Dear Parishioners,

On behalf of our staff and myself, we wish you all a beautiful Easter Day and Season. For the next 50 days we will celebrate Easter Joy in our readings and Masses concluding with the celebration of Pentecost on June 8^th.  During this period we will celebrate First Communions, Confirmation, graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and maybe some other things as well. Hopefully we look at all these events through the prism of Easter.  The Resurrection is our source of hope and peace. 

Next Sunday Pope Francis names two of his predecessors to the Communion of Saints.   While neither John XXIII nor John Paul II knew me very well, I was always humbled that both decided to take their Papal names after mine.  Each man left a lasting mark on the Church.  While somewhat different in their tone and mannerisms, the one virtue that was obvious in both was a sense of holiness.  There was no question of their love of God and their dedication to the Church. While we cannot all aspire to be Pope, we can all aspire to holiness.  May we learn from them and may they pray for us. 

    Fr. John