a Word from the pastor

December 2024

Beloved Assumption Family and Friends,
 
Merry Christmas!  This season is a time of wonder, a time to pause and rediscover the profound truth of Christmas: God chose to enter our world as one of us. He came not in power and majesty, but as a vulnerable child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Through this humble beginning, God shows us that His love reaches even the most ordinary corners of our lives.
 
As I reflect on our parish and school community, I see how we, too, live out this message of love and humility. I think of the parish staff, teachers, volunteers, and ministers working tirelessly for our community.  I think of the families who pray together, serve together, and make faith the cornerstone of their lives. You remind me that Christmas is more than a season—it’s a call to embody the love of Christ every day.
This year, we’ve shared so much as a community—joys, sorrows, challenges, and triumphs. Through it all, the presence of Christ has been evident in the way we support and uplift one another. Thank you for being a reflection of God’s love to me and to one another.
 
As we celebrate this holy season, I invite you to take a moment to embrace the stillness of Christmas. Imagine yourself at the stable in Bethlehem, standing with Mary and Joseph, gazing at the Christ Child. What would you say to Him? What might He say to you? In that quiet place, let His peace fill your heart and His love renew your spirit.
May this Christmas bring you and your loved ones abundant blessings. May your homes be filled with joy, your hearts with gratitude, and your lives with the light of Christ. And as you move forward into the new year, may you carry the spirit of Christmas with you — living in faith, hope, and love.
 
Thank you for being part of this incredible family of faith. Know that you are deeply appreciated and always in my prayers.
 
In Jesus and Mary,
Father John


March 2024

Beloved Assumption Parishioners and Friends,
As we enter into the holiest season of the year, I am filled with excitement and
anticipation for the incredible journey that lies ahead of us. Easter is a time of
profound significance for us as Catholics – a time to reflect and celebrate the
amazing gift of salvation that we have been given through the resurrection of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the midst of our busy lives and the challenges that we may face, Easter offers us a time of renewal, a time of rejoicing, and a time of profound gratitude for the
boundless love of our Lord. It offers us a beacon of hope – a reminder that no matter how dark the night may seem, the light of Christ will always shine through. St. John Paul II says, "Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." These words speak to the heart of what Easter is all about and what Easter means to us – to cast aside our fears and doubts, to overcome despair with hope, to a conquer darkness around us with light and to embrace the promise of new life offered to us through Jesus' victory over sin and death.

My beloved parishioners and friends, as we journey through this sacred season
together, may we open our hearts to the grace and mercy of God, and the
transformative power of Christ's resurrection.
I want to extend a special invitation to each one of you to join us for our Parish
Lenten Retreat with the theme: Meditations on the Stations of the Cross. This retreat is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community, to deepen our faith, and to prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. 
I am also thrilled to announce that we will be celebrating the Sacred Paschal
Triduum — the holiest days of the Catholic liturgical calendar: Holy Thursday,
Good Friday and Easter Vigil.

On Holy Thursday, we will come together to remember the Last Supper, where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and washed the feet of His disciples as a sign of humble service. This solemn liturgy reminds us of the incredible love that Jesus has for each one of us, and challenges us to follow His example of selfless love and service in our own lives. Per the custom in Assumption, I encourage you to participate in the Washing of the Feet. Parents, children, spouses, friends and acquaintances, wash each other’s feet just as Jesus has commanded: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:14).
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Good Friday is a day of solemn reflection and prayer as we commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. We will gather together to venerate the cross and to meditate on the profound sacrifice that Jesus made for our sake. It is a day to ponder the depths of God's love for us and to offer our own sacrifices in union with Christ's redemptive suffering.

And finally, on Easter Vigil, we will gather together in joyful anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we welcome new Catholics into our community through the sacraments of initiation, we will be reminded of the incredible power of God's love to transform lives and to bring about new beginnings. It is a night of exultant praise and thanksgiving as we proclaim, "Christ is risen, alleluia!"
Together with your parish staff, we pray that you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter! When you come before the Lord, please pray for me, your clergy, staff and our parish and school community. Know that we will pray for you and your loved ones.

May the peace of the Risen Lord, the Light of the world, be with you in this Easter season and always.
- Father John