From the Pastor's Desk - May 10, 2026

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

The United States is preparing to celebrate its 250 anniversary on July 4, 2026. In recognition of this milestone, the bishops of the United States will consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, 2026, which is the day before the Feast of the Sacred Heart. The bishops have suggested various ways that we can participate in this consecration to the Sacred Heart:

1. 250 hours of Eucharistic adoration: This initiative seeks the commitment of 250 parishioners to spending an hour with our Eucharistic Lord. Thanks be to God, that shouldn’t be a difficult one for our parish! We already have Eucharistic adoration in our adoration chapel seven days a week, from 7am to 9pm. If you’ve never been to our adoration chapel, please call the office to find out where it is and how to gain access. Also, we have Eucharistic adoration as a parish in the church on Saturday mornings from 9:30am-10:30am, as well as the first Friday of the month from 7:30pm-9:00pm. I hope to celebrate a special holy hour in honor of the Sacred Heart in late May or early June before our national consecration. I will confirm when that may take place.

2. 250 Works of Mercy: This initiative likewise seeks the commitment of 250 parishioners to do a work of mercy. There are many opportunities to do so through our parish.

• The St. Vincent de Paul Society: The members of this society come to the spiritual and material aid of members of our community who face financial difficulties. See the bulletin to see how you can get involved.

• Parish Pantry: Every Monday St. Martin’s food pantry serves between 250-350 families. We are always in need of more volunteers to serve in this vital ministry. Call the pantry extension in the bulletin to see how you can get involved.

• Gabriel Network/Gabriel Project: These two ministries aid mothers facing crisis pregnancies through housing, material assistance and spiritual support. Call the office or see the bulletin for more information.

• Support of the Families of Detained Immigrants: Our parish has had about 15 parishioners who have been detained in the past year. This new ministry helps support their family members with their needs. Contact Fr. James to see how you can get involved.

3. Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: I encourage parishioners to enthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus in your homes. I will have more information on how to do so in the coming weeks.

For more information on celebrating the consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, visit www.usccb.org/weholdthesetruths.

In Christ,

Fr. Dave