Dear Parishioners:

Unless you attended Mass someplace else last weekend, I’m sure you noticed that both Fr. John and I were not around for Masses. If you did attend Mass here and still didn’t notice that we were gone, then either you did not get a good night’s sleep the previous night or Fr. John and I do not usually leave much of an impression upon you! In any event, Fr. John was representing the parish at a state convention of the Knights of Columbus in the Dallas area. I was out of town last weekend, because I was asked to serve as a spiritual director for a women’s retreat which took place at a retreat center northwest of Houston.

Every time I take part in one of these women’s retreats, it is an eye-opening experience. All throughout the weekend, I had the opportunity to converse with the participants, as well as counsel them and hear their confessions. During the course of the weekend I became keenly aware of the many struggles that women (particularly mothers) go through in dealing with their families. They endure great suffering and stress trying to raise their children in the right way. They become heartbroken when their children veer away from their faith. Mothers like these are stretched to their limits when trying to keep their families united in love. Single mothers juggle the many challenges of working and providing for the basic needs of their little ones.

The more time I spend in my ministry as a priest, the more I appreciate all mothers. It is only fitting today that we praise and honor them as we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. This feast celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples who then boldly go out into the world to begin preaching Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. It is fitting that we pray that these gifts be given to mothers so that they can be strengthened in their daily tasks, and increase in understanding and wisdom in raising their families. We pray that they may also receive charity, joy, peace, patience, and all the rest of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Today we express our most profound gratitude to our mothers who have such a tremendous influence in our lives and who model for us the life of faith. Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Fr. Paul