From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
As we celebrate Pentecost Sunday this weekend and come to the end of the Easter season, I wanted to share with you the following contribution from Sr. Laura, one of the Pro Ecclesia Sancta sisters, who, along with Martha Batres-Martin, Director of Religious Education and Flor Hernandez, Catechetical Administrative Assistant, oversee our religious education program. Sr. Laura has been working primarily with the confirmation students. Sr. Laura writes:
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16
On this solemnity of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church, it is a beautiful day to recognize the action of the Holy Spirit in our parish family. In a special way we ask for prayers for our confirmation candidates who will be confirmed here at Saint Mary’s this Thursday, June 9th.
This year, in the preparation of our confirmation students, the Holy Spirit has used many ways to help these young people recognize that they are children of God and to learn to respond to this great gift. How amazing it has been for the catechists, retreat team, and religious education staff to witness a growth in their desire to know God and be close to Him this year! A very special moment for them was our two-day retreat at the Marello Youth Center in Loomis in April. This was the first retreat for most of the youth and afterwards they were asking for more! “Sister, can we have another retreat? And can it be for three days this time? No, two weeks!” When asked what they enjoyed most about the retreat, all the youth mentioned the opportunities they had to encounter Jesus in the sacraments - Confession and Eucharistic Adoration. One young person shared that after hearing a talk about Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the Cross, he asked himself if he could really be worth such a great gift. Later on, as Fr. Berg blessed him with the Eucharist, he said it was like Jesus responded to his doubt with a big “Yes, you are worth it!”
Recognizing that parents are the primary educators in the Faith, our religious education team is working to support and empower the families of our parish to put the Lord as the center of their family life. As we know, it is a challenging world to grow up in today, with many distractions and threats seeking to draw youth away from God. But the Holy Spirit can always find a way in! The youth of our parish are learning to turn to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and with each other to entrust their difficulties to God, and to begin to see things as He sees them. Our family-based program is also helping parents. For example, some are now motivated to be married in the Church as a result of the formation they have received this year.
May God bless our dedicated team of catechists for their prayers, witness, and generosity. They are a beautiful example of faithfulness and creativity. Please pray for our confirmation candidates that they will be fertile ground in which the Word of God may bear abundant and lasting fruit in their own souls and in the Church.
I join my request to Sr. Laura’s that we all pray for our confirmandi as they prepare to be confirmed this coming Thursday, June 9th. Please pray for the parents of our confirmandi and their siblings, so that together they can all grow deeper in holiness. May you have a blessed week!
In the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Father Berg
