Pastoral Letter: Happy Easter!

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ –
 
Happy Easter!
 
Last night and today, Christians around the world gather to celebrate our highest of holy days, the resurrection of Jesus. At Easter, we remember and give thanks that love is stronger than death. We remember and give thanks that the Light of the World dispels both our personal and communal darknesses. We remember and give thanks that mercy and the healing love of God unbind us and set us free.
 
Signs of Resurrection and Easter abound at St. Ignatius Parish. Six women and men were baptized, confirmed and received their first Communion at the Easter Vigil last night. Another 13 people were received into the Church or completed their Sacraments becoming full members of our Catholic faith community. More people are returning to Mass each month, and each week, our livestream continues to minister to some 250 people who are homebound or who join us from somewhere across the U.S. More than 125 new households have joined St. Ignatius Parish since last Easter. Our music ministry is growing, and the OWLS (Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors) is flourishing. Our Antiracism and Solidarity [with Migrants] committees continue to deepen our parish faith journey towards Gospel inclusion and welcome for all. Some 35 parish leaders meet together most months to guide the direction and ministries of our Parish. And tomorrow, scaffolding will begin to rise around the east spire of our church to begin the 14-month process of repairing 109 years of weather-related corrosion and safeguarding our spiritual home for the next 109 years.
 
Novelist and poet Wendell Berry, in Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front, concludes his poem with this puzzling challenge: “Practice resurrection.” What might this mean for us?
 
Catholic theologian, lecturer, and author Megan McKenna shared a powerful vignette that sheds light on this practice in her book Not Counting Women and Children: Neglected Stories from the Bible. She describes how she was giving a parish mission. She and some parishioners were studying the story of Jesus raising the Widow of Nain’s son from the dead from Luke’s gospel when someone called out harshly, “Have you ever brought someone back from the dead?”
McKenna’s response was “Yes.” She went on to explain: “Every time I bring hope to a situation, every time I bring joy that shatters despair, every time I forgive others and give them back their dignity and the possibility of a future with me and others in community, every time I listen to others and affirm them and their life, every time I speak the truth in public, every time I confront injustice – yes – I bring people back from the dead.”
 
The entire staff of St. Ignatius Parish joins me in wishing you every grace and blessing of this Easter Season. As we strengthened and supported one another in our Lenten practices of praying, fasting and almsgiving, so, now, let us strengthen and encourage one another to “practice resurrection” each day of this blessed Easter Season.

Oremus pro invicem.
 
Fr. Greg