Posted on May 23, 2025 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus and Mary,
Incredible, but we are just a few days away from the end of May. May is the month of Mary, a month we dedicate to exalting the virtues of our mother. As Catholic Christians, we must love Our Lady greatly; as a mother, she continually intercedes for us, her children. Saint John Bosco said, “Devotion and love for the Blessed Virgin Mary is a protection and a powerful weapon against the devil’s snares.” Therefore, this month, let us continue to pray the Holy Rosary with greater intensity and place all our intentions at the feet of Our Lady.
I want to inform you that registration for Religious Education for next year is now open. Come to the parish office and register your children. Please don’t leave it to the last minute; your children’s religious and spiritual education is very important. Do so in advance, and thus help us calculate the number of students for next year, 2025-2026.
One of my priorities as your pastor is to work tirelessly for evangelization, which encompasses everyone, including children, youth, and adults. Therefore, I invite you to help me by volunteering as catechists for next year. This year, we will need more catechists; consider whether the Lord is calling you to this precious mission.
I invite all men to join me for our monthly Men’s Encounter Group (MEG). This men’s gathering is not just a study group, but a place where we, as men, can come together to learn about and deepen our faith, based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Understanding our faith better helps us grow and become faithful disciples of the Lord, knowing Him more deeply and maturely. We meet every fourth Saturday of the month from 9:00 to 10:15 am in Hannan Hall. I invite all men to participate and be an integral part of our church community.
Changing the subject a bit. This month, we began reviewing our database and discovered that many parishioners are registered, but there is no record of them participating in parish life. Most of them receive the donation envelopes, but there’s no indication that they’re using them. Many last donated or showed any signs of participating almost two years ago. Remember that the life of the parish revolves around your weekly participation. Let us know if you’re still attending so we can ensure you’re active. At the same time, I encourage you to use the envelopes to make your donations. Your donation to the parish is vital; it keeps all parish activities alive. But if you forget to bring or use the envelopes, you can donate online. Starting July 1, we’ll begin purging the database, saving us a little on envelopes and postage. I hope for your understanding.
Finally, I thank everyone who committed to the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal at the beginning of Lent. Your commitment is significant, and as a parish, we have a goal to achieve. This year is the first that we are this far behind: 25%, from reaching this goal. Even though we are already at the end of Easter, there is still time to commit. I ask you to support this program. Your contribution, no matter how small, is vital and greatly appreciated. You can do so electronically; in the pews, you can find the code to access it with your phone, or take one of the envelopes. On behalf of our Bishop Burbidge, I thank you for your sacrifice and collaboration.
Happy week to all.
Fr. Diaz
