A Word from Your Pastor October 24

Dear Parishioners:

The loss of any loved one is a painful experience. The loss of one who is young is the hardest. I am sure you have been aware of the loss of Dominic Gregory, one of our high school students, a 2009 graduate of St. Timothy School. His funeral was celebrated this past Monday at St. Charles Prep High School. The principal, Dominic Cavello, graciously offered to host the funeral Mass knowing that our church would not be able to accommodate the large number who wanted to participate. Once again, I am personally grateful to all in the St. Timothy Parish family who have stepped up to work together to support members of our community who are facing tragedy. I know that the Gregory family is also thankful to the many who have reached out to them in their time of need.

As I said in my homily at the funeral, only Faith can help us to embrace this kind of experience. We are not capable of reaching a full understanding of such events. We have to express our grief and our pain and put our trust in God. We can be confident that God is with us in our sorrow. He hears our cry and He provides the grace that sustains us. Our deepest longings are expressed at times like this, and Faith tells us that God will fill them. Death is a Mystery and yet, through our experiences of the love and support that comes to us, we taste the Resurrection. Our hearts are opened to the Hope of Eternal Life for those we love and for all of us. The Kingdom will come. In the meantime, we wait with expectation and we commit ourselves to one another along the way.

The precious gift of life is in our view when we experience loss. Our Faith invites us to keep it in view at all times and to work to build up a culture around us that is also respectful of life. Let us cherish one another.

This weekend our 8th Graders begin their journey of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Let us keep them and their families in our prayers that they may be docile to the promptings of the Spirit and learn to live the Faith we share.