Question of the Week: Do you believe that you are chosen by God to be a saint?
Feast of All Saints and All Souls
God is so good to us. We are created to reveal God’s glory, love, and beauty. God is always at work in us to bring out the good in us, so we will shine. Jesus came to destroy the work of sin and death in us, so that we might no longer live for sin, but for God.
Saints are God’s masterpieces. When we look at stained glass windows, we see the colors and beauty that shine through because the outside light passes through them. In the same way, God’s light passes through the person who has opened themselves up to God. They become transparent to God, and because of that- God’s light passes through them to all who have eyes to see.
We are so blessed in the Church to have thousands and thousands of saints from all walks of life. Many have been canonized (on the official Church list!), but an even greater number are not officially recognized. Yet, we have lived them and they have changed us.
I have been so blessed to be here at St Thomas for half of my priestly life! I can never thank God enough for that. I have seen and still see so many beautiful parishioners who humbly and lovingly follow God; who have been faithful to the commandments, to prayer, to the sacrifice love demands- day in and day out!
We have had and still have living saints in our midst! I would bet many of the older parishioners can name some! Maybe you, too, know of people in your life or family who exuded amazing virtue and love. What makes anyone a saint is God’s love that is active in that person. The person cooperates with God, does God’s will, lives in union with God and is so transformed by that union that they have become true bearers of His Light! All praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
Let’s continue to encourage each other. The greatest tragedy for any of us is that we fail to become saints in this life. Saints learned to accept their own weaknesses in humility, but they were not complacent about their life with God. They knew that in God, there is alway more! God bless you! Fr Bill
Reminder About Mask Wearing
As we enter fall and winter in the next few months, I want to remind everyone of our policy to wear masks when at Mass and to practice social distancing as much as possible. Whatever you might personally feel about masks (and for sure it has been politicized), masks can help reduce the spread of the virus that can be harmful and even deadly to some people. We also will continue to reserve the Saturday 4:30 PM Vigil Mass and the Sunday 7:30 AM Mass for our Senior Parishioners, for those who are more vulnerable to the virus, and those who are close to them. Some parishioners are still afraid to come to Mass because of the virus and its possible spread. When they have come to some of the indoor Masses when people have not worn masks, it causes them great anxiety and difficulty in praying and turning their hearts to God. Love is mindful of the other person’s needs. Thanks for responding to this difficulty with love.
Pilgrimage to St Francis this Sunday and to St Thomas Cemetery Monday Evening!
We have an opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence this coming Sunday and Monday by participating in two different pilgrimage events. On Sunday afternoon, from 2- 6 PM, there will be a pilgrimage to St Francis starting at 2 PM. We will offer confessions at St Thomas in the afternoon from 2-4 PM, and St Francis will pick it up from 4-6 PM. There will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St Francis during those hours as well.
Families are encouraged to dress as Saints as they make their way to St Francis. Come to St THomas to say some opening prayers before you begin your journey. Directions will be provided.
On Monday, we will meet at St Thomas beginning at 5 PM for prayer. Evening prayer will take place at 5:15 PM, and then we will begin our procession through the cemetery on the State Street side of the Church and then on to St Thomas Cemetery on top of Sunset Rd overlooking the Huron River. (300 Sunset Rd). Once there, we will pray the Office of the Dead.
What is an indulgence?
“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”81
“An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.”82 Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church par 1471)