Next Sunday afternoon, we will have our Parish Family Picnic. It will take place from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on the Holy Redeemer School soccer field, weather permitting. We invite you to join us as we come together as a family of faith. There will be plenty of free food and drinks and great entertainment for our children. Many of our parishioners and guests have enjoyed the Picnic in past years.
Our late Holy Father, Pope Francis, often spoke about the need for strong families as essential components of strong communities. In an address to families, as previously mentioned, he stated, “The family is alive if it is united in prayer. The family is strong if it rediscovers the Word of God and the providential value of all it promises. The family is generous and builds history if it remains open to life, if it does not discriminate and serves the most fragile and needy, if it does not stop offering the world the bread of charity and the wine of fraternity.” He pointed to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph as a model for us to follow.
Pope Francis also spoke about the need for strong parish communities where the gift of the sacraments could be found. He further noted that parishes should be community oriented, serving as centers of welcoming and listening. Our new Holy Father, Pope Leo, has also echoed the sentiments of Pope Francis. In one of his early public addresses, he called for missionary evangelization focused on unity and strong faith communities, consistent with his Augustinian tradition.
The following prayer called “A Prayer for Community” provided by the “Alliance for Catholic Education” focuses on the importance of community:
God our Maker, we thank you for the gift of community.
Thank you for the communities in which we work and live.
Thank you for the community that is your Body, the Church.
Fill us with Your Spirit today, so that, as one,
we reflect your light and love to each other and to the world.
In Christ we pray. Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer, and on the sentiments of Pope Francis and Pope Leo, we are reminded that hospitality and welcoming are important ways to accompany our parishioners and guests on their journey of faith. Please avail yourselves of this welcoming opportunity to embrace our parish family and join with your fellow parishioners and their guests next Sunday for food, fun, and fellowship.