Dear Fellow Parishioners, Right after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert for 40 days. From this we get our annual Season of Lent. This is a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. I must tell you, this social distancing, mask wearing, and pandemic precautions, for me, has seemed to be two plus years in the desert. We are now being coaxed to come back to some sense of community and gathering as the precautions and restrictions are being lifted. But there is no switch to turn easily from pandemic to post-pandemic. On top of it all there is the possibility of other variants coming our way. With that in mind, and with the encouragement of the scriptures and Pope Francis and the Synod on Synodality we will be praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit on our Lenten Journey. I am encouraging us all to talk with each other as we make this Lenten journey. Everyone is asked to wear a purple bracelet on which is written, “Catholic Community of Sacred Heart 2022 Journey. This will help us to recognize people from the community in outside and off campus settings to let us know we are not alone on the journey. Take the risk to strike up a conversation with someone wearing the bracelet. “How’s your Lenten journey going.” “I see you are from Sacred Heart, Hopedale, where is the Spirit leading you?” The thing that I will be focusing on personally is the gift of peace. Peace I leave you; peace is my farewell gift to you. So, as I journey this Lent, I will be looking for the peaceful moments and movements of my day. What are you seeking, this Lent? Where is the Holy Spirit guiding you? Lent is a communal time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let’s make sure we communicate with others on the journey, encouraging and coaxing each other into the Joy of Easter!
Holy Spirit, Guide us on our Lenten Journey! Fr. Bill