Fr. Nate's Letter - January 5, 2025

One Christmas some time ago, someone gifted me a little prayer card. At first glance I thought it was just another prayer card, with an image of the Magi, or the Wise Men, making their journey to Bethlehem. Then I realized that part of that prayer card included a little relic of sorts – a piece of cloth, as the card told, that had been touched to what are piously believed to be the earthly remains of the Wise Men, thought to be resting in the great Cathedral in Cologne Germany. The history of how the remains of the Wise Men came to be there is rather long and involved, so I will leave that to the historians. However I have often thought it might be interesting to visit the Cathedral in Cologne some day, and maybe some of you already have. 
 
There is something fascinating about these three figures which we set by our nativity each year, who came from so far to adore the Infant Jesus. A journey, we are told, that would have taken them about a thousand miles from home and could have taken up to three years to make, all while following a star. The Magi are held up to us as examples of tremendous faith and perseverance, encouraging you and me on our own pilgrimage. There were probably days when their journey was a little easier, and days when it was far from easy, but their goal was to reach the Infant King – and isn’t that our goal as well? The prayer on the card was for those who travel, and I suppose it begs for protection not only on our physical journey – and the Magi must have encountered countless earthly dangers – but on our spiritual journey as well, which you and I know can be filled with traps and snares. On this Epiphany, as we celebrate the Lord being revealed as the Light to the Nations, we ask the intercession of the Magi. 
 
On another note, I would like to thank all of you who were so kind and generous to your parish this Christmas, and to all of those who showed such great kindness to the priests and staff with cards and cakes and cookies and so many other things. Thank you!
 
With that, I owe another thank you. By the time you read this, Fr. Simon will have returned from his sabbatical. Many of you have been asking about when he will be returning, and I’m sure we’ll all be very happy to see him, and look forward to hearing stories about the many places he has been. Now that his sabbatical is over, I can surrender the duties of administrator that were entrusted to me by the Cardinal, and once again assume my role as associate pastor and assistant to Fr. Simon.
 
I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to my brother priests in the house, who worked overtime and often with little complaint; to the staff who are extremely competent; and to all of the various chairs and members of the different consultative boards who helped me over the past six months. In all honesty, I was concerned at the start of Fr. Simon’s time away about how smoothly things would go, because if you recall, among other things, it didn’t take long for the air conditioning to decide to take a break. With God’s help, the intercession of good St. Joseph to oversee things, and along with your good prayers, not only did the ceiling tiles NOT fall (Fr. Simon joked that’s what happened when he was administrator – for which I don’t envy him in the least), but we successfully accomplished tasks and carried out what needed to be done; and Fr. Simon could finally enjoy a much needed break and Christmas with his family. Once again, thank you! Thank you for your kindness and support, thank you for your patience and understanding when I dropped a ball or two because of being short staffed, and most of all, thank you for your prayers. You’ll still see me around, as I look forward to resuming my role of associate pastor of Queen of All Saints. I will continue to keep you in prayer, and keep saying one for me! Thank you again for your kindness! 
 
Wishing you all God’s blessings this week and throughout 2025! 
 
- Fr. Nate