To My Spiritual Family of Holy Redeemer and St. Anthony,
The Essential Life of the Family: Marriage and family are at the very core of God’s plan for salvation. Adam and Eve formed a family. The people of Israel considered themselves a unified and extended family. The Church is a family. Notably, the Lord Jesus himself freely chose to be born into a family and to live the life of an obedient son. In our time, as much as in any time, families are under attack. Spouses, parents, and children are repeatedly targeted by the evil one. Our cultural elites, too, promote things that are utterly destructive to family ties. We can think of policies that make it economically disadvantageous for there to be a father in the home. We can think of school districts and educational policy makers who want to cut parents out of their children’s most important decisions. We can think of harmful ideologies such as transgenderism that warp and distort the meaning of the human person. And as always, we can think of abortion and the damaging toll it takes on individuals and families. I pray for the families of our community. I hope you do as well. For society to thrive, we need to have strong and vital marriages and families. For our parish to thrive, we need families that are 100% committed to our beautiful Catholic faith. As the new school year has begun, with our St. Joseph School children back in the classroom, and with our youth Faith Formation efforts beginning anew today, these thoughts weigh particularly heavily upon my heart.
To Know and Love Christ: I want to thank the teachers and staff at St. Joseph School for their essential work of Christian education. I also want to thank every person in the Warren Catholic Community who ministers to our young people as part of our Faith Formation team. All of you are so appreciated! Many years ago, St. Joseph Calasanz dedicated himself to educating the poor of Rome. Others followed him and joined in that worthy undertaking. The saint wrote: “All who undertake to teach must be endowed with deep love, the greatest patience, and most of all, profound humility.” Praised be to God, we have people teaching the faith to our youth here in Warren County who exemplify those virtues! Their work is often difficult. Our catechists and volunteers sacrifice personal and leisure time. They strive to do things well. But most importantly, they possess that “deep love” for our children about which St. Joseph Calasanz spoke. I am continually amazed by the tremendous love with which our Faith Formation folk go about their work. Parents, please stand with and in support of our Faith Formation team. Parents, please (please, please, please) bring your children to Mass and model a life of holiness for your sons and daughters. Moms and dads, you are the first and most essential teachers of the faith. You have a responsibility for your children’s salvation that redounds into ages everlasting. Take joy in that mission! Ignite the fire of love for Christ in your children’s hearts! By the fuel of God’s grace, that fire can burn unquenched for all of eternity!
At the Center: You may have heard that a tree will soon be planted in the center of the completed round-a-bout on Pennsylvania Avenue. Frankly, I’m disappointed. My hope was that they would erect a marble statue of Deacon Joe in which he majestically points us down the road toward heaven. After all, he does mark 25 years of diaconal ministry this year. Evidently, though, the committee had other thoughts. Too bad. A Deacon Joe statue would have been magnificent!
Mary, Mother of the Redeemer – Pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe – Pray for us! St. Anthony – Pray for us! St. Joseph – Pray for us!