Cathedral Family,
This Sunday of the Easter season is often referred to as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” We always hear proclaimed the magnificent passage of St. John’s Gospel: “I am the good shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep.” Jesus contrasts the mission of the “true” shepherd with the false shepherd---who works for hire---who has no investment in the well-being of the Sheep. The Risen Christ is the true “gate” where we may enter and find refreshment and life. Jesus affirms why He came: “to bring them life, and life abundantly.” Do we want the “abundant life” that Christ wants to give us? It doesn’t necessarily look like success in this world? It might be a hard choice.
I want to encourage you to keep praying for our Capital Campaign to be successful. While we have secured many generous and sacrificial gifts thus far—with 174 pledging $2,702.945. We still have some distance to achieve our goal of 4.0 million. We have only a few short weeks to bring our campaign to a conclusion. Next weekend we will conduct what is called the “In pew” weekend. This will provide an opportunity for those who have not participated as of yet, to make their pledge. Why a pledge and not a one-time gift? A pledge is an
internal agreement with God—to prioritize a gift to His Church over time---in order to give more sacrificially and intentionally. It allows for a larger gift to be given over time. This will allow for the parish to strategize and plan to execute the many capital projects that are desperately needed. You might ask but what if my circumstances change? That is completely understandable. God will provide in your sincerity of heart for perhaps others in the community, or who will be new to the community---to make further gifts that would make up for the misfortune that you experienced in fulfilling your pledge. Our great hope is that you would make a five year pledge offering 1,000 a year, which will equal 5,000. This will allow for the parish to achieve our campaign goal. We will begin work on needed projects now. Already we are getting bids and choosing a vendor to have the HVAC in the Cathedral done this summer! We have bids to repair and refurbish the bathrooms in back of the Cathedral and also the handicap accessible bathroom. We will start this June getting bids for the sound system and lighting in the Cathedral. These are just some of the many projects that will be transformed with your sacrificial gift. As we patiently wait for a new Bishop—we will also plan to receive some funding from our diocese to assist with our Cathedral projects as well.
The most important thing is to have an honest conversation with God about your gifts and blessings how the community of the Church are an integral part of celebrating, honoring and finding strength to live your
Christian life! We are not only planning for now---but for generations to come!
We will continue this coming Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Our Franciscan Jubilee series. This presentation will be by Father David Friel, who is a professor of Pastoral Theology at St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia. He will speak on the many ways that the spirituality of St. Francis have impacted the devotional and liturgical life of the Church. Please plan to join us---it will also be live streamed.
Please pray for our newly confirmed! This Saturday I had the privilege to pray over and confirm with the Holy Spirit our 103 eighth graders. This is an awesome time to claim their faith in Jesus, but it is fragile. Without a believing, witnessing community around them—they will get weak and risk drifting away.
May the voice of the Good Shepherd resound in your heart. Let us pray for the nation and peace throughout the world especially in the conflicts of the Middle East. May the Good Shepherd lead our leaders of nations to lay down arms in favor of justice and peace.
In Jesus the Good Shepherd,
Father Christy