Pastor's Notes for December 31, 2023 -- Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Brothers and Sisters in Christ – I always chuckle when I’m asked, “Father, what are you doing on Christmas Day?” As everyone leaves Mass filled with joy and sugar plumbs dancing in their heads, I’m thinking about a nice, long nap! The four-week Advent journey (cut short this year because of Christmas falling on a Monday), followed by the additional Christmas Masses, makes for a very exhausted priest! I went to confession the day after Christmas and the priest and I were comparing notes. He, too, spent Christmas Day resting. That’s the reality of our lives. For the Church, Christmas is a season and not a day. We’re in the midst of the Octave of Christmas. The days immediately following Christmas were the Feasts of St. Stephen (December 26), the first martyr; St. John (December 27), the evangelist; and the Holy Innocents (December 28), children martyrs. This weekend is the Feast of the Holy Family and next weekend is Epiphany. The Christmas Season will end on January 8 with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. We also mark the end of 2023, which causes all of us to reflect on the past 365 days. For some, it may have been an incredible year filled with joy and success. For others, there may have been personal struggles and tragedies. Many talk about “life after COVID” and the changes as a result of the pandemic continuing to mark us. When I look at 2023, I’m struck by the continued hostilities that our world is facing. We’ve gone through another year of Ukraine being attacked by Russia. At the end of 2023 a war began between Gaza and Israel. There are many other lands and peoples being torn apart that we may have forgotten about because they’re not significant enough to grab a headline on the nightly news. There’s not a day that goes by when gun violence hasn’t taken lives. Families are being torn apart. The use of drugs is increasing. Poverty, homelessness, and mental health issues continue to rise. Our political landscape is a never-ending drama. We can all add to this list. I wonder, “How do we respond to all of this as people of faith?” Many people begin the new year with a resolution. I workout almost daily, and I’m taken by the new members at the gym because of a resolution. Others resolve to give up smoking or begin diets. Some will resolve to reduce their coffee intake. Young people may resolve to watch their language. Anything that’s meant to improve us is good. However, are we also resolving to do something that will improve our spiritual lives? As you think about your resolution for 2024, allow me to make a few suggestions. Look at where we’re at as a society and ask yourself, “What can I do to help make our world better?” You’re not going to suddenly end world hunger, but you can help by cutting back one cup of coffee a day and putting the savings aside for a charitable cause. How about making a commitment to saying an extra prayer each day for peace? Maybe your family can promise to go through the pile of toys that aren’t being used and donate them to a family who has recently settled here. As I say each Ash Wednesday, a resolution isn’t meant to be a test of one’s will power. Instead, it should be made to help us grow in holiness. I offer that as something to think about as we begin 2024. The 1st day of the new year is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. In my prayers that day, I will remember our parish family and entrust all of you to the love and care of our Blessed Mother. May 2024 be a year of joy, love, happiness, peace, and good health. May you find yourselves growing closer to the Lord. May our world, country, society, and families learn to respect one another. And may we, as people of faith, strive to make a positive impact on the world by showing others what it means to be Christians. Continued blessings and Happy New Year! A few announcements: THANK YOU … My sincere gratitude to all who made our parish celebration for Christmas so wonderful. To the Gospel Choir, our cantors, lectors, altar servers, children who performed in the Pageant, those who decorated the sanctuary, and the many others who worked behind the scenes. Your hard work and dedication were noticed and truly appreciated. Contributions … We’ll close the books on December 31, so any donations that you’d like to make to St. A’s, and have credited to 2023, need to be in before the year ends. Anything that we receive post December 31 will be credited to your 2024 contributions. Your generosity and financial support of the parish is greatly appreciated! Parish Census … In early January every registered parishioner/family will receive a letter from me asking you to fill out a registration form. The parish census hasn’t been updated for a number of years and it’s important to keep our records up to date. Please fill out the form and return it through the collection basket or mail. Thank you! After-School Tutoring Program … St. Augustine's is hoping to restart its after-school tutoring program for children of parishioners, along with children from the neighborhood and local schools. If you are interested in participating, please contact Michael Busk at (574) 302-3666 or [email protected]. Faith Sharing Groups … One of the interests that was raised in the Listening Sessions were groups that would gather interested persons to reflect on sacred Scripture, share their faith, and address issues impacting our lives. This is a great opportunity for building community at St. A’s and reviving a parish ministry. Anyone who would be interested in volunteering to put a group together, please contact Fr. John at [email protected]. Year of the Eucharist … Cheryl Ashe is coordinating a Zoom small group study on Jesus and the Eucharist (http://www.eucharisticrevival.org/formation-resources). The meeting dates will be January 12, January 26, February 9, February 23, March 8, March 15, and March 22. The discussion will be led by Dianna Schmitz. If you’re interested, please talk to Cheryl. This opportunity to continued education responds to one of the areas of parish spiritual growth brought up in the Listening Sessions. Homebound Parishioners … If you know of a parishioner who is homebound or in a nursing facility, please let Fr. John know so that he can arrange to visit them. We don’t have a list of those parishioners who are unable to join us because of ill health. It’s important to put together a list so that their spiritual needs can be met. Looking Ahead … CORRECTION … This year, January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is NOT a holy day of obligation since it falls on a Monday. Concert … On January 10 there will be a free concert at 7:00 p.m. featuring the South Bend Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet and community singers led by Turrell O’Neal here at St. A’s. They will perform works by black composers. This concert will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill and 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. receiving the Noble Peace Prize. Our host will be Dr. Marvin Curtis. On Saturday, January 13 at 11:00 a.m. the Parish Pastoral Council will hold its first meeting. On Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. the Parish Finance Council will meet. St. Augustine, pray for us! Fr. John, C.S.C.