Brothers and Sisters in Christ – On Sunday, January 21 Pope Francis announced that 2024 would be the “Year of Prayer.” He said that it would be “a year dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer in one’s personal life, in the life of the Church, and in the world.” The Holy Father concluded his remarks by saying, “I ask you to intensify your prayer to prepare us to live this event of grace well and to experience the power of God’s hope. That is why today we begin a Year of Prayer.”
The most important week of the year, for me, is the one I spend on retreat at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. For almost 20 years I’ve joined the Trappist community of monks for a week of silence focusing on my life of prayer and relationship with God. I enter into the monastic rhythm of daily prayer and spend the time outside of the Abbey Church in complete silence, listening and waiting for God to speak to me. And He does. In the silence I find God’s voice inviting me to speak to Him and then to listen.
The invitation from Pope Francis to spend this year intensifying our prayer lives comes at a time when we truly need to be uniting ourselves with the Lord. There are so many people struggling in their personal lives. Our neighborhoods know of gun violence, gangs, and homicides. Our families and friends struggle with poverty, drug abuse, unemployment, and family discord. The Church continues to struggle with abuse, division amongst its members, and a decrease in practice. The world is becoming more and more violent each day. The political discourse in our country is mind-boggling. And a lack of civility is pitting people against one another.
There’s so much to lift up to God each day. And just as Fr. Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. encouraged family prayer, our Holy Father is inviting our Catholic family to spend this year praying more and more fervently with each other and for one another.
I invite all of us to make a commitment to finding a way to enrich our prayer life. Maybe it’s promising to say one Hail Mary a day. It could be counting our blessings each night as we’re preparing to go to sleep. How about adding a family meal blessing? Or intentionally naming in prayer those we consider our enemies, gossip about, and lack charity toward.
I’ll ask our Parish Pastoral Council to form a spiritual life committee. It’s important that we reflect on how we, as a parish family, can continue to grow in our prayer life. And from those conversations my hope is that we can discover additional ways to gather as a parish family in prayer. May this “Year of Prayer” find us all growing closer to the Lord as we deepen our faith and spiritual relationship with Him and one another. A few announcements: Parish Census … Again, a big THANK YOU to those who have already returned their registration form. We are making good progress updating the parish records with all of the correct information. If you haven’t received a letter that means we either don’t have a record for you or your address was not correct and my letter to you was returned. PLEASE see me if you believe we may have had a wrong address. Or take a registration form from the table in the gathering space and fill it out. You’re welcome to return the completed forms via mail or by placing it in the collection basket. 2024 Envelope Packets … There are still some unclaimed envelopes. If you haven’t picked yours up, please see me before or after Mass. Blue Envelopes … At the recent meeting of the Finance Council, we discussed the blue envelopes that appear each month in the envelope packets seeking an additional donation for charity, youth, and education. After reviewing what’s been collected in those envelopes, it was decided to do direct appeals when the parish needs additional income for a particular program. Therefore, please disregard those envelopes moving forward. This weekend we’ll welcome Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., the rector/Superior of Moreau Seminary, who will preside at the 10:30 Mass. Please welcome him to St. A’s. We lift up to God in prayer the young lives that were lost in the house fire this week. May God bring comfort to their family and friends during this very difficult time. The South Bend Fire Department has asked that everyone be reminded that the American Red Cross will install fire alarms for free in residential homes. More information can be found at: https://311.southbendin.gov Please share this information with the senior members of our community who are living alone. THANK YOU to all who gave of their time on Saturday for the parish clean-up. Your presence and assistance were truly appreciated. The goal of the clean-up was to make our space hospitable and more usable. May this allow for continued growth in the various ministries that we do, and hope to do, at St. A’s. Women’s Group … A “get to know you” gathering will be held on Saturday, February 3 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Sr. Betty. The purpose of the group is to “listen to one another and share our stories, to learn what would be most important to the group … to build a sisterhood where we can call on each other in times of prayer and need without feeling embarrassed or judged.” If interested, call or text Sister Betty at (574) 309-1393 or email at [email protected] Scheduling … In order to best utilize our limited space, all requests for meetings or gatherings that hope to take place at St. A’s must go through me for approval and placement on the parish calendar. Michiana African American Breakfast … Saturday, February 10 from 9-10:30 am at the Armory Kitchen (727 South Eddy Street, South Bend). RSVP by February 1 at www.prolifemichiana.org/breakfast or (574) 232-5433. This is a free event. 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 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. Hospitals / Nursing Homes … When a family member is admitted to a hospital or nursing home, please let me know as privacy laws prohibit the facilities from providing me with information on parishioners. It’s important to me that our parishioners struggling with illnesses be visited, receive Holy Communion, and the Sacrament of the Sick. Taxes … If you’d like a record of your 2023 donations for tax purposes, please send an email with your contact information and one will be mailed to you. Looking Ahead … Mardi Gras … On Tuesday, February 13 the Tolton Ambassadors of Indiana will host the 22nd annual gathering at St. A’s from 5:30 – 7:30. There is limited in-person seating and tickets can be purchased for $25. The dinner will include authentic New Orleans cuisine (seafood or chicken gumbo, dirty rice, dessert, etc.). There will be music, fellowship, and a silent auction. Tickets can be purchased from a Tolton Ambassador or Annie Tardy ([email protected] / 574-707-1232). Donations can also be made to the “Tolton Ambassadors of Indiana” to support the cause of canonization for Venerable Fr. Tolton.
On Wednesday, February 14 we begin the season of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. We will have a Mass at 8:00 a.m. with the distribution of ashes. St. Augustine, pray for us! Fr. John, C.S.C.