Pastor’s Letter | 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted on October 4, 2024 View all Pastor's Letter

Dear Parishioners,
May the grace of God be with you all! I hope you are well and that you continue working for the
construction of the Kingdom of God as we have until today. We have already begun the month of
October, a month dedicated to our Mother Mary. It is also a month dedicated to praying the Rosary. This
month, I invite you to pray the Rosary. Asking for the intercession of the Mother is always important,
especially because our parish is consecrated to her maternal protection.
The Holy Rosary, a prayer that is not just a string of beads but a powerful weapon against the snares of
evil, holds a profound significance in our faith. It disarms the devil and transforms lukewarm hearts into
ardent hearts in love with Jesus our Lord. When we pray in devotion, we are not just reciting but
configuring ourselves with the Lord. Sister Lucia, a visionary in Fatima, testified that when we pray it
with love, the heavens open, and many graces are poured out upon the person who prays it. This is the
power of the Rosary, and it is essential to pray it with love, to recite those Hail Mary’s with joy and
enthusiasm, knowing that we are beating down and destroying all the devil’s threats.
This month, like last year, I want to challenge you to pray the Rosary daily for the intentions of Pope
Francis, our bishop Michael Burbidge, and our parish’s pastoral activities. It is a challenge that I, as your
parish pastor, make: 31 days of prayer with the Rosary that I am sure will produce great fruits; remember
that with Mary as your intercessor, nothing is lost, and everything is gained. Last week, a link was sent
where each can accept the challenge to pray the Rosary for these intentions.
I invite all those still thinking about taking the time to be with the Lord in the Adoration chapel; there are
several empty spaces, and the Lord invites you to be with Him. If there are not enough adorers, with pain
in my heart, I will have to close a day of Adoration for lack of worshipers; I know that this will be a tough
decision for me, but I will have to do it if there is no action to be an hour with the Lord. Please consider
taking a moment alone in Eucharistic Adoration.
Last week, an unfortunate incident occurred where someone forced open the donation boxes meant for
candles at the church entrance. This act, which is not what is expected of someone in the house of God,
has saddened me deeply. Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous people among us. To prevent such
incidents in the future, I have replaced the wooden boxes with metal ones, which are more secure. I also
want to inform you that in the next few weeks, the combination of the sacristy doors and the usher’s room
will be changed because many have the combination and do not belong to any ministry. I thank you in
advance for your understanding and cooperation in these matters.
Finally, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have considered, from faith, increasing
their weekly offering. Your contributions, both financial and in spirit, are a testament to your commitment
to our parish. Your generosity gives me hope because I know that with your continued support, we will
not have such a large deficit next year. I ask God in my prayers to help me solve this new challenge; I
know that with the help of everyone, we will be able to overcome this economic challenge. I also want to
thank the 181 parishioners who took the time to answer the survey we did in the previous weeks. Your
suggestions and sincerity in responding are invaluable. I promise to do everything in my power to
implement your suggestions and serve you better.
I hope you have a blessed weekend.
Fr. Alex