Posted on March 1, 2024 View all Pastor's Letter
Dear Parishioners,
We have begun the month of March, and we are already entering deeper into the celebrations of the mysteries of the passion of the Lord; this Sunday, we celebrate the third Sunday of Lent, and in today’s gospel, Jesus expels the vendors who had taken over the temple and had turned it into a market, an unusual scene; The temple is a place of worship, prayer and encounter with God. This passage is a reminder to respect God’s holy place, His temple, so as not to take over and do whatever we want, and in the end, it ends up being a place without order, without decorum and spiritual beauty, without silence, without atmosphere of prayer and encounter. The temple also represents our body, a divine temple filled with the Holy Spirit, which we also have to take care of and be careful not to fall into minor setbacks, such as pride, laziness, gluttony, envy, stinginess, so many disguises of selfishness, get inside and destroy everything. For this reason, the Lord puts us on alert: “What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!” (Mk 13:37). Let us be vigilant so that apathy does not invade conscience: “The inability to recognize guilt is the most dangerous form of spiritual laziness imaginable because it makes people incapable of improving” (Benedict XVI). Let us always keep our temple clean and renewed.
Also, I invite you to participate in the 40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration on March 19, 20, and 21. As in previous years, we will pray for the diocese, for our bishop, and especially for our parish, for our ministries and movements; let us dedicate one hour of these 40 hours to be with the Lord; we have so much to pray for and give thanks for. I ask that all ministries and movements take one or more hours as a group to be with the Lord. I will provide you with more information soon.
I want to inform you that the repair work on the church’s pipes has finished. I know that some were uncomfortable due to the inconvenience caused, but these sacrifices must be made to keep our facilities in good condition. The pipes are old, and the spare parts are challenging to find. Also, the costs were relatively high. I greatly appreciate those contributing to the second collection to maintain the facilities. God bless you always for your generosity.
I ask you to help me pray for the health of Jerry Crowley, our sacristan, for the 6:30 am mass. Jerry is in the hospital; He has been a great volunteer in our parish, a man of great faith and great love for the Eucharist, our Mother Mary, and the service of the sacred. It has given me great sadness and pain to know that he is sick. Personally, for me, he is an example of faith. I love him very much, and I feel sad for his health. Let us pray for him and ask that he bear his illness with patience.
Finally, I invite you to participate in the dancing dinner for couples on March 16 for the feast of Saint Joseph. It is an exclusive activity for couples; the ticket cost is $120, including dinner and other activities we will have for our married couples. I encourage you to participate with your partner. Buy your cards at the parish office or after each mass.
May God bless you all, and continue praying for peace in the world.
Fr. Alex
