My Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Some important events from December 2008:
1. Sacrament of Matrimony between Steven Marricone and Alexis Fikes on Nov. 29, 2008
2. Birthday Party for Jesus with a special cake on Dec. 7, 2008
3. SOCL Christmas Program and Christmas Dinner on Dec. 7, 2008
4. Sacrament of Baptism of Julia Naomi Palman on Dec. 21, 2008
In December we welcomed Italo, Patricia Palman and their children Julia, Justin, Josephine, Jessica and Jenifer as new members of our parish. Their daughter Julia was baptized on December 21, 1008. We wish Palman Family happiness and spiritual fulfillment at Holy Cross.
5. St. Nicholas with children at Holy Cross on Dec. 28, 2008
6. Sacrament of Baptism of Gianfranco Sung on Dec. 28, 2008
In December we welcomed Fernando Sung, Paulette Rodriguez and their son, Gianfranco as new family at Holy Cross Church. Their son, Gianfranco was baptized on December 28, 2008. We wish them happiness and spiritual fulfillment at Holy Cross.
With the end of the year 2008 we closed our fiscal year. We thank parishioners who throughout this past year shared their time, talent and treasure for the good of Holy Cross Church in order to pay weekly bills. The financial report of income versus expenses reflecting the year 2008 will be available at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday February 8, 2008 after 9:00 A.M. Mass. All parishioners are strongly encouraged to attend.
Epiphany Pastoral visitations this year can take place until Ash Wednesday, which will take place on February 25, 2009. Please call me or contact me on Sundays to schedule the appointment. For the visit, if it is possible, please prepare a cross and two candles. The candles that symbolize the light of Jesus will be lighted during the prayer time. In the case of the sick and home-bound Holy Communion will be given. In keeping with the tradition, I will mark the lintel of your door with the initials C+M+B+2009 (Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar-2009). These symbolize the Three Wise Men who welcomed Jesus into their hearts, and it is our way of accepting Him into our lives and our homes.
As our Annual Parish Meeting approaches I ask each organization to present its report of activities in the year 2008 and projects for the year 2009. The list of our organizations is enclosed. In advance I thank them for their service. I encourage all parishioners to be a part of the life of our parish family. All of us need to be responsible for the growth of the parish. This is our internal mission, to serve each other using our talents, time and treasure in the name of our Lord.
And finally I would like to share with you some thought about New Years resolutions.
At the beginning of the New Year 2009 we must set goals and make resolutions as a necessary conclusion to our review of the past year. And we do need to review our lives from year to year because, as Socrates says, the unexamined life is not worth living.
At the beginning of the year newspapers are full of individual and collective New Year resolutions. Most of those, however, are not resolutions at all but only wishes. What is the difference between a resolution and a wish?
A wish identifies a goal one wants to reach; a resolution specifies the steps one will take to reach it. A wish says this is where I want to be, a resolution says this is the road I will take, and this is what I will do to get there. The wishful person says “I want to pass my exams this year” and the resolved person says “I will devote an extra hour to my studies everyday in order to pass my exams.” The wishful person says “I will have more peace and love in my family this year” and the resolved person says “I will spend more time with my family at table instead of rushing off to the TV, so that we get to know and understand ourselves better.” The wishful person says “I will live a life of union with God this year” and the resolved person says “I will set aside this time everyday to pray and hear God’s word.”
The difference between wishing and resolving is: are we prepared to do what it takes to make our dreams come true, are we prepared to pay the price? Our New Year resolution we need to support with prayer.
We read that the shepherds, when they went to adore the Child Jesus in the manger, told all that the angels had said to them. “But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Again after the boy Jesus was found in the Temple, we are told that “His mother treasured all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51). Mary was a woman who valued the word of God, who treasured it and made time to meditate and ponder it. It is true that the holiness of Mary is attributed to the grace of God, but this should not make us forget that she needed to make an effort in order to cooperate with the grace of God. She pondered the word of God in order to discern what God was saying to her at every stage in her life as the handmaid of God.
Are you making good resolutions this year?
We express our heartfelt thanks for all received Christmas cards and signs of your kindness. May the Baby Jesus who came to enrich us with his blessings reward you abundantly in year 2009 — Fr. Joseph & Family
P.S. I keep you in my daily prayers. Please remember me in your prayers.
– Fr. Joseph