Fr. Simon's Letter - March 14, 2021

Lent, as a season does not have the mass appeal or media coverage of Christmas or Easter. It is a quiet time, a somber time, a time to look inward and assess where we are in our relationship with God. It is a time to study God’s word and spend extra time in prayer. The parish Lenten calendar offers several opportunities to help you through this season. The Lenten season ticks by wholly unnoticed by the secular world and is punctuated only by the observances of Ash Wednesday and Holy Week. But the season of Lent offers special privilege to those who embrace the depth of it. It is no less than an opportunity for us in a small way to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Jesus. It is a personal journey with Jesus, a time for us to grow and learn and seek to deepen our faith. It is also a community journey for the church as we mark the seminal days of the season together from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday right up to Easter morning.

As we look forward to the ‘high holy days’ in the life of the church, something we missed last year, I want to remind you to please make reservations to attend the Triduum services in the basilica. In these times, when we can have only a limited number of people in attendance, reservations are very important. Every registered family in the parish should have received an Easter mailing with instructions and passwords for reservations which open on March 22. Please note, that weather permitting, the 7am Masses on Palm Sunday and Easter will be a ‘drive-in Mass’ in the parking lot.

UPP update: As the United Parish Program, QAS Strong gathers steam, please remember that this is our one and only parish fund-raiser and all the monies raised through the UPP support the operating budget of the parish. We have two more Early Bird drawings for $500 each, so please buy your tickets early and often and help us reach our goal of 3500 raffle tickets sold. Sponsorships are a major source of income in realizing our goal of raising $275,000. To all who have given in the past, THANK YOU! We count on your generosity. You can also support the UPP by donating an auction item, wine for the ever-popular wine pull or in any other way that you can.

The UPP brings us together not only to raise funds but also to celebrate and build our community. As we find new ways to gather as a community to break bread, you are invited to join fellow parishioners and friends at Stefani Prime for dinner on April 19 or May 3, or both (adults only) or a brunch on April 18 or May 8, or both (children are welcome). I am encouraged by the early responses to these events. I feel confident and blessed that we are always concerned about our parish and parishioners and continually strive to keep QAS Strong!