Dear Friends:

This Easter brings significant firsts.  This is our first Easter as the newly formed parish of St. Kateri Tekakwitha.  And surely new life is flowing from the gifts, talents and service of our generous and loving parish.  We are a radiant reflection of the risen Christ.  The glory of the resurrection is shared by our selfless young people, the dozens who feed the hungry of our community every week, those who pray for and walk with those who mourn and in a myriad of other ways Christ’s life is shared by the people of our parish.

 It is also our first Easter under the patronage of St. Kateri.  It was on Easter Sunday that she was baptized and she died on Wednesday of Holy Week with her famous last words, “Jesus, I love you.”  She had a great devotion to Christ and the cross.  May we face our challenges with simplicity and grace like St. Kateri and always keep our hope firmly grounded in the resurrection of Jesus.

It is also our first Easter with our new Pope.  Pope Francis has continually emphasized in his short time as Bishop of Rome the centrality of an encounter with Jesus which inevitably leads us to serve the poor, seek a simpler life and honor all of God’s creation.  Finally, it is the first Easter for Fr. Michael as a priest which even in my long ago memory I remember as a special time.  Thank you Fr. Michael for sharing your great love of Jesus with each of us. 

Above all, I thank you for being the new life of Christ for me every day.   He has risen as he promised and you make that a reality for me by your constant care, your desire to imprint the Gospel in your lives, the lives of our neighbors and indeed around the world.  From our Sister Parish in Mexico, to Durban, South Africa, to the City Mission, to our faith formation classes, our wonderful Catholic School, our deeply committed young people, our devoted and treasured elders, our prayerful liturgical ministers and everyone with whom and for whom we pray, you have blessed me by surrounding me with the face of Christ.  He is Alive!  He is Risen! Thank you for keeping Christ’s glory always before my eyes through your loving action.  May God Bless you all.