Happy New Year

Happy New Year? Now?  Yes! - The First Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a new Church Liturgical Year - in this four week period we are given a fresh chance to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.  Short vision - preparing for Christmas - the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Long vision - preparing for that time - somewhere in the future - when we will meet Our Lord Face to Face - the end of our life - the end of the world. Advent is not a penitential season - rather a time of reflection to see who we are - what we have done - where we are headed - what we need to do - to be ready for Christ's Second Coming.

There are so many times in our lives that we are given a second chance to get things right - a re-do of sorts.  Time to revisit events and situations that we have already experienced when we did not do as well as originally hoped.  In Advent we have the gift of four weeks to focus on our spiritual life - what was done well - what needs improvement - how to accomplish that goal.  At the end of these four weeks we will not just be ready to celebrate Our Lord's birth - but also better prepared for our own end days.  Advent a season looking to the future - what is coming.

Come Lord Jesus

Deacon Dale 

Waiting For A Miracle

Everyone is waiting for some sort of a miracle.  For the majority - an end to the pandemic - for others - personal needs - new jobs - financial relief - physical and spiritual healings.  Like most people - I am not the best model of quiet waiting.  Since this pandemic started I have been preoccupied with so many things - primarily - avoiding people - keeping my risk to a minimum. Obviously I am not alone.  Avoiding family - close friends - neighbors - wearing a mask when necessary - hiding from life.  These past months have created tension - stress - concern not only for my own well being - also for my spouse - children.  On top of all this - I recently had knee surgery which has placed me in a higher risk category.  Adding surgical pain - physical therapy which challenges my body - lack of sleep - I am ready for a miracle.

Deacon Class Ordained October 1988 - The Other Twelve

This past October we celebrated our 32nd year of ordination.  In those 32 years we - the Other Twelve - served our parishes - the parishioners - through the grace of our ordination as Permanent Deacons - ordinary men called to do the extra ordinary.  We have performed weddings - funerals - preached hundreds - maybe thousands of homilies - easily baptized thousands of babies and some adults. In the last ten years I have been privileged to lead some 20+ pilgrimages - domestic and international.  I have been blessed to preach at Shepherd's Field Chapel in Bethlehem in the Holy Land - la Familia Sagrada in Barcelona - Saint Francis Basilica in Assisi, Italy and many others.  These memories - experiences - the people who joined me on pilgrimage - all inspire me to continue on - to look forward to that day - when by the grace of God we will emerge from this pandemic.  Until then we wait - trusting in God - for a miracle.

Deacon Dale