"Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord; they never cease to praise you." Ps. 84:5
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April 24, 2022Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Christ Is Risen! Truly He has Risen! We have entered the Joyful Season of the 50 days of the Easter Season celebrating that Jesus Christ has conquered Sin and Death by His Resurrection! Pope Francis emphasized that all of us in the world need to hear the Easter message of the Risen Christ, “Today, more than ever, we need Him to stand in our midst and repeat to us: “Peace be with you!” And of course, we must then take that peace to all places to make a difference.
If we let the most important event of our Christian Faith, the Resurrection, pass us by without reflecting on its true meaning and power, we will lose out on a huge chance to experience it in our own lives. This new Season of Easter is also a transition of sorts for our Diocese and Cathedral parish community. We wind down the opportunity to participate in the Universal Synod through the online survey (LINK) as well as the in-person session on Sunday, April 24, at 9:30 AM in English and 11:00 AM in Spanish. In a couple of weeks, May 8, we will officially be saying “thanks and goodbye” to our Seminarian Robert who will conclude his internship here with us before his summer program of hospital ministry.
This season is also a time for new beginnings. Many in our community will be experiencing a new sacramental faith life as they receive one or more of the following Initiation Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. We also welcome new Cathedral staff members who will be assisting our community, Margarita Proaño in the parish office, as well as Clement Cano as the new music director.
In the coming months, you will hear more about the upcoming Diocesan local synod and about the renewed focus on the Eucharist based on the USCCB’s document and plan. “The Bishops of the United States are calling for a three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They believe that God wants to see a movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission ‘for the life of the world.’”
As a step towards this renewed focus on the mystery of the Eucharist, you may have noticed that our servers are ringing the bells at the time when the host and the chalice are shown after the consecration (GIRM no. 150). This is based on following the Church’s General Instruction of the Roman Missal, (GIRM), which provides the theological perspective and liturgical laws governing how we celebrate the Mass of the Roman Rite after Vatican II. For more info and the USCCB document on the Mystery and Eucharistic Renewal, please see the USCCB website (LINK).
As we continue growing in faith, may each of us be filled with the Peace of Christ of this Easter Season, be transformed by it, and spread this Good News to others!
I wish a Blessed Easter Season to you and your family.
In Christ,
Fr. Ernesto M. Orci Pastor
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