The New Beginning of an End!

This week marks the end of my 5th fiscal year 2025-2026 as the pastor of Holy Family Catholic Community. Who counts! Yet l look forward to many more wonderful years of building our community in all its aspect—spiritual, faith-formation, fellowship, worship and stewardship. The beginning of a new fiscal year is always filled with hope and mystery. We look forward to it with great expectations and opportunity. We also look at the New Fiscal Year with uncertainty and concerns. If we envelop it with abiding faith in Jesus Christ, we can experience joy and strength, perspective and peace no matter what unfolds each day. Every end is always marked with different feeling and emotion—sometimes bitter-sweet, other times gratitude and sense of achievement, yet still—an end brings forth new challenges and struggles calling for better planning and laying of more effective strategies. On a closer and more practical look this week marks the end of all annual contracts, completion of all re-evaluations of our job descriptions, finalizing the 2026-27 budget, assessment of the past year especially what unfolded positively, what could have been done differently, our pastoral, spiritual and financial progress and setbacks. These can be challenging times for many. We will all be asked to change some long-standing habits and thereby sacrifice. Yet it is also an opportunity for deepening faith and preparing for the next generation as our predecessors have done for us

This fiscal year, 2026-27 I have decided to make Faith Formation of our children as our topmost priority in Holy Family Catholic Community—in its focus, attention and deliberation. There is no more important task within the Church than passing on faith from one generation to the next. Parents are obviously the foundation. Our goal is to build on this foundation and create an environment that gives children the opportunity for spiritual growth by nurturing their appreciation and knowledge of their faith. We teach a curriculum that emphasizes Gospel values and the necessity of deepening our relationship with Jesus, the source and model for Christian life. Compassion and empathy for others is the most striking testimony of his life, and therefore a measure of discipleship. It is our objective that children embody Christian values into everyday life. The underlying philosophy of our ministry should stem from the Second Vatican Council to make faith, living, conscious and active. It is important that children be involved in parish life from an early age so that they acquire a consciousness of being an active member of our community. This involvement centers around the Sunday Liturgy, which should be part of the fabric of a child’s life, along with prayers, values, and works of charity and social development that are taught at home.

And l would like to bring out clearly with an affirmation that Faith formation is a shared effort between the parish, catechists, and families. Parents are the first teachers of faith in the home, the “domestic church,” and we partner with you to build on that foundation. Faith formation begins at home and continues through the life of the parish. No matter which Religious Education program your child is enrolled in, families are asked to take an active role in nurturing faith throughout the year.

I call out that our Holy Family Catholic Community Faith Formation Program should encourage:

a. Shared experiences for parents and children to grow together in faith.

b. Engaging, age-appropriate learning opportunities—both in person and at home.

c. A parish environment grounded in Catholic Christian values and community support.

Again, thank you for enrolling your children in Faith Formation classes at Holy Family Catholic Community. As parents, you are the primary educators of your children. We are excited to support you in the great mission to which you have been called of educating your children to become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ! Faith Formation classes are designed to supplement the faith formation your children receive at home, not replace it. Therefore, it is important that you continue to teach your children at home, primarily by living out the Catholic faith we profess. To ensure your children get the most out of their faith formation it is important for you to do three things. First, take your children to Mass every Sunday and Confession at least monthly. These sacraments are privileged encounters with Our Lord through which we experience his great love and mercy. The Eucharist strengthens us on our journey of faith and unites us more closely with Christ. Reconciliation restores our friendship with Christ which becomes damaged by sin. Second, pray daily with your children and for your children. Communication is the foundation of any relationship. Prayer is how we communicate with God. By praying with your children, you help them foster their relationship with Our Lord. Prayer is also the primary means of obtaining grace for ourselves and those whom we teach. Third, continue your own faith formation. Faith formation is a lifelong process. It doesn’t end after Confirmation or when we graduate from high school. When your children see you learning about faith, they will be excited to learn about it too. The more you learn the more you’ll be able to share with your children.

I have always enjoyed reading the thoughts of Philip J. Murnion, in “Parish Renewal” where he says that “We find there are many styles of good pastoring.” There is no one style of good pastoring, yet there are some common qualities. Good pastors seem to have a confident sense of direction. Aware of their own abilities and of their own weaknesses, they have a good notion of what a parish can be. Second, good pastors care about their people. They show respect for their experience and abilities and are as ready to listen as to speak. They listen carefully and really hear what people are saying. Third, good pastors are able to share decision making and leadership. Their strength evokes the strength of others. Fourth, good pastors seem to be interested in both the developments in theology and the life of the larger church beyond their parishes.” I do not claim to be the best pastor, but with all of you in councils, ministries and volunteers, we can become good leaders, and specifically you can journey with me to be your good pastor in building God’s Kingdom in Holy Family community! May God bless you and those you love, Fr. John

Mission Statement

To live the Great Commandment
Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  And
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 22: 37-38