Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This weekend we celebrate the end of our liturgical year with the Solemnity of Christ the King, a reminder for us that Jesus must be at the center of our lives. How do we experience this central theme of our faith and, more importantly, how do we live it out?
Many times we can see the activity of the body of Christ at work proclaiming the kingship of Jesus. On November 30, the young children from St. Clement Parish and St. James Parish who have been preparing for Reconciliation will have the opportunity to experience the healing forgiveness of Jesus. Through this sacrament they will be encouraged to live holier lives as they mature in their witness to Jesus, whom they are also preparing to receive in Holy Communion this spring. Those of us who are a little older may recall the excitement of these beautiful encounters with our Lord and how, through them, we also are encouraged to be better witnesses of Him.
In the late evening of that same day, throughout the Diocese there we be an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to visit a designated Church to spend some time in personal prayer and participate in the public liturgical Night Prayer. This practice provides a little window of time to spend with the Lord, offering prayers of healing, gratitude, or renewal for people of all faith backgrounds, and especially for those that may have drifted away from Jesus. This opportunity will be presented in a series of nine consecutive nights of prayer, ending on December 8 with the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. St. Clement Parish is hosting this series for our area of the diocese. Eight other parishes throughout the diocese will also be hosting this time of prayer. The diocesan website has a list of all parishes hosting “Nine Nights of Night Prayer.”
Also, throughout this entire day both parishes will participate in the “We Give Catholic” Giving Tuesday campaign. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we have not been hosting our usual fundraisers, and I once again invite you to consider supporting this fundraising opportunity. All proceeds go directly to the parish for assisting with particular needs or projects. Information about this program can be found on the parish website, bulletin, and Facebook page. Many parishes, schools, and social services throughout the diocese are participating in this special one day giving event. Please remember how our support promotes the life of the Body of Christ as she witnesses to Christ our king.
During this Thanksgiving time we are invited to reflect on the many ways that we experience blessings. Each of our reflections are unique, valuable, and necessary to realize the true source of our blessings. May we take a moment for prayer this Thanksgiving Day to thank the center of our life, our Savior, for His love, healing, forgiveness, and redemption.
Happy Thanksgiving and a prayer of safety for those who are traveling.
Fr. Workman