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June 19, 2017We are called by Christ to reach out to those in need. This weekend St. Joseph’s welcomes Fr. Damian who has worked tirelessly in Tanzania for the last 50 years. He will share with us the message of his life and ministry and the critically necessity of this work with young women in Tanzania and their need for our support. Our parish has been a consistent supporter for this critical ministry and a number of parishioners have visited and seen first-hand the impact this ministry has made.
Pope Francis in his message on the First World Day of the Poor implores us: “If we truly wish to encounter Christ, we have to touch his body in the suffering bodies of the poor, as a response to the sacramental communion bestowed in the Eucharist. The Body of Christ, broken in the sacred liturgy, can be seen, through charity and sharing, in the faces and persons of the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters.”
Our parish touches and responds to the poor in part through this ministry and outreach effort. We are called to be in solidarity with the poor. In the Gospel for this coming weekend Jesus calls us to keep our focus on God. He reinforces that suffering cannot be avoided or prevented, but Jesus reassures his disciples and us that God knows and cares about what happens to his children and we are not to be afraid. We are called to demonstrate our faith as we reach out to the poor.
Pope Francis calls us to encounter “I invite the whole Church, and men and women of good will everywhere, to turn their gaze on this day to all those who stretch out their hands and plead for our help and solidarity. They are our brothers and sisters, created and loved by the one Heavenly Father. “(Holy Father’s Message for the First World Day of the Poor)
Let us consider Pope Francis’ message as we contemplate our response to the Propagation of the Faith Appeal this weekend in both word and action. A second collection will be held to support this critical missionary effort.
