FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK - OCTOBER 29, 2022
Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,
Fr. Pete Sweeney, who is a gem of a priest in residence at St. John Neumann, used to say, “It’s a sign of a healthy parish when the pastor doesn’t even know everything that’s going on there.” I was reminded of that with our parish ministry fair last Sunday. I learned of activities at the parish that I was unaware of ! Thank you to our committee, led by Maria Tirado, who organized the event. Thank you to all of those who provided food throughout the day, as well as our choirs for providing music. The ministries did an excellent of job of showcasing themselves. It was great to see how many people stopped downstairs to see how they could get involved in the parish and school. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, you can still see a list of our ministries so that you can be more involved. Just scan the QR code on the flyers that we have at each of the entrances, and you’ll see a list of our ministries with their descriptions, and whom to contact for each one.
Friday, November 11 is the feast of St. Martin of Tours. I will send out a Flocknote next week inviting you to pray the Novena to St. Martin, which begins on Wednesday, November 2. We transfer our celebration of St. Martin’s feast day to the closest Sunday, which this year is November 13. That Sunday, we’ll have a special trilingual feast day Mass at 5:00pm. Please note that there is no 6:30pm Spanish Mass that Sunday.
You will find envelopes by each of the entrances, on which you can list the names of deceased family members and friends that you would like to be remembered at Masses throughout the month of November. Those names will be placed on the high altar and remembered at every Mass in November.
Lastly, I remind you that Tuesday, November 1 is All Saints Day, which is a holy day of obligation. The Mass times are listed in the bulletin and on the website. Although the next day is not a holy day of obligation, I encourage you to attend Mass for the commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on Wednesday, November 2. These two days are great reminders of our connection with the Church Triumphant in heaven, and the Church Suffering in purgatory. Together we form one body in Christ, helping each other by our prayers and merits until we are all united in Christ’s Kingdom.
In Christ,
Fr. Dave