Dear Parishioners:
The themes unfolding for this season
in the life of our Parish and School are Faith, Family and Mercy. This week, I want to highlight in particular
the theme of Family Life. Faith and
Family are closely related. “The family
that prays together stays together” Is a saying from Fr. Patrick Peyton,
C.S.C., who was famous for his Rosary Crusades a number of years ago.
When the Church speaks of Family,
she begins first with the model of the Holy Trinity, the Family par excellence, in the relationship of
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God is One God, Three Divine Persons, in a perfect Communion of
Love. Full Gift of Self and Full
openness to the Gift Received from Each Person is expressed in Perfect Union .
God is God as One and Three. The
first earthly model that expresses this unity of Love is the Holy Family of Nazareth
Genesis tells us that God has a plan
for human beings that begins with the union of Man and Woman and is expressed
in their fruitful love in the image of God.
The human family is first a family that God has united and that
cooperates with His grace in bearing fruit.
As the Church seeks to grow in her
understanding of Family Life, she begins with God and “in the beginning.” She has the duty to proclaim the truth of
what a family is and to invite all to be open to God’s plan. The Christian Family, the Body of Christ, His
Church, is also called to gather everyone into the Family of God by Word and
Sacrament. What we say and what we do,
our witness to Faith, are the way God has chosen to increase His Family.
A family has to set priorities: God
must have first place in the hearts of every member of the family. Husband and wife are to love one another and
to be open to the children God brings into their family to raise and nurture
and teach in the ways of Faith. In this
way, the Kingdom is established among us and everything else is supplied by
God’s Providence
Although not every family has the
configuration that is the model, the ideal, we are called to open our hearts to
be a welcoming community. Welcoming all,
with all the reality of the human condition, brokenness and weakness, as well
as strength and holiness, the Church is a family that opens her whole being to
God. We are destined to share the Life
of the Holy Trinity. That is the call
and promise offered to every family.
This weekend, we are happy to
welcome our PSR Students and all the Catechists who work with them. As members of one family, we hope to grow in
Faith and in our understanding of God’s ways.
Next weekend, we will experience a
Ministry Fair highlighting efforts of our community to become an ever more
welcoming family. Make plans to take
part.
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