Posted on March 30, 2024 View all news
On behalf of the Oratory priests and brothers, the parish staff, and myself, I wish each of you a very happy Easter!
I thank everyone who had any role in making Holy Week and Easter run smoothly. To those who helped clean, polish things, had a part in the music,
serving, preparing the social, helping to prepare our catechumens, candidates, and confirmandi. I thank also our parish staff. Anyone who had any role to play. Thank you!
I also welcome those who were baptized, received into the Church, and confirmed. In many cases, it takes a great leap to convert to the Faith. There is a risk of losing family and friends, as we know from our own Oratorian St. John Henry Newman. So welcome into the Church, and be sure to pray for all those who converted or received a Sacrament.
Now that we are finally at Easter, it is essential to remember that while we feast today, the struggle of penance and overcoming our sins has not ended. This must be a lifelong journey. So even as you move away from your Lenten penances, continue to struggle to grow in virtue and grace. The Lord, over the course of this past week, has shown us that the way to Heaven is by the cross. We should not forget that during the rest of the year. So ensure you keep up your penances, but also
keep up with your prayers. Lent is a period in which we ought to recognize our sinfulness, and in the glory of the Resurrection, we should also arise by a more virtuous and better life. So do not squander the lessons of Lent, even as you rejoice today with the knowledge that something greater awaits us beyond this life.
Please remember that next Monday, April 8, we will celebrate the transferred feast of the Annunciation. This is the feast day of Old St. Mary’s Church. We will have a solemn Mass at 6:30 p.m. followed by a parish social. Everyone is welcome to celebrate the incarnation of the Lord.
Lastly, I want to thank all those who put so much hard work into the Old St. Mary’s Fish Fry and the Sacred Heart Ravioli sale over the last month. Without people working hard at these important fundraisers, the parish would find itself in a more difficult situation to fulfill its mission. So thank you to all! I encourage everyone here to be involved and to volunteer. A precept of the Church is to ensure that we are supporting the Church, so be sure to examine yourself on this to ensure that the Gospel can continue to be preached and the Sacraments administered.
Again, a very Happy Easter to all!
