FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
“Location, location, location!” Any real estate agent knows that these are the three most important factors to consider when buying or selling property, as Tom Jensen, Principal of Notre Dame School, pointed out to the Notre Dame Eighth Grade Graduates at the graduation ceremony last Friday, May 21st. Mr. Jensen went on to explain that when it comes to graduation and next steps in life, there are three things that matter most: “Vocation, vocation, vocation!” Mr. Jensen continued: “When we talk about vocation in the Catholic Church, we are talking about God calling us to fill a role in the world around us. In that role, we have the ability to glorify God through the work that we do and the chance it gives us to bring others closer to Christ.” As Mr. Jensen noted, all of us are familiar with the “big V” vocations, such as the priesthood or the religious life of a sister or a brother, but all of us are called by God. Mr. Jensen challenged the graduates: “What if you don’t know where God is calling you yet? How are you supposed to figure it all out? If you find yourself asking these questions, you’re in luck. There is an answer: be holy.”
Indeed, all of us are called to holiness. Like Mr. Jensen said: “Even in moments when you feel lost or that you’re in the wrong role, if you strive to be holy, you will be heading in the right direction toward your ultimate goal: Heaven. The closer you get to God, the easier it will be to trust Him that you are where you are called to be.” As we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity this weekend, we can pray that we always are drawn deeper into the unity and love that is shared by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Is it easy to listen to God’s plan for us and follow it? No it’s not. It takes hard work. But we know that we are up for it.
Certainly, the seminarians of the Sacramento Diocese are up for listening to God’s call, as well as the Pro Ecclesia Sancta (PES) sisters, who met with our youth last Tuesday evening. Last week, our seven Sacramento seminarians, along with Fr. Guillermo Hernandez, Vocations Director, made a week-long pilgrimage to visit a number of our parishes throughout the diocese. They came to St. Mary’s on Tuesday evening. After dinner in the rectory, Sr. Adriana, Sr. Laura and the seminarians went over to the hall to meet with a good number of youth from our parish. Seminarians, Alejandro Marquez and Zachary Sturm and Sr. Laura each gave their vocation story. I was very edified by what they shared. The young people then had a chance to write questions for the seminarians on a piece of paper and the sisters and the seminarians had a chance to respond. The questions were excellent and the answers were thoughtful. It was a beautiful evening and it gave me much hope for the future
of the Diocese. Still, we have some work to do! May each of us always strive to be holy and to listen to God the Father calling us to greater holiness, to a deeper friendship with the Son and to always be more and more encouraged, consoled and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
In the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Father Berg
