Fr. Daniel's Letter to his Parishioners

 

Dear Parishioners,

Lent is now over, and it is time to celebrate Easter.  Even with restrictions in place, it was amazing to see so many people continued to make Lent a time of deepening prayer and spirituality.  Now that these forty days are completed, we look forward to the next 50 days of Easter to celebrate and rejoice.  As we see signs of relief from the pandemic, of warmer weather and of spring, it is a bit easier to celebrate the new life that Christ brought us in Easter.  Many people have carried heavy crosses this last year.  Hopefully Easter is a time of great resurrections for them and for all of us.  In some ways, it will never be like it was before the great shutdown last March, but that is not all bad if we come through this year long experience stronger and wiser.  That is certainly my prayer.

There has been much discussion about how many people will return to the faith after this pandemic.  I tend to be in the more pessimistic camp of out of sight, out of mind rather than the group that believes that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  However, I do believe that it only challenges us to a real and new evangelization that learns to share the Gospel of Christ in such a way that others may come to know him.  This area of the state has relied on cultural Catholics who just grew up in the faith, went to Catholic schools and lived as a Catholic because their family was Catholic.  We know that things have changed and changed quickly.  Now we have to have faith that is meaningful enough to share and attractive enough to catch people’s attention as Christ answers the deeper questions of life, happiness and meaning.  May this be the resurrection that comes from the ashes.

At this Easter time, we, the parish staff who serve you in Christ wish all of you a wonderful and faith-filled Easter.