Christmas 2021

Dear Friends,

As we gather for Christmas, our eyes turn to the Christ child. Our parish has a special relationship with this feast: the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be mother of the Savior of the world, and our Nativity church stands as a memorial to the event of the that birth. 

Though we still struggle to contain COVID, vaccines and careful interaction has helped keep people out of the hospital and some sense of normalcy has returned to our lives (at least compared to last year at this time). To be sure, the psychological trauma of the past twenty-two months will have lasting impact. And I cannot help but think of those living in countries where so many are still in hospitals and dying because the vaccine has not yet made it into the arms of people there.

In our parish, we have been able to resume most activities, and we are now looking ahead to see how to draw more people to Christ so that we can grow. The challenge is moving past mere “cultural Catholicism” to having a living relationship fed by encounter. The future of the Church will be to engage hearts and draw them into inner conversion to Jesus. Our parish life will center on making disciples of Jesus who feel personally connected to Him and who develop this connection through their participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Our task is to become ministers of awakening, helping to bolster the faith of those for whom it has become dormant.

For those reading this who have been cautious about returning to church: welcome home! While I have been your pastor for a year-and-a-half now, it feels like I am still in the beginning stages of getting to know our parish. I want to get to know you.

The celebration of Christ’s birth calls us to re-birth: a re-birth of normality in our lives; a re-birth in our united parish; a re-birth in our own sense of the closeness of the Savior. “Emmanuel” means “God is with us,” and with us He is. Our challenge is to recognize that presence, and to respond to it. 

May God bless you and those you love throughout the coming Christmas Season!

May your week reflect the encounter with Christ We experienced at Mass today!