Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter! It is truly a joyful day for us to be together celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord! Let us roll away the stone that has kept us separated and emerge from our tombs into the glory of creation and our Creator.
We are excited to welcome our RCIA candidates into our family of faith. These people have spent time every week learning about our faith and journeying together towards the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion. They will now join our community as fully initiated Catholics. Let us welcome them with joy and be inspired by the faith that we all share. Let us pray for them, their families, and our RCIA team.
Let us live the lives of Resurrection people: We are not supposed to lie buried in the tomb of our sins, evil habits, dangerous addictions, despair, discouragement, or doubts. Instead, we are expected to live joyful and peaceful lives, constantly experiencing the living presence of the Risen Lord Who loves us in all the events of our lives and amid the boredom, suffering, pain, and tensions of our day-to-day lives.
The belief in the real presence of the Risen Lord with us, within us, and all around us enables us to lead disciplined Christian lives. This conviction of Faith will help us to control our thoughts, words, behaviors, and actions. Our belief that the loving presence of the Risen Lord dwells in all those we encounter should encourage us to respect them and to render them loving, humble, and selfless service. We need to radiate the Risen Lord around us through selfless love, mercy, compassion, and a spirit of humble service. Each time we try to practice Christian charity, mercy, and forgiveness, and each time we fight against temptations, we share in the Resurrection of Jesus. Alleluia! He is risen indeed!
We will be hosting Father Dominic's Farewell Open House next Sunday, April 27th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We are delighted to be able to send him off with gratitude, well wishes, and, of course, our prayers. So that things run smoothly, please note the following:
We expect many people to attend, and the parish hall cannot hold everyone at once.
Please remember this is an Open House where you may drop in to see Father, have a light meal, and then leave seating for others arriving at various times throughout the evening.
Parking may be challenging. There will be availability in the parking lot, in the open field in the back, and across the street at the school. PLEASE DO NOT PARK WHERE THERE ARE PAINTED RED LINES! This is a safety issue, and Taylorville police may ticket violators.
There will be a basket available for those who would like to drop off cards for Father. There will also be a Venmo code available if you would like to make donations to Father's Travel Fund in any of those ways.
Please do not bring gift items as Father has limited space as he travels to Seattle, as well as limited space in his new home.
Thank you all ahead of time for sharing this day and for everyone's efforts in putting this together.
Saint Martin de Porres, pray for us! - Fr. Dominic
