Dear Fellow Parishioners, How wonderful it was for me to have all the young families and their children gathered in worship Sunday. It is so nice to be surrounded by all ages as we gather in prayer to be nourished by Word and Sacrament. For me, there are lots of “moving parts” and making sure that everyone gets to age-appropriate spaces to unpack our faith and the Word of God. I am thankful that there are many hands to pitch in so that all these learning sessions can happen on a Sunday morning. Notice, I am speaking from my perspective. I do so simply because I would like to hear the perspective of others. What are the young people experiencing as they gather with the community? What are parents experiencing? How about those who are here every week? There are lots of questions going through my heart and mind. Does everyone feel welcome, is everyone as pleased to be together as I am? Why aren’t we on the same journey as community always, that is each week? It is a challenge as a Catholic Parish, as it is for all religions to gather people and keep Holy the Sabbath. There are so many competing factors. Sundays are no longer “sacred” so that people can worship in their faith communities. We are unable to turn back the hands of time. Families must make a faith commitment and balance all the other activities that pull people away. Personally, I cannot imagine life without my faith and the presence of our faith community. Moving from activity to activity without a firm foundation is beyond my comprehension. Being rooted in faith in the troubled world we live in is essential to my well-being and helps me make sense of the troubled times we are living in. I only know what my experience is of our gathering on Sunday. I would really like to hear from those who gather regularly and the young people and families who join us on the faith journey. I am going to invite our Pastoral Planning Team to assist in conducting the conversation and helping us to become to faith community God calls us to be. More to come… Fr. Bill