Dear Friends in Christ,

As I have mentioned, a Search Committee for a new principal has been formed and has met several times. FYI, the members of the Search Committee are as follows: Matt Kuhn, Chair; Vicky Tucker; Anna Allman; Cortney Neel; Jim Hidlay; Dennis Gmerek; John Theobald; Agnes Hobson and Mary Catherine Lawton. They will be working and praying diligently to find the very best person to be our next principal.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The fourth Sunday of Easter is often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, but it is also designated as the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” We are to pray and work especially for vocations to the permanent diaconate, the priesthood and consecrated religious life.

I came into full communion with the Catholic Church on September 8, 1998, at St. Joseph’s in Anderson. When I came in, God led me to immediately volunteer to serve in the church. Initially, I taught CCD to 9^th and 10^th graders. It was a challenge since I had never done that before. But God in his mercy blessed me and blessed our class. As time progressed, I became even more involved. Not too long after my entry into the church, I found myself serving in many different roles: I counted the offering; served as a lector, sang in the choir, served as a cantor, served on the Finance Council, and became President of the St. Joseph’s Men’s Club. Also, for several years, I coordinated a bus trip to the capitol for the annual March for Life. I remember that it got so that when I wanted to be away for a weekend, I had to find three people to replace me in my duties at the parish.

Dear Friends in Christ,

The risen Christ appears to the Apostles with a presence other than what he was in his mortal life. The apostles are surprised at Jesus' sudden appearance, his brief and substantial messages, and his goodbye. The light of the Resurrection helps them to understand the scriptures - the bread at Emmaus and the fish in Jerusalem make their presence tangible, and especially given the gift of peace as the fruit of the Resurrection.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, on the Second Sunday of Easter, we complete the octave of this liturgical season, one of the two octaves —together with Christmas— that remain in the liturgy as changed by the Second Vatican Council. For eight days, we contemplate the same mystery and try to deepen our understanding of it in the light of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Friends in Christ,

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” This is the refrain from Psalm 118 that we shall be singing throughout the Easter season. It aptly summarizes the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Father has resurrected Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, in whom He delights. Our Lord has loved us to the point of giving his life for all of us.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a very special day. We come dressed for a feast and carrying palms in our hands because Holy Week is starting. For forty days we have followed the path of conversion and penance. There are two contradictory feelings in our hearts: on the one hand, joy at seeing Christ make a solemn entrance into Jerusalem and be proclaimed king; on the other, sorrow from knowing what he will suffer for us in a few days. Offended, betrayed, beaten, humiliated! We are going to see him climb up Calvary with the Cross on his shoulders and die for us.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today’s Gospel might have been powerful words of encouragement in the faith journey of persecuted early Christian community to whom the “beloved disciple” writes. During the festivals in Jerusalem some Greeks went to worship and wished to see Jesus through the help of disciples. To “see” Jesus is not just to look at Him, which is what those Greeks presumably wanted.

To “see” Jesus is to enter totally into his way of thinking, to understand why he had to suffer and die and rise again. Like the grain of wheat, Jesus must let go of everything, including his own life, in order to bring life to him and many others.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, the liturgy offers us an early scent of Easter joy. The celebrant's vestments are rose colored. It is “Laetare Sunday,” inviting us to a serene joy. The Entrance Antiphon cries out to us: “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”

God wants us to live an abundant life. The most basic psychology tells us that a person who does not live happily eventually becomes ill, both in body and spirit. However, our joy must be well-founded, it must be the expression of the serenity of living a life with full meaning. Otherwise, joy would degenerate into superficiality and folly. Saint Teresa of Ávila accurately distinguished between “holy joy” and “foolish joy.” The latter is only external, short-lived, and leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Are you looking for another devotional prayer for your Lenten time of prayer, fasting and sacrifice? Have you considered the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows?

This devotion has a long history; it goes back to the Middle Ages. However, due to the church-approved Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda in the 1980’s, this chaplet has increased in popularity. In her apparitions, Our Lady of Kibeho encouraged people to pray the Chaplet of the Seven sorrow to obtain the favor of repentance.

Dear Friends in Christ,

As you know, the Lenten penitential season is so much more than just giving up something, like coffee, chocolate or dessert. Increasing our reading of the Sacred Scriptures and meditating on them is an awesome practice to add to our lives during Lent. Also, most of us, me included, would benefit greatly from less screen time (be it the smartphone, the iPad, your computer or the “telly”) and more time reading good books. Many Catholics are not engaged in reading good and edifying books. We must be intentional if we are going to add more quality reading to our life. Lent is a good time to change our ways and add quality reading to our lives. Accordingly, I would like to offer a few suggestions for special reading during your Lenten season.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent. The Gospel presents Jesus preparing for His public life. He goes into the desert where He spends forty days in prayer and penance. There, He is tempted by Satan.

We must prepare ourselves for the Easter Triduum. Satan is our great enemy. There are people who do not believe in him, saying he is a product of our imagination, or that he represents evil in the abstract, diluted among people and in the world. This is definitely not so!

During Lent, we will start using the Introit, or Entrance Antiphon, before the Entrance Hymn. This will complete what the series of what is sometimes known as the choral propers. Before Vatican II, the choir/cantor were responsible for

• Introit, which set the tone and highlighted the themes of the day
• Gradual, a response to the Epistle, or First Reading
• Gospel Acclamation, which introduced the Gospel theme
• Offertorio, which was sung as the Altar was prepared
• Communio, which often highlighted the Gospel or theme of the day

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last week we were blessed with a special Mass offered by the Most Reverend Robert Guglielmone, Bishop Emeritus. At that Mass, we celebrated the ninth anniversary of the dedication of our church and the Bishop also blessed 19 stunningly beautiful tapestries. What a special time that was for us as a parish! We were able to reflect upon our physical and spiritual heritage and to look forward and consider what God might have for us in the future.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Nine years ago, on the Feast of Candlemas, His Excellency Robert Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston dedicated our church. This marvelous event, this milestone, in the life of our parish was the result of many long years of prayer, sacrifice, and hard work by Father Gregory Wilson, his staff, and so many deeply committed volunteers. I think it is indisputably clear that our Lord and St. Mary Help of Christians have highly favored our parish.