The Pope's Message for Lent

In preparation for this holy season, I read the special message written by Pope Francis for Lent 2022. The Holy Father begins his message by quoting from St. Paul: “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity let us do good to all.”(Gal. 6:9-10) Pope Francis goes on to say, “Lent invites us to conversion, to a change in mindset, so that life’s truth and beauty may be found not so much in possessing as in giving, not so much in accumulating as in sowing and sharing goodness.”

Meditating on St. Paul’s words, “Let us not grow tired of doing good,” Pope Francis gives specific applications of these words. He writes, “Let us not grow tired of praying,” adding that “we need to pray because we need God.” Then the Holy Father writes, “Let us not grow tired of uprooting evil from our lives,” adding two specific areas of concentration: “Let us not grow tired of asking for forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, knowing that God never tires of forgiving”; and “Let us not grow tired of fighting against concupiscence,” in particular the temptation to “addiction to the digital media, which impoverishes human relationships.”Finally, Pope Francis says, “Let us not grow tired of doing good in active charity towards our neighbors,” adding that “Lent is a favorable time to seek out—and not to avoid—those in need; to reach out—and not to ignore—those who need a sympathetic ear and a good word; to visit—and not to abandon—those who are lonely.”

By quoting these points from the message of Pope Francis, I hope to invite you to find specific ways in which you can apply these words to your lives, as I also seek to apply them to mine.May this Lent be a time in which we never grow tired of doing good!

Gratefully Yours,

Beyond Our Parish

Here at St. Edward the Confessor and San Felipe de Jesús, there is always the need to fund the work of our parish (even when we are not in the middle of a major construction project!).You are great about providing us with the resources we need; and we, in turn, do our best to support all the ways in which our parish seeks to celebrate, serve, and evangelize in the name of Christ. I feel truly blessed to be in such a generous community! Of course, we do not see our parish in isolation from the outside world. Most especially, we have a strong, essential union with the Diocese of Orange as a whole. That is why we take our participation in the annual Diocesan Pastoral Services Appeal so seriously. Each year we are assigned a financial goal, and each year we meet and surpass that goal. Our goal this year is $241,000; that is only $1,000 more than last year. Since we exceeded our goal last year, I am convinced that we can do the same this year. The people of St. Edward the Confessor and San Felipe de Jesús always come through.

In saying this, I feel compelled to emphasize that it’s not just about money. It’s about the ministries and services of the local Church, in which we are called to participate. I think of the tuition assistance and other support of Catholic education; assistance to over 342,000 families who turn to Catholic Charities for help; ministry to those who are in detention and restorative justice programs; the education of our seminarians and the ongoing education of our priests; and support for retired priests. Through participation in the Pastoral Services Appeal, our parish shares in all these good works. Please go to www.rcbo.org/psa-give-now to donate or pledge. Thank you in advance for your generosity; be assured that God will reward you abundantly.

Gratefully yours,

Joyful Gratitude

The last time I was in the office of Tom Leeman, our business manager, I saw a big stack of PSA pledge envelopes on his desk. That made me happy, not because I want money—it doesn’t come to me personally—but because I am eager for all of us to participate in the diocesan Pastoral Services Appeal. Three weekends ago you saw the diocesan video for the PSA during announcement time at Mass. Two weekends ago you saw my video and heard my appeal at all the weekend Masses. Last weekend we did not add an appeal because I know you have already received the message. But if you have not yet pledged or contributed to the Pastoral Services Appeal, I urge you to do so.

I have titled this message “Joyful Gratitude.” I am more grateful to you than words can describe, and I am grateful to God for you. Together we have made our new Pastoral Center a reality, and we are putting it to good use. God has blessed us so abundantly that I believe this year’s PSA is a call to joyful, grateful giving. I’ve done my best to remind you of all the important ministries that the diocese provides to people who really count on that assistance. As we reach out to them in this appeal, I hope we do so in a spirit of gratitude, joy, and generosity. “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Mt. 10:8)

You can contribute and pledge at www.rcbo.org/psa-give-now . Please be sure to select St. Edward the Confessor as your parish, so that we can give joyful witness to the generosity of our parish community. I know that God will continue to bless us!

Gratefully yours,