CHRIST THE DIVINE SHEPHERD PARISH

Congratulations to the 33 young people who received the Sacrament of Confirmation last Sunday! Thank you to their parents, sponsors, catechists, and everyone who helped prepare them. Please continue to pray for these young people. My hope is that they grow in their friendship with Jesus Christ and become active, engaged Catholics. They need our encouragement and example, and we need them to be part of the life of our Church! A special thank you to Ray Grego and his crew for the hospitality they provided following Confirmation. Actually, I owe them a thank you for a whole lot more than that! Ray and his crew are there for us again and again, preparing food, welcoming people, and making our parish gatherings special. Much of their work happens behind the scenes, and I am grateful for all they do.

Next Sunday, November 1, we celebrate All Saints Day, followed by All Souls Day on Monday, November 2. All Saints reminds us of our call to holiness and our hope of heaven. All Souls reminds us of our responsibility to pray for those who have died. We will celebrate Masses of Remembrance on November 2 at 7 p.m. at both Saint Bernadette and Saint Susanna. I especially encourage families who have lost loved ones this past year to join us. What better way to remember those we love than to pray for them at Mass?

Please take a look at the Thanksgiving Food Drive organized by our Ladies of Charity and the Holiday Cookie Walk supporting Walking with Moms in Need. Both are great opportunities to help others as we approach the holidays.

As October comes to a close, I also want to encourage everyone to pray the Rosary. Even a decade a day is a good place to start! And don’t forget about our parish partnership with Hallow. If you’re looking to develop a better habit of daily prayer, it’s a great resource.

Thank you to everyone who gives so generously of their time and talents to our parish!

God bless you!