A Letter From Father: September — An Ongoing Opportunity to Change the World

Dear Family,

Most Sundays, the Second Reading is taken from one of the epistles of St. Paul and begins with the words “Brothers and Sisters.” While these words do not precede every single verse in St. Paul’s epistles, they capture the flavor of his writings as an address to the various Christian communities which he wrote and loved. They also encompass his understanding of the relationship of believers as the Body of the Christ, the Church. In his writings, he urges them, and us, to live as what we are — members of Christ’s body and of the family of God. Our parish community is truly a family, a family born out of the Eucharist and made manifest in the way we treat and care for one another.

Our spiritual family is not contained to the walls of our churches or even the wider community of Catholics. It extends to every single person, man, woman and child — all of whom are made in the image and likeness of God. This is a foundational principle of human dignity and Catholic Social Teaching. Perhaps, you are familiar with this term — it is often expressed by a commitment to the poor and it lays the framework for the Church’s teachings on the dignity and sacredness of human life. The more we respond to the call to discipleship through the stewardship way of life, the principles of Catholic Social Teaching become more central and are very easily incorporated into our daily lives.

Catholic Social Teaching is a relatively young term, but the concept has been around since the first Christian disciples tried to balance the harsh realities of living in ancient Roman culture and the teachings of Christ to love, forgive, and serve. Our blessed Lord taught His disciples then, as He does now, that caring for the poor is at the core of what we do — “I was hungry and you gave me food; thirsty drink; a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35 ff). This is the foundation as we seek to embody mercy and compassion towards our neighbor and should be one of our major goals as a community of faith. We have several ministries in our parish that seek to attend to this call of the Gospel. Additionally, both as a parish and as individuals we support many of the efforts in the wider community to meet the needs of the poor. As we move into fall and then Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have the perfect opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the needs of those around us.

The many good works done as a parish and individuals are a source of joy and pride for me and I hope for us all, but we are called to do more. Our Holy Father Pope Francis reminds us, “The measure of the greatness of society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty.” Together, we must respond to the call of the Lord to serve Him by serving those most in need. Together, we can make a difference.

Your Father in Christ,

Fr. Estrella Parochial, Administrator

Fr. Estrella Parochial, Administrator