crown the statue of Mary. Everyone from our school was outside to witness the crowning and sing hymns honoring Jesus's mother.
This year our statues of Mary at both parishes have been crowned. Maybe not with the ceremonies I recall as a youth, but nonetheless done so with faith and honor. One celebraƟon took place after morning mass on a beautiful day.
I want to share how grateful I am, Jack Tvrdik and his parents are for all your prayers and cards you have offered to Jack!! His birthday was this past Sunday, and I was blessed to have some time with him and bring your prayers and the Eucharist to his home. Please continue to pray for him and his recovery from this serious illness. The power of prayer is phenomenal, and I confidently know and believe our intercessions to the Lord and His Blessed Mother are always answered. If you want to send a card to Jack to wish him well in his recovery, please bring or mail one to either church, we will make sure he receives them.
In closing, many of you have congratulated me on my upcoming 40th anniversary. I appreciate your good thoughts, blessings and prayer. My actual anniversary date is November 11th. I do hope and pray to make it to the actual date.
Also, my predecessor at Saint Catherine of Siena, hero and person I have always admired, Father Jim Lawlor is celebrating his 60th anniversary on June 4th. Please see the bulletin for his celebrations. God has blessed the two of us and I am eternally grateful to our Lord.
hope you are having moments to enjoy the fragrance of our lilacs and embrace the remaining days of our Easter Season. We stlil have grace filled moments to "BECOME...FOREVER CHANGED" in His love!
With faith, blessing and Alleluias,
Father Rob