From the Pastor's Desk: October 6, 2019

From the Pastor’s Desk:                                                                                                     
October 6, 2019
 
     In the spirit of gratitude, please join me to offer thanks for the life and ministry of Bishop John J. Snyder, D.D. the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of St Augustine, who retired in 2000 after 22 years of faithful service to our diocese, and who died on September 27 ^th on the feast of St. Vincent de Paul.  He was 93.  He led the 17-county diocese during a period of tremendous growth, when the number of Catholics more than doubled, requiring the addition of eight new parishes, seven elementary schools, and two high schools, St. Francis Catholic Academy in Gainesville and the school on the Westside that bears his name – BJHS High School.  Bishop Snyder was best known as a people’s bishop – gregarious, approachable and interested in the lives of ordinary people.  In the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, he empowered laypeople, especially women, to assume leadership roles in their parishes and diocesan ministries.  For the job well done, faithful servant, may you rest in peace!
     October celebrates the launch of Respect Life Month. “Although we must cherish, protect, and defend human life year-round, the Catholic Church in the United States sets aside each October as Respect Life Month.  This year’s theme, ‘Christ Our Hope: In Every Season of Life,’ is particularly suited for our times.  While attacks against human life seem to grow ever more numerous and callous, we know that Christ has conquered sin and death.  Through our Christian hope in the Resurrection, we are given the grace to persevere in faith.  Jesus asks us to be as leaven in the world, to bring His light to the darkness.  Our daily activities take each of us to places only we can go, to people only we will meet.  May we allow Christ to renew and strengthen us, that He may work through us in each moment of every day.” ( Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, of Kansas City in Kansas and Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities)
    October is also the Month of the Rosary.  Monday, October 7 ^th is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.  We entrust our hopes to Mary’s motherly intercession.  With the repetition of the prayers of the rosary, we turn to Mary with the insistent, trusting prayer of a child to his or her mother.  May the rosary become an effective weapon of victory of life over death in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
     The week of October 7-11, 2019 is the Diocesan Annual Priestly Retreat.  Father Xaviour and I will be at Marywood with the many other priests of the diocese united in prayer. There will be no Masses on Tuesday thru Friday.  Please pray for all priests of our diocese that together we can continue to grow in our priestly service and stewardship of our parish and the entire Church.
     Throughout the month of October, you will find in the pews and gathering areas special envelopes for the Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed.  I invite you to use these and other envelopes and place them in the collection basket or bring them to the Parish office with names of your beloved death.  For the entire week during the daily Masses beginning with November 2 – The Feast of All Souls – we will remember in our prayers the promise of Jesus to bring our beloved faithful departed to the fullness of life with Him.
     Next Sunday, October 13, 2019, we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Luke – the Saint Patron of our Parish.  Bishop Estévez will be the main celebrant at the 11:00 am Mass. Please come and join us in the wonderful celebration as we will express our gratitude for another year of our faithful service to our parish and will ask intercessions of St. Luke for the upcoming year.  Following the Eucharist, the Pastor’s Advisory Team invites all parishioners to the St. Luke Annual Parish Picnic.  Please come and share in the spirit of joy and fellowship with one another.
     As we approach another week, let us reflect more seriously on the gift of gratefulness, which is not so much a concept but a practice.  A decision that brings fulfillment to our lives, as a sole expression of our gratitude to God for all we have.  Unfortunately, it is so easy to forget it!   Today, let us resolve and re-commit ourselves to God, so from now on, by demonstrating our gifts of that we offer during our participation in the Eucharist with gratitude and faith, we will offer them to one another in every ordinary moment of our faithful lives.
 
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!                 

Have a blessed week!                
With prayers, Fr. Andy