Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

January 31, 2017

by Fr. Reginald Samuels

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Jesus calls us to be true to the gospel and to who we are in Christ. In this week’s gospel, we are called to be the “salt of the Earth”. This means that we have to be a light for others that don’t know Christ. As a beacon of light, we have to shine brightly and be an example of what it means to be a Christian.
Next, I want to congratulate all the winners for the 4^th annual Chili Cook-off and Banana pudding contest. Thank you to all who participated in the fun filled event.
Please keep in prayer our Confirmation candidates who are retuning today from their confirmation. I am sure our young people were able to deepen their faith during this time. Bishop George Sheltz is on tap to perform the Rite of Confirmation in June 2017. Please give a special thanks to Ms. Lauren Koath, our Coordinator of Youth Ministry, Mrs. Pamela Johnson our Co-Director of Faith Formation along with the team of adults and volunteers who assisted with the retreat this weekend. Thank you.
This weekend, there will be a special second Collection for the Church in Latin America. This collection supports pastoral projects that enrich the lives of believers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Collection for the Church in Latin America empowers the faithful of Latin America to deepen their faith and share it with each other and the world. For more information on the Church in Latin America and the projects funded by the collection, please visit www.usccb.org/nationalcollections. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Finally, DSF 2017 starts next weekend with “DSF Commitment Sunday.” Cardinal DiNardo has sent everyone an appeal letter and pledge card and he wants to encourage each and every one to become involved with DSF 2017. I know that we are in difficult economic times, yet each of us has been blessed in so many ways, and we are called to share those blessings with others. Please bring your personalized pledge cards to Mass next weekend or mail them in or go on-line and make your commitment. We reached our DSF goal for 2016, last year and this year I want to encourage 100% participation from the faithful of St. Hyacinth, so let’s pray and then give.
Mark your calendars for February 25th. The people of St. Hyacinth have been invited to a special fellowship event with Peace Lutheran Church of Pasadena. The topic of the 9:00 am prayer breakfast will be “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” from Ephesians chapter 4:5; and I have been ask to be the guest speaker for the event. As the Ecumenical Officer of the Archdiocese, it has been my duty to encourage the Catholic Faithful of the Archdiocese to work with the other faiths in our community to bring about peace and understanding. If you are interested in attending this event, please RSVP me at [email protected] or call the office.
I send out my sincere thanks to all who made a pledge for our Building Faith, Family and Future Capital Campaign. I truly appreciate your generosity and support. Envelopes are in the Narthex along with our collection box specifically designed for our Capital campaign or you can do so online through the parish website. When you complete your pledge envelope, drop it in the collection box, offertory basket, or mail it or bring it by the office at any time. Remember, we ask every family to consider an equal sacrifice, not an equal size gift. We all need to do our part, and every pledge, of every size, is most needed and welcomed. Thank you for doing your part to help us reach our goal.

God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels