Opportunities
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
I pray that you are blessed. I want to once again congratulate all of our graduates, especially our eighth grade, high school and college graduates. This is a major transition point in your life’s journey. For many people, going to a new place with all new people, can be a very scary experience. But I have always seen these moments as an opportunity to re-create yourself. We are often put in categories or boxes when we are in school. There are the athletes and the scholars and the geeks, or whatever terms they are using to catalog people today. Now is your chance to escape those boxes if you want to. For example, when I was in high school I was fairly shy, but when I went to collage I was determined to step out of that box, and since nobody knew that about me it made it a lot easier. It is a great time to decide who you want to be instead of allowing others to put labels on you. If you want to be the athlete or the scholar or the musician or ???, now is the time to follow your dreams. All it takes is hard work and determination.
As for as St. Alphonsus goes, we are here to help you in any way we can. Know that we are always here for you and this is always your home, a safe place of refuge. Remember that this parish is made up of a lot of different people. If you are interested in a particular field of study or a type of occupation, there is a good chance that we have someone who knows something about, or at least someone who knows someone. In other words, don’t hesitate to ask if you are looking for some advice or if you are going through a struggle. We are here to encourage you and offer any help. And finally, know that you are in our prayers. I hope you have a great summer as you prepare for this next big phase in your journey. Just remember, as long as your spiritual compass is pointing towards God then you will remain safely on The Way and never get lost. God Bless!
For those who are available during the day: Even if you did not know, you may have noticed by their effort that we have a new group who has been cleaning our church on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. They do this immediately after mass and the novena to OLPH, unless there is a funeral or other event. They asked me to offer an invitation to anyone who might like to join them, since many hands make the job go so much quicker. All are welcome whether you can commit to being a permanent member of the team or only join them occasionally. They are greatly appreciative of the help and so am I.
In the Redeemer, Fr. Rick