From the Pastor’s Desk: October 7, 2018

     The First Sunday of October is traditionally celebrated as Respect Life Sunday. In a very special way, we are invited to reflect upon this year’s theme, "Every Life: Cherished, Chosen, Sent." Therefore being cherished, chosen, and sent by God to love one another as He loves us, we need to help to build a culture that cherishes all human life. Building a culture of life is simply part of who we are as Christians, as followers of Christ. This special time offers all of us - people of good will – special opportunities that in coordinated efforts may promote the culture of life. In this time we invite one another to live our faith most actively that opens our eyes to human life in all its grandeur and beauty. 
     The Gospel of Life needs to be at the very center of our hearts who consider to be practicing Catholic-Christians, as a matter of our faith, bringing us always closer to our Lord, and through our actions to live as we believe. To respect life means more than abortion issues, but also those issues that deal directly with the dignity of human life at every stage – the sick, the aged, the disabled, the imprisoned, the condemned, abandoned or abused children, medical research especially on embryonic stem cells, end-of-life, and possibly others as well as simple respect for each other since we all reflect the same image of the same God.
     “The victims of this [throwaway] culture are precisely the weakest and most fragile human beings — the unborn, the poorest, the sick and elderly, the seriously handicapped, etc. — who are in danger of being ‘thrown away,’ expelled from a system that must be efficient at all costs.…It is necessary to raise awareness and form the lay faithful, in whatever state, especially those engaged in the field of politics, so that they may think in accord with the Gospel and the social doctrine of the church and act consistently by dialoguing and collaborating with those who, in sincerity and intellectual honesty, share — if not the faith — at least a similar vision of mankind and society and its ethical consequences.” -Pope Francis, Speech to a delegation from the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, Dec. 7, 2013.
     Next week, October 14, 2018, at the 11:00 am Mass we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Luke – the Patron Saint of our Parish with Bishop Estévez as the main celebrant. 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 the intercession 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.
     This year on behalf of the Evangelization Team, I want to invite you to participate in the presentations by Dr. Peter Kreeft on Friday, October 12^th, and Saturday, October 13^th (please see the separate schedule of events on our media platform). These special opportunities are part of the celebration of the Feast of St. Luke to engage in the reality to be faithful, effective, and filled-with-love disciples of Jesus Christ. Please consider to invite others and offer them to share the gift of our faith. 
     As we reflect upon the challenges related to Respect Life issues today, let us promote with faith, love, and conviction of our hearts the culture of life. The powerful voices and vicious attacks of those who see otherwise in merciless forceful efforts destroy everyone and everything that stands in their way. Therefore, we as faith-filled Catholics, need to speak out against these violations against human dignity and speak the message of truth and life, rooted in faith and conviction with love. So I want to invite you to open your arms and hearts to embrace all who think differently than us, all who fail to respect life, and to do so with great love, peace, forgiveness and encouragement. Let us offer some prayers together.
     The month of October is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. In a very special way, I want to invite all to participate in the annual Life Chain, today at 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Blanding Blvd. by Orange Park High School.  Please let us take action to come, support, and bear witness to this important truth of Jesus Christ.
 
Have a blessed week!
 With prayers,
 
Fr. Andy