The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation is Monday/tomorrow evening for our 8th graders! Bp. Martin Amos will join us for this conclusion of the Sacraments of Initiation as he calls down the Holy Spirit to seal them with His presence and gifts. To be sure, they are not receiving the Holy Spirit for the first time (Received fully at baptism), but Confirmation is a substantial deepening and strengthening of the relationship. This sealing of the Holy Spirit is for the sake of mission. Jesus told us, mandated us to go baptize and make disciples of all nations and we need all the help we can get. Please keep our Confirmandi and their sponsors in your prayers as they prepare for this life-giving and transformative outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Also, let us all be reminded that we can and should call upon the Holy Spirit intentionally in our lives for guidance, strength, and perseverance!

Congratulations to our Altar and Rosary Society on their 76th Anniversary! We are so grateful for all the Society has done over the decades to help supply the liturgical needs of the parish. They have a great community and many friendships have been created and grown through their devotion to the parish together. We grow in faith and relationship through mission. Thank you as well for all of the support you have given to the Society at their fundraisers over the years!

As we move closer to Holy Week, may we deepen our Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Even if we didn’t really commit to anything to this point, its never too late to start. One of the most powerful tools that Satan uses against us, to keep us from the mission, is discouragement. “Well I haven’t really done anything yet, or I haven’t done what I committed to really that well, so why start or why try now?” We can think these things and even believe these things, but they obviously aren’t from the Lord as they don’t lead us closer to Him. Jesus can work powerfully through even a small opening in our hearts. As we discern ways that we can open ourselves to Him and what he may be calling us to, the grace of the Resurrection can be known here and now!