This is the week where we give thanks and look forward as Catholics. We celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving that always pushes towards the New Year of our Advent season of preparation. We are called to remember and lift up in prayer the blessings of our lives in thanksgiving to God’s gracious blessings knowing that very near is the greatest of all blessings the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This past year has been a jumble of experiences and emotions many of which were very difficult to discover blessings and hope. But within each moment were blessings to be discovered both in the personal and in the ministry. Here are three blessings from this odd and strange year.

A little blue envelope: As many of you know we began renovations of our church on the 2nd of January, then COVID struck then all the delays began to happen. As pastor one of the worries that was foremost in my mind was how to keep the church going without Mass and without a Sunday collection. Within a few weeks little blue envelopes began to arrive. For our capital campaign the donation envelopes were the color blue. This gift of generosity, and as many other envelopes began to appear, was one of the truly great blessings. It reminded me of our love for Jesus and our Church is not something that is solely based on the physical but also our desire to bring the kingdom of God to others. I give thanks for a little blue envelope.

The second is “the caring of:” once more this is a gift of generosity by so many people. Early on our Bishop asked us to team with Catholic Chariities and Second Harvest Food bank to have food distribution to those in need. My immediate response was yes, then began the immediate response of so many parish volunteers who have offered their time and talent in serving over 550 households every week with food and prayer. Our St. Vincent de Paul society sought new ways of reaching out and receiving those in need to serve them with the immediate concerns of so many of our brothers and sisters. Our Social Justice Committee chose to pivot and focus on the mental health care needs as people began to suffer from the isolation and worry of what would be next. The gift of generosity is a blessing of how Jesus invites us to extend our arms to embrace the other in hope and joy. It is the thanksgiving of caring of one another.

The third is, “We are not alone:” In my life and certainly in my seminarian training what I, as a priest, have been asked to do over the past nine months was never talked about or covered. The generosity of those who have shared their talents in technology, building so many other things, pivoting on worships space and stewardship of the gifts we share. With each new change and challenge the gift of time and talent from so many people, even with the limitations surround our ministry showed for the hope of God’s blessings within the community. We are not alone is the gift of generosity uniting us as the Body of Christ.

For this I give thanks……Thank you! You each are in my prayers daily.

God bless
Fr. Mark