Dear Friends,
This week we come again to the “turning of the year” as New Year’s once was called. The end of an old year filled with a curious, even strange, mixture of the good and the bad, the mundane and the extraordinary, and in some cases, even the bizarre, calls one to recollection, to remembrance, to pondering what life means, where we have come from and what lies ahead of us. The dawn of 2019 on Tuesday brings with it the freshness of a new beginning, the hope of a brighter future, a year that will again be filled with a mixture of the good and bad, blessings and sorrows, hopes and disappointments. As we prepare to begin the New Year, it might be good for us to stop and reflect on the year just ending, being thankful for its joys and blessings, and to look forward to the year ahead with a prayer of hope-filled anticipation of what is to come, asking the timeless Lord of the ages to bless us with all that is good and all that we need.
As the New Year dawns upon us, I again remind everyone the new schedule for weekend Masses and confessions takes effect. You should have received in the mail a refrigerator magnet with the new schedule printed on it for reference. Even at the risk of being repetitious, I remind everyone of the new schedule that goes into effect next weekend, January 5-6:
SATURDAY VIGIL MASSES
4:30 PM at St. Mary’s and 5:00 PM at St. Agnes’ SUNDAY MASSES
8:30, 10:00, 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM at St. Mary’s 7:30 and 10:30 AM at St. Agnes’ CONFESSIONS
Saturdays from 3:30-4:30 PM at St. Agnes’ Mondays from 6:00-7:00 PM at St. Mary’s.
The weekday Mass schedule remains the same at both churches. Some of you will have to make adjustments in your routines, but in no time, it will seem normal. With eight Masses each weekend, there is no reason for anyone to miss Mass.
A word of explanation regarding the St. Joseph Sunday Missals which had been used at St. Agnes’ for a number of years. Upon review of those missals, I determined that they were inadequate for our needs in that the music supplied in them was insufficient. Thus, I decided to discontinue using them and to replace them with the Breaking Bread hymnals that are now in the pews. These hymnals contain the parts of the Mass, the Sunday readings, some prayers, a wide and excellent selection of hymns, and even the responses for weekday Masses. For some of you, these hymnals will require some time so that you can get used to using them. I ask for your cooperation as we seek to make our worship even better and more meaningful.
I wish you all a blessed New Year. May 2019 be a year filled with many joys and blessings for you and those you love!
