From Our Pastor

From Our Pastor

Dear Folks,

I shared this on Facebook , but since most parishioners are not on there, I will share it here too. I write this on the Feast Day of Saint John Paul 2. His Feast Day is celebrated October 22nd because that was the inauguration of his papacy, where he encouraged us, “Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. ”

Yes, the picture below is me in 1998, giving a high five to Saint John Paul 2! My family went to Rome around my first anniversary of ordination. I knew to stand by the barrier fence, so that when the pope would pass I might see him close up. This required blocking out all the late arriving crowd with the skills I learned playing basketball. So when the pope drove by in the popemobile, we were right there.

He was gesticulating with his left hand that he wanted folks to reach out and touch him, and so I gave him a (very gentle) high five! And then, I was struck by how frail and weak he looked, so I did what any priest would do: I blessed him! I immediately felt a little foolish, because who am I to bless a pope? But I am sure, in his humility, he would have welcomed the blessing from the very young priest!

So yeah, I high-fived and blessed a saint! And too those on Facebook who commented that I “haven ’t changed a bit,” you can have a small penance for you kind ‘exaggeration!’

Also: NEW ALTAR SERVER TRAINING Dates given in November and December. Check the ad here in the bulletin, and sign up by email to the server address included.

pax,

Father John Mosimann

October 27, 2024