Fr. Simon's Letter - September 25, 2022

Taking an active role in a parish ministry allows us to put our faith into action. Our nearly forty parish ministries fall into one of five commissions: Faith Formation, Spiritual Life, Parish Life, Outreach, and Accountability. Two weeks ago, as a part of our Oktoberfest celebration, we presented a Parish Ministry Fair to highlight and encourage parishioners to get involved in one or more of our many parish ministries. Please consider taking part in one of the following opportunities to minister to the members of our parish community. 

• The Faith Formation Commission includes our school, religious education program, SPRED, RCIA, Baptismal Prep, Women’s Spiritual Spa, and Youth Ministry, Spiritual Life, Parish Life, Outreach, and Accountability.
• The Spiritual Life Commission focuses on the sacramental life of our parish, such as altar servers, lectors, Ministers of the Eucharist, ushers, instrumentalists, choir, sacristans, and Ministers to the Homebound. 
• Under the Parish Life Commission are the parish’s various groups, including the Men’s Club, Women’s Auxiliary, Women’s Guild, QASPA, FACA, Scouts, Girl Scouts, Moppets and Me, and the Widowed Group. 
• Ministries in the Outreach Commission encourage social awareness and service to those most in need. They include the Bereavement Ministry, Elizabeth Ministry, Partners in Prayer, Respect Life, St. Vincent de Paul, Social Justice, Domestic Violence, and our Sharing Parishes – St. Thomas of Canterbury and Holy Name of Mary. 
• Finally, the Accountability Commission includes our Finance Council, money counters, and our collective responsibility to Protecting God’s Children. 

Each ministry takes an active role in building the Body of Christ and furthers the mission of our parish and the church. You can find details about the ministries on our parish website.

This weekend’s Gospel is about Lazarus and the rich man. Its message reminds us that to believe in Jesus is to believe in the importance of the care of the poor. The poor stand before us always. We get to heaven (or don’t) by the degree to which we care for the poor. The rich man is condemned not because he is rich but because he never saw Lazarus at his gate: the first time he sees Lazarus is from the netherworld. There was a chasm between the rich man and Lazarus because of wealth and power. In death, this chasm still exists. But through the efforts of our Outreach Ministries, we strive to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, console the sorrowful, and help the downtrodden. 

As many of you are aware, our Third Sunday collection for the poor provides some financial relief to fourteen organizations in the city that care for those most in need. More directly, our Elizabeth Ministry prepares meals for families in their time of need, our Men’s Club helps with the Well of Mercy, and we have partnered with Building Peaceful Bridges to adopt three Afghan Refugee families and help them with clothes, food, education, and employment.

I am grateful to our many parishioners engaged in the ministry of service to the poor, the stranger, and the orphaned. What Jesus asks of us is simple. He asks that we see the poor and not let affluence become a narcotic that knocks out our eyesight. Riches aren’t bad, and poverty isn’t beautiful. Something to consider - we may not be able to get to heaven without a letter of reference from the poor.

Blessings!!