Dear St. Louis Parishioners,
By the time you are reading this, we will have just finished gathering all of our young people who serve at the altar of the Lord - at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb - for a day of retreat. This day retreat creates an opportunity for fun and fellowship together, as well as a chance to come together and talk about practical details, in order to bring everyone on the same page.
But, more importantly, it is an opportunity to pray and reflect on the great privilege it is to serve in the King’s Feast (of which this Sunday’s parable is meant to be a faint image). I have been greatly encouraged by the generosity and enthusiasm of our young people, when it comes to serving at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as well as their willingness to be flexible, upon my arrival, as their role required more significant and immediate adjustments than most any other role of service in the parish. I am very grateful to them. The next step will be to start planning a retreat day for all of our adult liturgical ministers. That’s coming up. So, stay tuned. But, first, I would like to add another ministry, which is very common in parish life, but will be a new addition to Saint Louis Parish! I would like to extend an invitation to all of our faithful parishioners to discern the possibility of becoming a sacristan! What is a sacristan? A sacristan would set-up for Mass, and adoration on Mondays and Thursdays, and clean up afterward. We already have ushers and others within the parish who generously assist with some of this task. But, the sacristan would focus specifically on what happens at the altar - setting the book, the chalice, bread, water and wine, changing candles as needed, etc. Deacon and I will often be able to assist with some of these duties. Furthermore, as sacristans grow accustomed to their tasks and comfortable in the sacristy, it could also extend to helping keep the sacristy organized, vessels clean, etc. As saints like Therese of Lisieux have noted through the years, this ministry can become an opportunity for a unique form of intimacy with our Lord, as it involves caring so directly for all that is involved with the most intimate encounter with Him we have in this life, as the King of Kings offers Himself to us, at His banquet table. Won’t it be nice when I can say, “Behold, the sacristans have prepared the banquet…everything is ready; Come to the Feast”!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Gifford
St. Louis, pray for us!
Blessed Mary, Queen Mother of the King of Kings, pray for us!
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