Posted on July 12, 2024 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear Parishioners,
I begin this letter by thanking you for your prayers and expressions of affection during this recovery process after the surgery. I have been on complete rest for two weeks, and this weekend, I will slowly begin to integrate into parish life. I am not one hundred percent, but I will recover completely with your prayers. A thousand thanks to those who wrote to me, those who have sent me their expressions of affection, and those who have helped me at this time, whether it was through calls, meals, or other forms of support. God bless you and reward you.
During these two weeks, I have had time to meditate on the evangelizing process of our parish, and as I have told you before, we still have a long way to go, which is why we must begin to work with more emphasis on the establishment of the kingdom of God among us, that means, making a concrete commitment to the Gospel of the Lord, we see that reflected in this Sunday’s Gospel. We read in today’s Gospel that Jesus sends the Twelve, two by two, to preach. Until now, you have accompanied the Master along the roads of Galilee, but the time has come to begin the spread of the Gospel, the Good News: the news that our Father God loves us with infinite love and that He has brought us to life to make us happy for all eternity. This news is for everyone. No one should be left out of the liberating teaching of Jesus. No one is excluded from the Love of God. It is necessary to reach the last corner of the world. We must announce the joy of total and universal salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who made man for us, died and resurrected, and is actively present in the Church.
The effectiveness of His evangelizing preaching will not come from human or material influences but from the power of God and the sincerity, faith, and testimony of the preacher’s life. “All the impulse, energy, and dedication of evangelizers come from the source that is the love of God infused into our hearts with the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Saint John Paul II). The Good News has yet to reach everywhere nor with the necessary intensity. Conversion must be preached; many evil spirits must be defeated.
Shifting our focus, we are already gearing up for the fourth parish festival. This is a significant event for our parish, and your participation is crucial. This week, you will likely receive the tickets for the raffle. Each family will receive 10 tickets, priced at $5.00 each. I urge you to join us in promoting this event, as the raffle is a significant source of income for our parish each year. The more tickets we sell, the more we can contribute to our community. Your support and commitment to our festival are invaluable, and I thank you in advance for your participation.
Finally, I inform you that I have not ordered the candles for Perpetual Adoration for which some of you donated yet. We are currently looking for a suitable replacement as the ones we had chosen are not in stock right now. I ask for your patience and understanding in this matter. I hope we can soon have them!
May God bless you all,
Fr. Alex
