My Dear Parish Family,

We celebrate with great joy the good news of Christ’s resurrection. Our Easter joy comes from the witnessing to us and through us that Jesus has conquered death and lives anew. With great joy in my heart, I announce to you: “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” This ancient greeting sums up what we celebrate this Easter Sunday, the joy of Christ risen and alive in our midst. This is the day the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118). This then is the Joyful Good News: Christ by his death and resurrection has conquered sin so we may live. Resurrection is the foundation and cornerstone of our faith. As St. Paul says if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless, and our faith too is in vain (Cf. 1 Cor 15:14).

I want to wish every one of you a blessed and happy Easter! I am so happy to welcome our visitors and the extended family of our parishioners, who come in great numbers on this day. I am pleased to welcome in particular those we do not see except at the great feasts; you, too, have a home here. I hope you’ll come back more and more times.  “Peace be with you” and “do not be afraid” is a theme for our Easter season that resonates with the Easter promise. As Jesus is Risen from the dead, it is the Risen Christ who wants to call us and lift us from the burdens and struggles of our lives. He wants to give us new life, greater hope, deeper love, and resounding joy deep in our hearts and in our lives – this Easter and Always. PEACE and do not be afraid. Jesus calls us from the worries, and doubts, and fears of daily life to a greater truth and faith in the Lord. As we give ourselves more completely to the Lord, Jesus will lift us up and raise us up. This is our Easter faith. This is God’s promise to each of us. Peace…and do not be afraid. This Easter, and always, may you find new life in the Lord.

Easter is the perfect time to rethink the road you’re on, where it’s leading, and whether it’s where you want to go. Easter is a signpost inviting us to get our bearings and travel a new way to a new place to live a new kind of life. Jesus has already taken this journey and he offers us clues on what to expect. Easter is His story and His invitation to experience life as it was meant to be. As a Church community we are committed to travel the road God has prepared for us, share the joys and burdens common to travelers, and marvel at the wonders and surprises that lie ahead. Easter is a defining moment in your life when you must choose to stay in the rush hour traffic going nowhere in particular or take a chance and trust God’s plan. If you find that you are travelling down a bumpy road filled with frustration and anxiety, Easter is your invitation to discover a whole new way of living. Do not be afraid to say “yes” to the risen Lord as your partner in this journey even when you are having the “dark experiences” of life. … “In the darkness of the Easter morning, some disciples met the Risen Christ.” Two thousand years later, as followers of this same Christ, we are called to look for Christ and transformation in “dark places.” Many of these “dark places” are familiar to us, e.g., the death of a loved one, loss of health, loss of love and friendship, loss of job, loss of meaning, and loss of faith. For many others, the “dark places” might be an aging parent, caring continuously for a sick loved one with little or no support, fighting an addiction of some sort, quarreling with neighbors, conflict, and stress in the workplace, and so on. I pray that, in the same spirit of Mary, Peter and John, visit that “dark tomb” and believe that good can come from it and this may inspire you. Easter is to be a time for receiving the budding seed of faithful living, and for reaping the harvest of love and holiness and truth. Come up from the stale tomb to breathe the fresh and sweet air of a life lived in communion with the person of Jesus, and those whom he loves.

Fortunately, to inspire our faith, we have lots of wonderful examples of people whose lives give a resounding “yes!” to the Risen Christ even in our community here at the Holy Family Catholic Community—see all our “die hard parishioners” who-come-what-may they will always stand, support and identify with Holy Family Catholic Community even in its darkest moments, and over and above, support its spiritual, moral, educational, liturgical, planning, organizational, material and financial development. My dear parishioners, you all make the risen Lord alive, shine and present in our community. From a very personal experience as your pastor here at Holy Family, even when confronting our “darkest places and moments” and our pain, changes, and transformation, we are always greeted with love and support by our staff, different council, committees, and outreach, and above all by most of you, a caring and a loving community. Believe me, you are my best family. Thank you all for taking this journey with Christ and with each other. In the name of the risen Lord, we are continually and gradually reclaiming the beauty Holy Family as our Home—our sanctuary of safety and “a holy ground” to encounter God and each other’s presence.

This is a great time to belong to the Holy Family Catholic Community! When we live the new life of resurrection, we become the best version of ourselves. We become what St Augustine referred to as an “Easter People”, a people transformed into disciples and stewards who commit to give their time, talent, and treasure in witness. My prayer for you this Easter is that you live as people deeply touched by the resurrection and proclaim Christ is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia! This is a time when the deep love you have for your church is touching many hearts—at home and far and wide. Deacon Paul and I wish you Happy Easter and continue to ask you for your prayerful support as well! The Season of Easter has just begun. Alleluia, Alleluia. He Lives. God’s blessings, joy, and peace be with you always.  We love you all, 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