Dear Blessed Sacrament Family,
I begin this letter with some very exciting news – on May 28th at 7:00pm seminarian Larry Barile will be ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Michael Cote – and here’s the kicker – in our parish! I believe this will be the first ordination in either of our Churches. As you recall, Larry was assigned to our parish last summer. He was a great addition to our family and served our people very well. He loved being assigned here and asked if he could be ordained at our parish. I assured him that we would be honored. It is a more recent tradition in our Diocese that the men are ordained to the diaconate in their local parish and to priesthood in the Cathedral. Like Dharen, Larry has his home with us.
Larry would be pleased with the liturgy taking place at either of our Churches but since Rebecca our music director at St. Matthew will be on maternity leave, another blessed event for our parish, I decided to have the ordination at St. Bernard. Rebecca and Norma will be preparing both our choirs and instrumentalists for the big day. A reception will follow the ordination in the St. Bernard Church Hall.
On another parish note, I know it feels like we just finished celebrating Christmas, but February 26th is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent. Lent is a powerful season that calls us to turn away from the distractions and noise of the world and instead concentrate on our spiritual lives and relationships with God and with each other. We step back from our routines and busy schedules and reflect on Christ’s passion and death. It is a blessed season of preparation, a season of re-prioritizing, and a season of opening our eyes to the greater picture and truth of who we are as followers of Christ.
I look forward to walking with you through this important season of our Church. Have a great February everyone.
Peace,
Fr. Rick