A Note from our Pastor October 8, 2023

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we gather this Thanksgiving Weekend to celebrate the abundance of God’s grace and mercy, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings that have been poured upon our community at St. Francis Xavier Parish. Together, we have much to be thankful for, and it is only fitting that we take a moment to recognize the incredible outpouring of love and dedication that surrounds us.

Our parish is home to a multitude of vibrant ministries, each serving a unique purpose in spreading the Gospel and making a difference in our community. Through these ministries, we serve the Lord, reach out to those in need, comfort the afflicted, and bring the Good News to all who seek it. The leaders of these ministries play a crucial role in guiding our efforts and ensuring that we continue to grow and thrive as a faith community. Their dedication is a true reflection of the Lord’s mercy. I also want to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Pastoral council and the incredible volunteer team that made our Ministry Harvest of last week an outstanding success. The results speak volumes about the dedication, hard work, and love that were poured into this event. It was a true celebration of our faith and our commitment to serving one another.

In our parish, we are blessed with an extraordinary pastoral team, Fr. Ed, Deacon Anthony and Deacon Ryan, are each a testament of unwavering faith and devotion of our community. They selflessly give their time, talents, and treasures to ensure that our parish thrives. Our parish staff is wonderfully lead by Joanita whose dedication is extraordinary. A big thank you to Katherine and all our amazing student staff. Working with all of you is a constant reminder of how blessed I am to be pastor of such a beautiful community.

As we reflect on the many blessings we have received and the incredible work done within our parish, let us remember the words of 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Indeed, our community abounds in good work, and we do so because of the abundant blessings and grace the Lord has showered upon us.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, let us offer our prayers of thanks to our incredible Carpenters team that has dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours and an amazing skillset in developing a beautiful new sanctuary for us. A special note of thanks to our regional bishop H.E. Bishop Ivan Camilleri for his unrelenting support throughout the process and finally blessing the sanctuary statues in the second phase completion on Saturday October 7, 2023, at the 5pm Mass.

May the Lord continue to bless us, guide our efforts, and fill our hearts with gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!

Fr. James Cherickal