We Are A Great Group!

Jun 4

Letter from the Pastor
Pentecost Sunday
June 5, 2022

Last weekend was great! The weather was perfect and the crowds reminded us how exciting LBI can be when everyone is back. An added bonus, at least for me, is to see our parishioners who were away for the winter months. It is great to have them back on LBI and here at St. Francis.

Besides our year-round residence - the backbone of the community - and our “snowbirds” – those loyal parishioners, who like the swallows of Capistrano, return each year - we also have a third group of people. They are the countless number of people who worship with us while on vacation or down for the weekend. They become a part of our worship for a week or two or perhaps even longer. It is great to have them join us as well and become part of our parish community.

Very soon you will be seeing an envelope in the church pews with a “Welcome Letter” from me. It is written to this third group of people. Unlike most parishes where the community is relatively constant, our population changes every week. For some, even the church “loyalty” shifts from Brant Beach to Surf City, Loveladies, or Beach Haven.

We are now at the beginning of that dynamic shift. There are 10 Masses on the weekend, in three churches, for the month of June. In 4 weeks that will rise to 16 Masses each weekend until the end of August.

While it is exciting to welcome so many people each week it is also very hard to get to know everyone who comes. We want to welcome our summer guests to the parish, but we would also like to get to know them as well. We are interested in hearing how we can serve them and find out if they might like to get involved in our parish community while they are here.

I would ask our year-round community, our “snowbird” community, as well as those people who might be coming to St. Francis on a regular basis but, for whatever reason, have not yet registered as parishioners, to also read the letter. Perhaps it might spark something in you, and you might find that you too would like to engage the parish a bit more.

We are a wonderful parish, but that is only because of the wonderful people who make up our community.

Here’s to a great summer 2022 filled with many blessings!!

Peace and All Good!