Dear Friends,
This past Thursday, June 22, the feast of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher, saw the start of Religious Freedom Week 2023 sponsored by the US Bishops. It is an invitation to promote religious freedom in our country and our world. It will conclude on June 29, the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The Bishops Conference has a theme for each day for us to pray, reflect, and act. For more details and information use this link from the Bishops’ webpage ~ https://www.usccb.org/committees/religious-liberty/religious-freedom-week .
School has ended, and we passed the summer solstice, so summer officially is here. This past week our priests who received new assignments also reported to their assignments to begin a new chapter in their priestly service. Please keep them in your prayers as they discover God’s graces and blessings among the People of God whom they are meeting now.
I have received many wonderful reactions about the new location of our Sacred Heart statue welcoming our people into Church, near the entrance by Chapel. Several have noted that it looks like that is exactly where it is meant to be. Thank you to our Gardening Angels for seeing that the statue has beautiful red and white flowers surrounding it. We encourage you to stop and pray to Jesus before His statue. Perhaps even to recite the Litany to the Sacred Heart as we did as a community on the feast day. Take to heart the encouragement offered by Saint Teresa of Calcutta, “Do not let the past disturb you. Leave everything in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and begin again with joy.”
“Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” These words of the prophet Jeremiah from our first reading identify a theme in our Scriptures this weekend. Our God is a rescuer, a healer, Savior! He searches after us so to lead us into the full glory of His great and eternal love.
Saint Paul reminds us that although we transgressed, the grace and gift of Jesus Christ overflows in abundance with mercy and healing. Finally, Jesus tells us, “Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” God loves us with a love beyond all human understanding. Why do we worry? In the words of Saint Padre Pio, “Pray, hope, don’t worry. Worry is useless.” Amen!
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
