Dear Friends,
There is nothing that so dramatically changes the landscape of New England as a first significant snowstorm. Still, despite the hardships and extra work that accompanies such accumulation, inevitably there comes a moment when one takes a pause and appreciates its beauty. This might occur while taking a break from shoveling to catch one’s breath or while quietly gazing through a window pane from inside a warm home. It is important to take in the peace and beauty of things even in the midst of a changing landscape.
There is no doubt that Immaculate Conception Parish has experienced some change over the past seven months. Still, one must not lose sight of the beauty and peace that remains unchanged. I write specifically of the beauty of our Catholic faith, worship and liturgy that unites us to the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the deepest peace that is offered to us through our discipleship in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As your pastor and associate pastor, Fr. Julio and I share a primary and clear responsibility in our priestly ministry. Our goal is to lead souls to heaven. This has been, is, and always will be the ministry of the parish priest. Although we may observe a secular world around us with changing truths and values, our Catholic Church has charged her priests to concentrate on its unchanging truths and values.
Accordingly, on the day of our ordinations, Fr. Julio and I vowed to fulfill these promises daily:
To nourish the faithful through a devout celebration of all of the Sacraments,
To make the Most Holy Eucharist the center of their worship,
To announce the Word of God, and to instruct the faithful in the truths of the faith through the homily,
To come to know the faithful who have been entrusted to our care by visiting them and sharing their grief and worries while strengthening them in the Lord,
To encourage the faithful in the practice of family prayer,
To support spouses and parents in fulfilling their vocations to foster growth in the Christian life,
To care for the Catholic education of children and of adults,
To seek out and help the sick, particularly those close to death, refreshing them with the Sacraments and commending their souls to God,
To bring the gospel message to those who have ceased practicing their faith and to invite them to return to worship,
To seek out the poor, the afflicted, the lonely, those exiled from their own land, and those weighed down with particular difficulties and concerns, and
To instruct and welcome individuals seeking to become Catholic.
It is our joy and deepest fulfillment as priests to minister to you and your families with this mindset of “first things first.”
Julian of Norwich, a Christian mystic who lived in the Middle Ages, is the author of a phrase that might be familiar to you: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” These words reflect her unshakable faith in the Lord no matter the challenges that she faced in her 74 years of life including the terrible Black Death, brutal revolts among the classes, widespread famine, violent persecutions against the Church, and her own physical sufferings.
Similarly, it is my firm belief that “all manner of things shall be well” at our beloved Immaculate Conception Parish. Let us fortify ourselves against the distractions of worry and distress that can steal our focus away from “first things.” Let us focus on our vocations to love God, to love our neighbor, to worship the Lord, and to avail ourselves to the life-giving Sacraments of His Church.
With great excitement in looking forward to a spiritually fruitful and prosperous future with you at Immaculate Conception Parish, both Fr. Julio and I ask for your daily prayers. We promise ours for you!
In Christ,
Fr. Jim