Pastoral Messages from Fr. Rick

Pastoral Messages from Fr. Rick – 1/14/21

1/  Thank YOU:  We just sent out the year-end statements for your donations to St. Christopher’s in 2020.  Your extraordinary generosity to our parish is commendable and needless to say, greatly appreciated.  YOU’RE AMAZING!  If you have any questions about your statements, please let us know as soon as possible.  BLESS YOU!!

2/  In our weekday Mass readings we have just started the Gospel of Mark as of this past Monday (the beginning of Ordinary Time).  This is a great time to give yourself the space to read the whole gospel in its sequence, perhaps over the next week.  It’s the shortest gospel at only 16 chapters.  Reading the whole gospel in sequence over the course of just a few days can help get more focused on the actual trajectory of Jesus’ life and ministry.  When read piecemeal, it can often seem sort of disjointed and we can get in the habit of just fitting it in around OUR BUSY LIVES AND SCHEDULES.  The life and ministry of Jesus Christ is radically different than the normal flow and timbre of our American lives.  Bishop Robert Barron in his commentaries makes the distinction between living out of the ‘little soul’ and living out of the ‘great soul’.  Our world and society is in desperate need of some more GREAT SOULS!  This week feast yourself on the whole Gospel According to Mark.

3/  What Is Your Life About?  Maybe someone you know is at a key transitional point in their life and are ready to ask some big questions and do a real SEARCH.  Check out this opportunity with Catholic evangelist, Chris Stefanick.  The Search starts Ash Wednesday, February 17thhttps://coaching.reallifecatholic.com/thesearch?mc_cid=cfef2f2def&mc_eid=03b7e70377

4/  Thank you all again for your warm Christmas greetings and thoughtfulness.  Happy Ordinary Time!!