Posted on January 10, 2025 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus and Mary,
I wish you all a happy feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With this feast, we end the time of Christmas and begin Ordinary Time. At Christmas, Jesus manifests his deep love for humanity, which he comes to save with great love. This feast invites us to meditate on our Christian reality and baptismal commitment. Through this sacrament, we become children of God and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. It is a day to meditate on this grace. At the same time, let us remember the day of our baptism and pray for the priest or deacon who baptized us. This feast is to meditate on this and much more.
After celebrating Christmas and New Year, we must return to our parish life’s reality. This New Year, we have to set goals and dreams that inspire us to continue walking and not allow the difficulties of this time to decay us and separate us from the grace of God. We have to have confidence in the God who gives us life. To do this, we must feed ourselves with the bread of the body and blood of Jesus, attending Holy Mass. At the same time, I invite you to make frequent confessions. Confession helps us to have the inner strength to move forward and maintain inner peace.
As I have mentioned earlier, 2025 is a blessed year as we celebrate the Jubilee. The motto of the Jubilee, based on the words of Saint Paul to the Romans: “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5: 5), sets the tone for a year filled with hope and blessings. Our diocesan family will mark this Holy Year with a series of activities, events, and liturgies. Our bishop has designated eight churches as places of pilgrimage, including the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More and the Basilica of Saint Mary in Alexandria, which are closest to us. He has reminded us, “As followers of the Lord, we must understand the importance of seeking God’s grace to turn away from sin if we want to grow in the virtue of Holiness. This Holy Year is a reminder that God calls us not only to turn away from sin but, in a deeper way, encourages us to place in Him all our hope and lasting happiness” (Bishop Burbidge). As a parish, we are organizing a pilgrimage to Rome in October to participate in the Jubilee of Marian spirituality (Devotion to the Virgin Mary); since our parish is consecrated to the Queen of the Apostles, I will share more details about this soon. Let’s look forward to a year filled with spiritual growth and blessings.
Changing the subject a little, as all know, January is the month to pray for life. Therefore, we must pray tirelessly and defend the life of the unborn. This year, our diocese will once again hold pro-life activities. On Thursday, January 23, the “Life is Very Good Rally” will be held again. This is an event with music, confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration, presided over by our bishop. Those who wish to participate with their family must purchase tickets through the website www.lifefestrally.com. On Friday morning, January 24, the rally and mass will be held, and then buses will leave to participate in the traditional march. Both events will be held at the Eagle Bank Arena at George Mason University.
Happy week to all.
Fr. Diaz
