October 12, 2014
Greetings,
Here at the Community of Our Lady of Mount Carmel we are proud to be a very active and involved community. We take seriously the words of the dismissal at each Mass: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and one another.” Our faith and worship compel us to serve each other in so many ways – both inside the parish and outward to the wider community. This way of living out our faith is at the heart of Stewardship, and it is more than simply part of our Catholic Christian faith; it is central to who we are.
I am delighted to be a part of this growing community. From the first day I arrived I have felt welcomed and included by everyone. In fact, this is something I hear from nearly all of our visitors. They tell me that there is something very special about this community that they cannot readily explain. For many it feels like “coming home”, even if it is their first visit. This is a great compliment to all who make up this community. I myself am inspired by all of you to give even more of myself, and this parish offers a variety of ways to do that nearly every moment of every day.
In the past the focus was on “getting the Sacraments” at church, but in recent decades there has been a change in the way we understand and celebrate our faith. The Church teaches that there is a profound connection between our worship and our work in the world. We gather in the church building weekly to celebrate Christ’s Presence among us, to be forgiven and strengthened, to be nourished by Word and Sacrament, and then to be sent out. The parish is the place where our faith is celebrated – both in liturgy and in action.
At baptism we were initiated into the life of Christ, and now we are able to call ourselves his brothers and sisters. As such we are commissioned to go forth and preach the Good News to all people. Shortly after gathering disciples to himself and instructing them, Jesus sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Through visiting people, teaching them, healing them, forgiving them, and loving them, they – and we – bring Christ into the world.
Please join us whenever and however you can in our liturgies, our parish celebrations and in our ministries to the wider community. Share your talents and gifts with God’s people here so that all of us may better understand and do God’s will. May God bless us all each and every day.
In Christ’s Love,
Fr. Leonard