I know the wind’s so cold… I’ve seen the darkest days,
but now the winds I feel are only winds of change.
I’ve been through the fire, and I’ve been through the rain, but I’ll be fine.
from Faith of the Heart, written by Diane Lee Warren
In a few weeks, the Boston Marathon will again capture the imagination of the sporting world, as tens of thousands of runners from all over the world gather in Hopkinton and take on this great challenge- up and down hills and through weather that can be brutal. The crowds that gather every step of their way cheer them on, encourage them, and give them strength even when it seems they can’t go on any further… but they do, and so many of them reach their goal.
We begin our Lenten journey now, marked with the ashes of humility, and I pray we encourage one another- we all carry crosses on this journey regrets, doubts, and fears, and they can wear us down. One of the encouraging things I see every year at the Marathon and in everyday life is how runners and all sorts of people support one another- bearing each other’s burdens gladly. We don’t have to do this alone.
Please encourage those around you on our journey- invite them to come to Mass, to the Stations of the Cross, to our Parish Mission and Reconciliation service, and to pray for them. May we have the eyes of faith to see the needs of those in our midst, and the courage to reach out, even when we feel weary, like Jesus felt in the desert. We’re not alone, the winds of change are blowing clear and warm, and victory isn’t far away.
This coming Saturday will be a special day to March forth, as St. Francis has a spring-cleaning day- please bring your supplies and your smiles. We’ll begin at 1:30 pm with pizza and refreshments in the hall and conclude at 4 pm with Mass in the Church.
March 20-23 will bring us a Collaborative Mission on the gifts of Faith, Hope and Love. Join us on Monday at 6:30 pm at St. Mary’s, Tuesday at 6:30 pm at St. Francis, and Wednesday at 6:30 pm at St. Mary’s. Bring a friend or family member and get a different perspective on these Christian virtues.
Catholic Appeal
Next weekend, the 2023 Catholic Appeal will officially launch here in our parish and across the Archdiocese. One of the most meaningful ways that we witness the presence of Christ and deepen the impact of our Church’s ministries is by supporting the Catholic Appeal. As your pastor, I invite you to prayerfully consider extending your generosity to this year’s appeal.
Many of you have already done so and I am deeply grateful. When our parish reaches its goal of $ 52,795 a portion of the additional funds received will be returned to us for use in our parish. To make a gift online, please visit www.bostoncatholicappeal.org/donatenow.
Thank you!
Turkey & Syria Earthquake Relief – March 5th, 2023
The Cardinal authorized a Special Collection for Turkey/Syria Earthquake Relief. St. Mary– St. Catherine Siena collection for this effort will take place at all the Masses on March 4/5, 2023