Fr. Patrick Render, C.S.V. pastor Weekly Reflection for 11/18/2018 |
Dear Friends,
On Thursday of this week we will hold a special “Thanksgiving Day Mass” at 9:30 a.m. This isone Mass for the entire parish, so let’s plan on filling the church. For Americans this holiday isan important civic holiday and goes back to our pilgrim history. But for all of us this is a day thatshould be a “holy day” because it is a special day devoted to giving thanks to God for all of ourblessings, especially the blessings that we have enjoyed in this country. Families will gather to reconnect with one another, delicious food will be prepared to enjoy, and many people will have a day off from work. All of those are good reasons to be grateful – but there are many more like the freedoms and privileges that many of us enjoy (and often take for granted) as citizens of this nation.
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Once again this year the Charismatic Prayer Group here in the parish will be offering a Thanks- giving Dinner at 6:00 p.m. in the Recreation Center for anyone who will be alone that day, for seniors who live in the area and might not get a turkey dinner, for the homeless in our area and for anyone else who would like to join them. They will be cooking all day and preparing the ta- bles for the guests who will be coming to dinner. If you wish to support them by providing a donation or supplies or some food items, please contact Jose or Gema Rangel, the directors of the Spanish Choir and the leaders of the Charismatic Prayer Group. This is a wonderful gift that they provide in the name of our parish community and so we are grateful to them for their labor and generosity.
Inevitably Thanksgiving Day is also about football and the beginning of the Christmas shoppingseason. The advertising for sales and for early hours of “Black Friday” shopping has alreadybegun. Today is the last opportunity for needy families to register for the Adopt a Child project and soon after that we will be posting the list of requests for children in need. Those of you who regularly purchase gifts for these children will be able to do so again this year and those who you who would like to try it for the first time will have a chance. Save some of your shopping energy (and cash) to purchase gifts for them when the time comes.
Remember that next weekend we will be offering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at all the Masses. Bring anyone that you know who might benefit from this sacrament.
Inevitably Thanksgiving Day is also about football and the beginning of the Christmas shoppingseason. The advertising for sales and for early hours of “Black Friday” shopping has alreadybegun. Today is the last opportunity for needy families to register for the Adopt a Child project and soon after that we will be posting the list of requests for children in need. Those of you who regularly purchase gifts for these children will be able to do so again this year and those who you who would like to try it for the first time will have a chance. Save some of your shopping energy (and cash) to purchase gifts for them when the time comes.
Remember that next weekend we will be offering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick at all the Masses. Bring anyone that you know who might benefit from this sacrament.
Saint Viator Feats 10/21/2018
Last Sunday’s celebration was a great success! I hope that all of you who were here had a goodtime and enjoyed all the food, the music and the entertainment. I know that the children enjoyed the piñatas and the cotton candy; you could tell by their faces! Thanks to everyone who brought food or made donations for the event. Special thanks are due to all the members of the Pastoral Council who planned and worked to make it such a great occasion for our parish community to come together. The church was full for our liturgy and my thanks to all the visiting priests (and one bishop) who came to join us for the Feast of St. Viator. The bilingual liturgy was a wonderful way to recognize all the diversity among us and yet our unity in Christ which we experience through the Eucharist.
Thanks to the choirs, the cantors, the lectors, the Eucharistic ministers, the ushers and all who shared in that special Mass. We owe Fr. Moises a special word of gratitude because he is the one who worked behind the scenes to prepare the liturgy. A special guest on Sunday was Mr. John O’Malley who was one of the first children baptized in the new church and who faithfully participated and served this parish during most of those ninety years. He is a living witness to a great portion ofthe church’s history and came back to join us from his retirement.
Thanks to the choirs, the cantors, the lectors, the Eucharistic ministers, the ushers and all who shared in that special Mass. We owe Fr. Moises a special word of gratitude because he is the one who worked behind the scenes to prepare the liturgy. A special guest on Sunday was Mr. John O’Malley who was one of the first children baptized in the new church and who faithfully participated and served this parish during most of those ninety years. He is a living witness to a great portion ofthe church’s history and came back to join us from his retirement.
