Weekend Masses

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I want to say thank you to all the people who by their hard work and presence made it such a special occasion. I want to thank Bishop Conlon who earlier in the week had laid his mother to rest and still came to be with us on this special day. The parish staff were magnificent along with all the councils that are part of the parish community. I want to say particular thanks to the people I got to know with my work for the St Patrick Fathers, who hired the bus and came by car out from Chicago. Many of them are long standing friends of many years. Their comments as I walked with them to bus or car was “what a lovely place and the people are so nice they made us very welcome’ Thank you St Francis Xavier you did yourself proud. Over the next year as a parish community I hope we can begin to organize a number of social events where we can put ourselves on display and give others a taste of our hospitality and welcome. Hopefully they will also raise a few dollars for a parish development fund as we try to put together plans for the future. In my short time here you have made me very welcome and I have seen how you pull together to get things done. We may not have huge financial resources but we do have a spirit that enables us to do what seems to be impossible. Thank you for that resourceful spirit. Thank you for allowing me to be here. Keep me in your prayers as we journey together, laugh and cry together and tell stories that bring us closer to the God who is our way our truth and our life. Pray for me as I pray for you, Fr Karl

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Vacation time for most kids is at an end. The Lazy days and the sleep-ins are over. The early mornings, the return to discipline of the early morning call from Mum or Dad, the homework and all that’s involved with going to school begins anew. Here in the parish the first meeting of the Fall religious education programs is on August 24th. Confirmation is the first program. We talk of confirmation as the sacrament of the Holy Spirit, where we receive the gifts of the Spirit. I like to think of confirmation as the Sacrament of taking responsibility for the promises of baptism made on our behalf many years before. We begin to become Adult Christians as we journey towards adulthood. We put into action in our lives the practices we have learned over the years and we begin to share our faith with others in word and deed. We have been part of the family centered faith formation and we have listened and learned together. At confirmation we move to a different level and once again we ask: how do I interact with God? How do I interact with others? How do I live my faith out in my daily life? We interact with God in our prayer, in listening, in reading the word of God and in the Eucharist. We try to keep and live his commandments in our daily life. We interact with others and show God’s care for us when we act courteously towards others, when we try to be there for others, by listening and by assisting when needed. We get in involved in an organization or church group that helps the sick or needy. Above all we show by example that we are trustworthy and caring individuals. In all of these things we develop a relationship with our God and we try to put that relationship into everything we do. Thank you for being part of our Parish and for getting involved in our religious education programs. Let our believing journey continue with Christ as our center and rock. Pray for me as I pray for you, Fr Karl