Dear Fellow Parishioners, There is life after seventy as many of you know! Being surprised by my family on Friday as they gathered to celebrate my birthday at Samuel Slater Restaurant in Webster was the beginning of a weekend of celebrations with you as the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart. Your words of affirmation, love and encouragement are greatly appreciated. Hearing how much I mean to my family certainly lifts my spirits and encourages me to continue to be the brother and uncle who makes a difference in family life. At the same time, I realize that for my family I am also their priest, celebrating significant events in their faith life. Then I realize how fortunate I am to have an even larger family in the faith community of Sacred Heart. The many pictures of significant sacramental events over the years with so many families have helped me to realize how the hand of God is steady in sending blessing upon blessing to our community through the rituals and rites of our Catholic Faith. The shared stories after each of the Masses this weekend, were a wonderful gift of fond memories through the years. I enjoyed watching young and old gather and share together. As many looked through the book of pictures submitted it was wonderful to watch faces light up as they remembered the significant moments in our faith lives that we shared together. The even better news is that these experiences are not just events of the past but will continue in the years ahead as we walk forward as a community of faith. There will be more sacramental moments, faith sharing experiences, times of mourning, times of rejoicing, holiday, and holydays to celebrate in the faith-life in our journey together. Thank you to Tara and Rory and all who secretly worked hard behind the scenes to make the celebrations possible. Thank you for all the gifts and cards and the wonderful expressions of support and thanks you extended. Most especially a thank you to all who gathered this weekend to share in my 70th Birthday. Yes! There is life after seventy and I look forward to sharing it with you for many years to come!