Dear parishioners,
Praise be Jesus Christ, Now & Forever!
I greet you with humble heart of a new pastor and entrust myself to your prayers. I am grateful to my predecessor, Father James for his ministry in this beautiful faith family in the past six years. Father has welcomed me and was very kind as I was visiting with him and Father Eduardo in the last weeks. Thank you, Fathers!
I am also grateful to Joanita and the parish staff for your excellent work, and for welcoming me in so many ways already. I am looking forward to getting to know you and serving beautiful people at the parish. I greet all the committees and awesome volunteers. Thank you for all you do!
Saint Paul makes a wonderful statement at the beginning of the second reading this past Sunday: ‘the love of Christ overwhelms us.’ Another translation would be ‘the love of Christ urges us on.’ The love of Christ for us was revealed above all in his death on the cross. As Paul says in his letter to the Romans, ‘God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.’ It is that remarkable love of God in Christ for us that urges us on, even when we are battling against a headwind. It urges us on until we reach what the gospel calls ‘the other side’, the place towards which the Lord is guiding the church — the place where he wants us all to be.
At the beginning of summer we take these holy words into our places of work, ministry and rest.
May you have a wonderful summertime, filled with the love of the Lord and protected with the love and prayers of our Blessed Mother and St. Francis Xavier!
With my prayers,
Your Pastor,
Fr. Andrew Cyruk