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March 6, 2018
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
On this Laetare Sunday, we are called to rejoice since we are at the midpoint of our Lenten observance. Jesus in the Gospel this week challenges Nicodemas to rethink his understanding and vision of God. We are called to move to thinking of God as compassionate and loving and not vindictive. How we see God is how we view the world. Jesus reveals to Nicodemus that God is a God of forgiveness, mercy, compassion and eternal life. God seeks to create and nurture life, to heal the brokenhearted, to raise up those who have fallen down and pushed aside.
Next Sunday, we are will be celebrating the final of several rites for RCIA called the Scrutinies of the Catholic Church. These rites are usually celebrated on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. The Scrutinies are “Essentially rites are composed of prayers of intercession and the laying on of hands so that the Holy Spirit may be invoked and the spirit of evil cast out. They are celebrated purposefully at Mass, so that the whole congregation is given the opportunity to pray for and support those preparing for the Easter sacraments and to make the point that conversion is not only a personal matter but a communal commitment.” Please continue to pray for all those who will be entering the Church during the Easter Season. As we celebrate the Scrutinies this weekend, the Gospel readings will come from readings of Cycle A.
Mark your calendars for Sunday May 6th, for our annual Parish Spring Festival. This will be our sixth festival for our parish in close to 20 years. The Springs Festival theme this year is “70’s Disco” Raffle ticket packets are available and are on sale now. I highly encourage you to make your commitment to helping our parish at the festival and pick of a ticket packet to sell.
I want to address and issue that affects the Sunday Weekend Mass in the Church. I completely understand that there are many reasons for people and families to be late for Mass. However, over the last few months, people have been walking into Mass and seating themselves while the Readings and Psalm Response are taking place. This action is extremely distracting for those proclaiming the word and for those already seated. I ask, please; if you are late for Mass, please wait and be seated after the readings for the Mass are completed. We will give you enough time to find a seat.
STHY will celebrate Passover with our 4rd Annual Seder Meal on Saturday March 24th following the 5:00 pm Mass. The Seder meal is a ceremonial dinner that commemorates the Jewish exodus from Egypt and includes the reading from the Old Testament and the eating of symbolic foods. Tickets are $10/family and $5/individual. You may make a reservation by calling the parish office. Please RSVP the parish office by Friday March 23rd and join us for this special event in the life of our parish.
For 53 years, St Hyacinth has been building on the foundation of God’s promise of unconditional love for all people. We stand on the shoulders of the saints who have gone before us, and from this remarkable vantage point, we see what we must do to continue sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and welcoming all people to join us on this incredible journey.
There is no greater joy than making a difference in the world and in the Church, and I hope you will pray about the difference you can make through your generous support. To be successful, we need every St. Hyacinth member to participate in our Capital campaign. Your gift of sacrifice will reflect God’s love at work in the world for generations to come.
Our challenge is great, but so too is our faith – a faith that has carried our church for a half a century. Just as the saints of the past took leaps of faith, preparing the way for future generations, so too will we take a leap of faith, imagining and building a vital St. Hyacinth for the next fifty years and beyond. Together we will continue Building faith Family and the future….. Our Sanctuary…. Our Home.
God Bless,
Fr. Reginald Samuels