We are only two weeks away from the beginning of Advent, and three weeks away from the start of the Holy Year of Mercy. This Holy Year begins on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I hope that our parish can fully enter into the spirit of this year. I want to keep the theme of the holy year at the center of our parish.
This week and next week focus on the ending of all things, giving us an opportunity to reflect upon our lives in the light of our final destiny. These reflections do not come easily to us, and it is important to let the liturgy lead us into the deeper meaning of our lives.
I plan to preach at all the masses next week, the feast of Christ the King, and the end of our year of worship. I will give you an update on the past year and some information on what is coming in the months ahead. I will be asking you to fill out another brief in-pew survey too. We had a great response last year. The results have helped us in our planning. I hope you will be willing to do another survey. Your responses are absolutely anonymous and will help me and the pastoral council better understand our unique parish community.