October 20, 2019

My Dear Parishioners,
 
   I hope and pray that you are doing well and that you truly love your Catholic Faith.  I also hope that you love our All Saints church and chapel.  They are truly beautiful houses of God, places of peace, love and prayers to God and to the angels and saints.  We are blessed with so many statues in our church so that people can be with Jesus, Mother Mary, and the many angels and saints.  I have noticed that many people love to light a candle for their intentions.  Do you know that we burn about 100 cases of candles in a year?  That’s a great sign of our faith and trust in God, and our help from Mary and the saints.  PS. Please do not light candles during Mass so that you will not disrupt anyone in church.  Mass is not over until Father and the servers have left the altar.  Our candles are blessed and will burn up to 7 days.  Personally, I have heard so many happy comments from many people.  They love what we have and the devotions at All Saints, including the statues.  They love that we pray the Holy Rosary before every Mass.  They love that our All Saints children attend daily Mass and give their devotion to Mother Mary.  Let us give thanks to God for all the good He has done for us through the good-hearted people in our church family.  Now that we have a Holy Family statue in our church, you may want to use this special Holy Family prayer to pray for your family until everyone in your family is in heaven. 
 
   Holy Family Prayer:  Lord Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, bless our family.  Graciously inspire in us the unity, peace, and mutual love that you found in your own family in the little town of Nazareth.  Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus and Our Mother, nourish our family with your faith and your love.  Keep us close to your Son, Jesus, in all our sorrows and joys.  Saint Joseph, Foster-father to Jesus, guardian and spouse of Mary, keep our family safe from harm.  Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.  Holy Family of Nazareth, make our family one with you.  Help us to be instruments of peace.  Grant that love, strengthened by grace, may prove mightier than all the weaknesses and trials through which our families sometimes pass.  May we always have God at the center of our hearts and homes until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with you. Amen.
 
   Finally, as you know, we have been counting Mass attendance during this month of October.  It is the bishop’s desire to have this done in every church.  Thank you to those who have been helping with this process.  We are blessed with many hands and good-hearted people in our church family.  God, we love and He alone we serve. 
 
   God, we love you, Fr. Hien