Last weekend our musicians had an excellent time of ministry development with the composer Paul Inwood and his wife Catherine. Much was learned and appreciated and their pastoral approach was enlightening and non-threatening! If you feel you could help swell the numbers of one of our choirs, then please go up to the team after the Mass you attend and offer your services.
Also last weekend, we witnessed again the wonderful generosity of this parish in our response to the coat and blanket collection/drive. Again a large box van was filled up and several other pick-ups as well. I want to thank Doug and Natalie Halverson for their unstinting enthusiasm and organization of this annual appeal, along with their son Mark and John Cameron. Many people in this area will not be without warm clothes this winter. God bless your kindness and especially the anonymous gift of a $400 card for sleep bags etc from Big 5. Thank you one and all.
Next week will be our annual appeal for the Josephite missions in Africa. As you know, we serve in Congo, Cameroon and Gabon. The great news is that the Josephites are growing in number (at our General Chapter this summer we were 5% up in numbers from the previous chapter five years before) the difficult news is that we need to refurbish and build new accommodation for the scholastics; there are 16 in studies at present, and we need to build a new novitiate for our new novices. We also have six postulants. These are all good young men wanting to serve God through education in schools (we have twelve primary, secondary and vocational schools in Africa) and to support families in missions and parishes in some of the most remote parts of the interior. Your financial support next weekend will help us form these young men as “instruments of mercy in the hand of God”.
So as we enter November, the last month of the Year of Mercy, I ask you all to join with me reflecting on how we continue to “be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful”. As St Paul says in today’s second reading, “Pray that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified…and …may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ”.
God bless you and your families, Fr. AP
God bless you and the week ahead,
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter