Second Scrutiny, Youth & Young Adult Ministry, & Peace

Mar 15

This week we will celebrate the 2nd Scrutiny with our Elect, Richard Engebresten, Scott Johnson, and Kevin Aaron who have asked to be baptized at the Easter Vigil. This scrutiny focuses on the man born blind taken from the Gospel of John (9:1-41.) This Gospel often highlights the theme of light and darkness. The imagery of a man being able to see after never being able to see anything is quite powerful.

The intention of our Lenten journey is to move us from darkness to light, from blindness to sight. We are often reminded by Jesus that we don’t see the world as God sees the world but as humanity sees the world. The issue Jesus had with the Pharisees was they were not able to recognize their blindness, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?,” they asked in today’s Gospel.

We continue to pray for Richard, Scott, and Aaron, and our catechumens, those seeking full communion in the
Catholic Church, Pam Balogh, Danielle Baran, Emily Bearden, Neil Brown, Maggie Brummer, Michelle DiBella, Dave Goldstein, Drew Horuat, Eugene Kim, Alexis Lugo, Michele Nielsen, Connor Vaughn, Riley Vaughn, and Lisa Zachman. May the clay paste be washed from all of our eyes so that all of us might see Jesus more clearly every day of our life so to follow the true light of the world.

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I am very excited to share with you that under the direction of Colleen Lindsey, our Family Faith Formation team is growing. A few weeks ago, I shared with you the good news that Eileen Bowker is our new Assistant Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. We now welcome Ava Firmani as a coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. They will be working very closely with each other to rebuild our ministry to our younger brothers and sisters. Additionally, we welcome our parishioner Christine Sherry who will also be joining this team as the office assistant. Carla Parisio, our coordinator of Religious instruction classes is doing a wonderful job and forms the foundation of our ministry to young people.

I believe that our parish is on the cusp of something new and exciting as we reach out to our younger generations in a new way. In a world that is often “dark” it can be quite difficult to navigate and find your way. St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a “light” to so many already. We now will be able to be present in a new way to so many more. Please pray for Colleen, Carla, Eileen, Ava, and Christine. May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire them with wisdom and grace to spread the Gospel to the next generation. Let us also continue to pray for our younger brothers and sisters. May the Lord ensure them of his unending presence, love, and support as they continue to grow in his Love, his Wisdom, and in his Peace.

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Finally, I ask that we continue to pray for peace in our world. We pray that the war with Iran come to end. We pray there be no more violence and death caused by war. We pray that God’s Holy Spirit truly remove our blindness so we can truly see each other as brothers and sister in the Kingdom of God.

"Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace, intercede for us before the Lord. You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano, teach us to seek in him the source of all
reconciliation that breaks down every wall. You who,
unarmed, crossed the lines of war and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries. In this time afflicted by conflict and division,
intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ. Amen." —Pope Leo XIV