Christmas Day

By the time you read this you will be deep in your Christmas cheer. By the time you read this it will probably be Monday or Tuesday. The crowd has gone. There is nothing to watch on television. You are drinking a cup of coffee and there is nothing to read. “O, I’ll read the Bulletin.” May I wish you a very Merry Christmas, first. I hope it creates wonderful memories. No doubt you were inundated with Santa Clause and presents and turkey. I hope in the days that follow that you allow your spiritual side to come forth. In your private moment I hope you thank God for all his blessings. Thank God that He loves you enough to send His Only Son to come and visit in your house. Christmas time for me, and for every other priest is spent serving the parish. Usually by Christmas afternoon I will collapse on the chair and take a nap, glad to have a little time to myself. Following Christmas I will enjoy a few days of peace and quiet before the New Year and off we go again. One way or another coming into 2017 we are going to build our new Parish Center. I hate bureaucracy and paper work. If you see me with a sledge hammer banging on the wall of the Hall don’t be alarmed. That will be me getting rid of my frustration. Between each blow I will thank God for all His blessings. I guess to each his own. May I say we have such a wonderful Church community. I mean really, you are all wonderful. Every day I am amazed at the level of participation our parishioners give to us. The love in our community is unparalleled in my experience. I consider myself to be the luckiest Pastor in Christendom. I am so proud of who we are and where we are going. Once we get that Parish Hall up there will be no stopping us. Imagine when all of our programs return to the parish and we are open again and fully alive. This will be something to look forward to. I can’t wait for our coffee shop. Half of my meetings in the Parish are in coffee shops. Now I won’t have to go too far. Anyway, that is a while away yet. For now, have a few naps on the chair. Enjoy your Christmas and we will see you again in the New Year. Be peaceful. Be happy.

With love, Fr. Pat