Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It seems like this time of year is always jam packed with many significant events. Ordinations, graduations, and here in the parish, the Carnival. It’s important to celebrate each of these events well, recognizing the importance of them, not only in the lives of the individuals who are going through them, but wider impact as well. Part of living in community with others, is knowing and celebrating the triumphs of those we’re connected to.
On May 31st , a young man, Alan Bridges, was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Trenton. If you’ve never been to an ordination, it really is something to behold. There’s deep ritual attached to it: the litany of the saints invoking the intercession of heaven on behalf of those ordained, the solemn promises made to live a life of holiness and service to the Church, the laying on of hands, first by the bishop and followed by all the priests present, and the pouring of Sacred Chrism on the hands of the ordained, sanctifying them in a way to be able to hold the Eucharist during the moment of consecration at Mass. Personally, I always try and make sure to attend our priesthood ordinations. It’s a nice opportunity to gather with fellow priests, remind myself of my own ordination, and join in the wider celebration and to support my newest brothers in the priesthood. Please pray for Fr. Alan as he begins his priestly ministry for the Diocese.
On Wednesday of this week, our school will have its Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation ceremony for our 8th-grade students. Our community always does such a wonderful job in providing not only a wonderful education to our graduates, but a solid sendoff as they leave us and head into their next chapter in education. We also have in our midst many high school and college seniors within our parish who are finishing that part of their education and moving on to new and different challenges. Regardless of the particular level of education or graduation, it’s still something to mark and celebrate. It’s a chance to recognize the hard work of learning these individuals have undertaken as well a way to encourage them to continue to move forward into the future, putting that education they’ve gained to good use. Congratulations to all of our graduates!
Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank all those who are working diligently already or will be shortly to help put on our annual Carnival. It is truly a labor of love and from my vantage point as pastor, I realize that there is ton of time and effort put into to by many dedicated and passionate volunteers. If you’ve not yet had a chance to sign up to help with the Carnival, there’s still time. It’s a wonderful opportunity to serve, but also, to meet new people and have fun. Please keep the Carnival in prayer; that it might be safe, successful, and enjoyable for all!
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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