Message from Father Rick
May 2013
Dear Parishioners,
The month of May finds us journeying through the beautiful season of spring, the holy season of sacraments, and the reflective month of our Lady. The month starts off with thirty eight of our youngest students gathered at the Lord’s Altar on May 4th at 10:00 am to receive their First Holy Communion. I always feel blessed to be a part of that very special day for our young communicants. Their energy, faith, and excitement to receive the Eucharist reminds all of us about the center and summit of our lives.
Next, on May 10th at 7:00 pm, thirty two tenth grade students will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. Very Reverend Leszek Janik, Vicar General of the Diocese, will be the main celebrant of the Mass. We have a very strong group of young men and women and I’m very proud of them for their decision to step forward and claim Christ as their Lord. Please keep them in your prayers.
On May 25th Dcn. Brian Maxwell will be ordained a priest for our Diocese. It has been five long years of study, prayer, ministry and formation for Brian and he is very ready to get out into a parish and minister to God’s people. We were blessed to have had him as part of our parish family – may God bless him with many fruitful years of service to the good people of the Norwich Diocese.
And finally the month of May is a month set aside by our Church to honor our Lady, the Mother of God. What a great opportunity for all of us to reflect on Mary’s yes, her devotion to God, and her undying spirit of support and love. Below is a poem dedicated to her.
Mother of Christ, our hope, our Patroness,
Star of the sea, our beacon in distress,
Guide to the shores of everlasting day
God's holy people on their pilgrim way.
Virgin by vow but Mother of all grace,
Chosen by God to be his dwelling-place,
Blessed are you: God's word you did believe,
Your 'Yes' undid the 'No' of Eve.
Daughter of God, who bore his holy One,
Dearest of all, the Christ, your loving Son,
Show us his face, O Mother, as on earth,
Loving us all, you gave our Savior birth.
Peace,
Fr. Rick