On this Memorial Day weekend as a nation, we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and have given their lives for the sake of our nation, our peace, and our future. May is not only the month of the Blessed Mother, but it is also the month when we recall those who gave their lives in our service through law enforcement. Each year I have participated in the remembrance of our fallen law enforcement officers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Pittsburgh office which takes in half of Pennsylvania and all of West Virginia. It is important for us to acknowledge their sacrifice.
Every time I personally recall the blood that was shed by our holy martyrs both in the church and in the government, in law enforcement as well as first responders, I am inspired to take a greater inventory of myself and how I am living my life in faith and freedom that cost others the ultimate price. We are all beneficiaries of those who have gone before us. We have an awesome responsibility, therefore, to use the gifts we have, because of their sacrifice, wisely and for the sake of the next generation.
May you all have a very blessed Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends. Please join me in praying a prayer of thanksgiving for all of our blessings purchased by the blood of those that we remember this weekend. Please also keep in your prayers our very important meeting on June 2nd at 6:30 pm in St. Vitus Church.
Speaking of the sacrifices others have made for us, we will be examining at our meeting on Thursday evening, the sacrifices that we must make in our present day to preserve and facilitate our ultimate goal to live our Catholic faith and to share that precious gift with future generations. I am very grateful to our Pastoral Council and Finance Council as well as Desmond Architects and Jerry Horn Construction for their diligent research and guidance which form the foundation for the presentation. We are now one parish taking in all of Lawrence County except for the Ellwood City area. We have to adjust our resources and position this amazing parish to thrive for future generations.
May the Holy Spirit continue to lead and guide us. May the sacrifices that we all must embrace be a true testimony of our love and commitment to the Lord and one another. Just as the enormous sacrifices of previous generations made the Catholic faith possible for us, we now have to commit ourselves to do the same for those who will come after us.
I look forward to seeing you on June 2nd at 6:30 pm in St. Vitus Church. If you can’t make it in person, please watch the livestream of the presentation on the homepage of our website hsplc.org or by scanning the QR Code at right: As you know the month of May was dedicated to the Blessed Mother. The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I’m always inspired by the Gospel of John recounting the wedding feast at Cana. Our dear Blessed Mother recognized the couple’s need and she interceded with her Son to provide more wine. Let us pray that Our Lady will recognize what our needs are as we face our future and intercede with her Son to lead and guide us. He truly is the way, the truth and the life! May we place all of our trust in Him knowing that following his Holy Spirit, we cannot fail!