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 Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Happy October! It’s time for some football, and fresh
apple cider, and donuts! Why is that when I think of the seasons and different
months, I so often associate them with food? Is that an Italian thing or does
everybody do it? I can think of a specific food for every month of the year.
It’s a gift, I think.
Today, in addition to being the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in
Ordinary Time is also Respect Life Sunday. The U.S. bishops have asked us to
pray and reflect today on how each one of us can respect life better. The truth
is that to be truly Pro-Life goes way beyond being against abortion. As
Catholics, we need to care as much about human life AFTER we are born, as we do
BEFORE we are born. Sometimes we forget this. We must stand up for and respect
all human life in all of its stages. All life is a gift from God. If we are
here in this world, still breathing, then God is not finished with us yet and
we’ve got work to do. God will let us know when we are done, when we have
finished our missions. Today we pray for end to abortion in our country and all
over the world. We pray for an end to capital punishment, and euthanasia, and
war, and violence, and terrorism. We pray that all people will be loved and
respected, not because of how much money they have, or how they look, or how
popular they are, or where they live, but because they are a human being, a son
or daughter of God! We pray for new ways to feed everybody. We pray that all
the people of the world would have access to clean water, good health care, and
as much education as possible. We pray for a world that is free of prejudice
and discrimination and hate. Hate and selfishness are the great sins against
life. We want to be a Pro-Life Church. Then, let it start with all of us
rooting all hate and all selfishness out of our own lives! May all of us be
more pro-life in all of our every day thoughts, words, and actions.
Today we are also welcoming our new RCIA class into our
community. This year’s class is a little bigger than its been in the last
couple of years, and is full of awesome people that all of us are going to want
to get to know better. I do remind the entire community of St. Maria Goretti,
of the obligation that ALL OF US take on today with the Rite of Acceptance into
the Catechumenate, to pray for our Catechumens, and our Candidates for
full-membership in the Catholic Church, and our adults preparing for adult
Confirmation, during this most special year of discernment for each of them. We
all have a role to play and a responsibility to bear for these our new brothers
and sisters. The ceremony will take place at today’s 10:00 AM Mass, but the
responsibility belongs to all of us. Pray daily for these brothers and sisters.
We have two new events coming up soon, that I’d really like
you to write down on your calendars at home. First all, on Friday evening,
October 30th, our Holy
Name Society will hosts St. Maria Goretti’s first “Treats from the Trunks”
Halloween event in the north parking lot. Every family is invited come trick or
treating that night in our parking lot. It’s simple, really. Just bring your
treats, and your “trick or treaters” and come to the parking lot that night.
Pop open your trunk, or the hatch of your minivan or SUV, and pass out treats to
the trick or treaters from the Parish. The Holy Name Society will have a best
costume contest and organize the event. It’s safe. It’s with people that you
know. And it should be fun for everyone! If it rains, we’ll move indoors. We
are trying to avoid demonic or grossly violent costumes, because we are
followers of Jesus and we do have lots of little ones. You’ll be hearing more
details in the next couple weeks, but for now, please plan on coming and joining
us that night.
We are also very happy to announce this weekend, that the
Vatican Exhibit on Eucharistic Miracles IS coming to St. Maria Goretti the first
week of November. We are most excited about this special exhibit on the
Eucharistic Miracles. The Vatican wants to get the word out on just how special
this Sacrament is that we get to receive every time we come to Mass! The
Exhibit will open on Sunday, Nov. 1st,
the Feast of All Saints, and will continue at select hours thru Saturday, Nov. 7th.
We want to use the Exhibit as an Evangelization tool, to bring others to, or
back to, the Catholic Faith. You’ll be hearing much more about the Exhibit in
the next couple weeks. For now, mark your calendars and plan on visiting the
Exhibit at some point that week. We are one of the first parishes in the State
of Indiana to get this privilege!
There are so many good things going on! We give thanks to
God! Have a great week.
In Christ,
Fr. Kevin
“Do not fret, for God did not create us to abandon us.”
Michelangelo |
