ARTICLE FROM OUR PARISH BULLETIN – MAY 12, 2024
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms! – Today, we remember the mothers, grandmothers, and all women who mentor and care for others with a mother’s heart and love. Many of us have lost our moms and today is a good day to call to mind a favorite memory that will bring a smile to our hearts and remind us of their love. Have a blessed day.
Last weekend and this weekend, many of our children received or will receive their First Holy Communion. Congratulations! Let us all remember the gift and importance of coming to Mass and sharing in the Eucharist. It’s around the table that we are reminded of God’s unfailing love and support and experience the support of our community as we walk together in faith, hope and love.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives the Eleven a heavy task: Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Through our Baptism, he also commissions each one of us to this work. In our families, our schools, our workplaces, Jesus sends us forth to make his presence known. This is a profound challenge! We may feel as if we might be stumbling under our given loads, whatever those challenges may be. We may ask ourselves, how can I do this? Why is this so difficult? I consider all the challenges we face together with the parish unifications and the work of creating a new reality, new administrative structures that can work for the future with less ordained priests. I think about the work of our committees as they go through the process of the multi-site reviews, how many buildings do we have, how much do we need, and can we afford to care for all that we have? In the midst of dealing with these questions and realities, we are faced with the mission we are all called to do, proclaim the Gospel and invite others to come and know Christ.
Today’s Feast of the Ascension not only invites us to participate in his work but reminds us that Our Lord carries any of our burdens with us. He does not take them away, but he lifts them as he walks with us. The Good News today reminds us of the power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. This same power has promised to be with us. Christ does not leave us in the Ascension but lifts our eyes and hearts inviting us to behold his power and glory. In the Eucharist that we come to share each week, he promises to be with us in our struggles and help us carry any of our burdens; he makes his presence known in a way we can taste and see.
Share this with someone you may know who has been away from the church or perhaps not back to Mass in person. We come together to renew our hope and be filled with confidence that God is with us on the journey.
I’ll leave you with this to reflect on… What will I do this week to help put the Good News into action in my family or community?
With you a Christian. For you a priest.
Fr. Carl Morello
Pastor
St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish
Ascension and St. Edmund Parish
