This past week God has been blessing me with a renewed sense of gratitude in my role as your pastor. After having a year with you all the frenzy that comes with a first year transition has started to settle down and God has been blessing me with new perspective. There is life at Holy Family Parish and it's so rewarding to have been reminded of that. What brought this renewed sense of gratitude to me was seeing the children back at faith formation, the concern our parishioners have for members of the community who are sick and suffering, the countless hours of work so many of you dedicate to serving our parish and communities, and the generosity you display in giving of yourselves in service of God and his Church. 

That persepctive of gratitude helped me see differently our parish life as we continue through the uncertainty and controversy of Covid-19. We're really not back to "noraml." Yes, some of our daily activities are mirror more closely how things were pre-covid. But there's still something "in the air" that seems off. Maybe it's global uncertainity, maybe it's the ongoing controsies and difficulty discerning fact from fiction, or maybe its persistant fear. Whatever the cause of our collective sense of uncertainty, we can't force "normalcy" back again. Things will be different, they already ARE different, but that doesn't mean God isn't still alive, active, and giving us reasons to hope. 

I think I was trying to force normalcy as it looked pre-covid but accepting things as they are has allowed some space in my heart for God give me the grace of renewed gratitude. 

This week I'll be on vacation reflecting more on the gratitude of the present moment in all its lingering uncertainty. Please pray for me and I will pray for you.

AMDG,

Fr. Stephen