“Do not be afraid” is what Jesus said to Peter in this weeks Gospel reading from the Gospel of Luke. Jesus is telling us the same. In having a relationship with Jesus, He calls us to move from an area of fear to belief. While fear is a natural part of life, with prayer, support from the community and a belief in the word of Jesus, we can become who we are called to be : people of belief, people of gratitude, people of abundance.
Next, have you noticed the St. Vincent De Paul Collection container in the Narthex of the Church? There is an ongoing need for food items in our greater community. The SVD food pantry is always in need of nutritious nonperishable items such as peanut butter, tuna, canned meats, vegetables, pasta, pasta sauce, canned fruit, rice, beans and shelf stable milk. Thank you for your great generosity.
As we continue our mission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, I want to thank all of you who have responded to our annual Diocesan Service Fund (DSF) drive over the years. For 2022, Cardinal DiNardo has assessed our parish DSF goal at $84,000. DSF supports more than 60 ministries and programs that serve the faithful of the Archdiocese and us here at St. Hyacinth. From Catholic chaplains at the hospitals and the Port of Houston, to religious education training for our teachers (who pass on their faith to our children), to outreach to seniors, to youth ministry, to soup kitchens, to Catholic Charities ministry to the poor and disenfranchised, and to training for seminarians, deacons and priests, the DSF provides funding for people and program that serve us all. It’s truly our baptism calling for generosity as the Cardinal tells us to give “All For The Glory Of God”
DSF also offers disaster relief and food programs for the poorest among us, the Catholic Chaplain Corps that provides ministry in hospitals so that every Catholic patient has access to spiritual and sacramental care. Your DSF gift is in an extension of yourself and it is put to great use in bringing joy to so many people both here at the parish and throughout the archdiocese.
DSF participation enables us to impact the lives of thousands of our Archdiocesan brothers and sisters through the evangelizing, healing, nurturing and pastoral ministries of the Church. Being Disciples of Christ leads us naturally to the act of helping those who stand in need. These realities, discipleship and generosity, make up the fabric of the Christian life in which each day is lived in a personal relationship with our Lord, because each day is lived in love. Our dedication is expressed in deeds of service and support.
In the coming weeks, the Church will be asking that everyone take a moment to complete your DSF pledge envelope. Envelopes can be found in the Narthex of the Church. Remember that your pledge can be paid in installments throughout the year. Any amount is most welcome. When you have your pledge envelope ready, you can place it in the offertory, mail it or drop it by the office, or go on-line and donate electronically. Simply go to www.archgh.org/dsf and in three simple steps your pledge can be completed. Let us prayerfully discern God’s call so that we too might join with the faithful throughout the archdiocese to follow the Lord in this great work.
Our parish is required to meet our goal, whether paid by us individually or paid from our general operating parish funds at the end of the year. For the 2021 DSF St Hyacinth we made our DSF fundraising goal. Thank you for your generosity.