+JMJ
Dear Parishioners,
A blessed July 4th to all of you! Thank the Lord for our great country! But, let's also pray that our country stop declining into what is contrary to God's plan for humanity. Rejecting God's plan can only lead to ruin. How much we all need to live to the utmost a radiant and holy life in Jesus Christ, and call everybody around us into the fullness of life in Him. Praise the Lord for the giant step that was taken against the culture of death with the recent Roe vs. Wade decision of the Supreme Court. There is still much work to be done for life at the state level, but thank the Lord for what has been accomplished – something we have been awaiting for decades.
Thank you for all of the prayers and kind thoughts as we celebrated my 25th anniversary of priesthood! I have contrary sentiments, upon reaching this milestone. On one hand, it feels like I was ordained only yesterday. On the other hand, so much has been packed into 25 years, that it feels like I must have used up 50 years of priesthood already! I thank the Lord for all the graces that have sustained me and worked through me; and I thank Our Blessed Mother Mary, our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom my priesthood is consecrated, ever since the day of my Mass of Thanksgiving, the day after my ordination on June 14, 1997. She has always directed the necessary graces to me! I would be lost without Her!
We have had way too many funerals in these past couple of weeks…. really, in these last couple of years. (I am just finishing my second year with the parish.) Please pray for all who have lost loved ones in these past couple of years, and reach out to anybody within your sphere of relationships who might need some extra encouragement in the midst of grieving a deceased loved one.
Finally, I am out of the office, on my annual vacation, from July 4th through July 15th. Although it's not definite at the time of writing this letter, I plan on just staying at my sister's, which means I won't be too far away to cover anointings and funerals, if there is not a guest priest ready to step in.
Again, have a blessed July 4th!
In cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Father Poggemeyer