My dear friends,

“Don’t Take a Vacation from God This Summer.” Many of our parish families are planning to get away for some summer fun and relaxation in the next few months.  We pray that your vacation time will be safe and a source of many happy memories. Each year the summer season offers us the opportunity (hopefully!!) to enjoy a little bit of a change to a lighter pace of life from our typical “fullspeed-ahead mode” and to benefit from a time of rest and re-creation. Jesus, himself, regularly took time and invited his disciples to “come apart and rest a while” with him. He extends the same offer to us — not just to relax but to gain perspective and re-focus our lives based upon our living relationship with Him. However, the summer months and holidays are not intended to be a holiday away from God as Christian life is never complete unless Jesus is involved in each and every daily activity. If one separates the worldly pleasures from their spiritual life, then the worldly pleasures oppose what is spiritual. But if one includes Jesus in his daily activities, then all the many summer pleasures/enjoyments are viewed as blessings from the Lord Jesus and such does not oppose one’s spiritual life! Do we find any time during the long lazy days of the summer holidays to deepen our commitment to Our Lord and Savior? Our regular participation in the celebration of Sunday Mass remains so important for our growth and development as disciples of Jesus–being fed by his real presence in the Scriptures; being nourished by the real presence of his Body and Blood in the Eucharist; being supported by his real presence in the community of faith that gathers together in His name. Perhaps this summer Holy Family Catholic Community can make a strong and visible statement that, even in “vacation time”, our dedicated and faithful disciples still “show up” to give thanks, praise and worship of our great God as a community of joy and faith in the Risen Lord Jesus!

What about Faith Formation for our Children during summer holiday! Here are some opportunities and suggestions for continued Religious Education in the summer months for our children and families to help to renew them in the Catholic faith and help them to be ready to learn again when they return for Religious/Faith Formation in the Fall. Take pictures of the Catholic churches visited during vacation. God does not take a vacation from us. Find Catholic churches to attend during the summer months of vacation and take pictures. Mass times can be found on diocesan or parish websites. Collect church bulletins–to see what other churches around the country are doing. This enables our young people to see the many ways parishes serve their communities. Make a collage of vacation pictures.  Pictures that remind us of God’s gifts to us. Sunsets, beaches, man-made objects (cathedrals, parks etc). All demonstrate the beauty of God at work in the world.

Summertime and the living is easy.”  That’s what the favorite old song says.  “The living” may be easy, but often the giving is not.  Summer collections can drop significantly in our parish because of vacation travel, sports schedules and other activities that cause parishioners to attend Mass in other parishes.  If you would like to make your giving easy and consistent this summer, please consider our electronic giving option.  If you would like to learn more, please call our parish office at Wayland 1-585-728-2228. Stewardship is a part of discipleship— it is a way of responding to God’s call in our life.  Stewardship is a way to express gratitude out of love for God and for one another, not just because the Church needs our money.  The church and our parish specifically will always need money— however we are not asked to give to fund operational costs or fund a specific charitable program.  We are asked to gratefully return a portion of our time, talent and treasure to God.

This is your pastor’s favorite for summer: Barbecue with friends and family: Gathering together with the people you care about most while sharing a meal prepared by the works of familiar human hand! This just reminds us of God’s blessings in our lives and community. Summer season is incomplete here at the Holy Family Catholic Community without the Parish Annual Picnic. Mark the date—Sunday, August 9th at Babcock Park beginning with the Eucharistic Celebration at 11.00 AM. “Fun” and Community building are the main reasons the picnic has taken place at the parish for many years!  Anyone and everyone are welcome to get involved in helping out with the picnic, and there is plenty to do, a dish-to-pass, from setting up to taking down and everything in between. And when it all comes together, the picnic is more than worth the effort. Whether you have lived here for years or have just arrived, our parish picnic is A WONDERFUL WAY FOR YOU TO MEET NEW PEOPLE and to develop personal ties that are so important for parish life.  Working for the success of our picnic and participating in this weekend’s activities will give you A GREAT SENSE OF PRIDE AND ENJOYMENT about being a member of Holy Family Catholic Community.

May God grant us all a very joyful and holy summer not forgetting those who still have to work, or those who are not fortunate enough to have a true holiday away from routine! Peace and Hope in Jesus Christ, 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