Holy Family Forty Years!

We are celebrating so much this weekend. We are honoring all of our canonized Saints on November 1st, we are remembering all of our beloved dead on November 2nd, we will have our 40th Anniversary Mass and Gala on Saturday November 1st. That is quite a bit, but it will be memorable and grace filled.

We are honored to have our Vicar General and former pastor, Fr. Robert Hughes celebrating that mass for us. I thought it would be fitting and proper that the pastor who began the 40th year and planning all its celebrations be the priest to close out our 40th year. We will be blessed with Fr. Hughes’ presence.

Forty years, a generation, a great biblical number used and referred to often. “The Hebrews were in the desert for 40 years seeking the Promised Land. King David ruled Israel for 40 years, so too did his son Solomon, 40 days and 40 nights of rain, Jesus in the desert for 40 days.” A number as you can see used quite often. It is a number that applies to us now, “40 years a parish.” In terms of the age of Church, we are very young as the Church is over 2,000 years old, nice to know that we are young. But even in our youth, if you will, we understand and desire living the Gospel. We have seen the good fruits we have contributed to our parish as well as all of those who came before us.

Everything is about laying down the foundation. We have done that since 1974 and have done it well as the results show, the results of selfless giving, kindness, in our worship, our prayer, and our sacrifices. As your pastor know that I pray for you each day that all of your good works continue to build on the foundation we have already established in Jesus, Joseph and Mary, our patrons. There are many years ahead of us, those who were before have already paved the way and have made straight the way of the Lord. It is our duty and obligation to keep that pathway straight and I know that we will.

I want to thank you all personally for everything, from your sacrificial offerings to your smiles when we see each other. You are the apple of God’s eye. We must continue to keep each and everyone in prayer so that our family will continue to grow, to experience God’s blessings and that when people look at us they will always see a, “Holy Family!” Forty years, may God bless us for the work of our hands and may He continue to help us build on the foundation we have established. Cento anni and Deus vos benedicat!  Fr. John