Trifecta! Memorial Day, Pentecost, & Stewardship

May 26

Letter From the Pastor
May 29, 2023

Trifecta! Memorial Day, Pentecost, & Stewardship

It is Memorial Day Weekend so we know summer has arrived! Welcome back to all those who have been away for the season! We also welcome those who might be visiting just for the weekend, especially anyone who is visiting us for the first time. I think we all would agree that LBI is the best place to be on Memorial Day weekend!

Tomorrow, our country will remember those men and women who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle in service of our country. We will be praying for them at our Masses this weekend and again tomorrow at our 9 AM Mass in the Brant Beach Church. We also remember the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. No doubt their pain runs deep as they continue to live with the scars of war.

This weekend we also bring the Easter season to a close. The culmination of our 50 days of Easter celebration is the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and upon us! In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles we hear that, like the breath of God that enlivened Adam, the Holy Spirit is breathed on the Apostles and all those gathered in the name of Jesus. We too, as believers in Jesus, are also sent to go out and proclaim the Gospel to all peoples. In a very concrete way, as our parish community takes on our Stewardship program, “The Joy of Sharing the Gospel,” we have the opportunity to reflect on how we do just that. How do we share our time, talent, and treasure, to help, as individuals and as a community, build the Kingdom of God in our time?

This weekend our parish community will also be celebrating Commitment Sunday as part of our becoming a Stewardship parish. After the homily, we will begin collecting the commitment cards that were mailed to you. If you did not receive a card in the mail and would like to become a steward of St. Francis parish, please feel free to fill out a card found in the pews, or on our website.

During the collection, please place your card in the collection baskets. If you have any questions, there will be someone at the doors of the churches after each of the Masses this weekend.

May God continue to bless our country and our church. We are grateful for all of the men and women who dedicated their lives to ensure that we could celebrate both our country and our church. May the heroic examples of both our soldiers and our saints inspire us to continue the work for freedom and justice of the Kingdom of God for all.