My 55th High School Reunion

08-04-2024Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I write this, I have been attending my 55^th High School Reunion in Red Lake Falls, MN. It’s so beautiful up here! It’s been a while since I have been up here in the summer, and I am struck by the beauty of the crops this year. Everywhere there are vast fields of wheat, barley, potatoes, soybeans, sugar beets or corn, all in a lush shade of green or gold. The topsoil here in the Red River Valley is about six feet deep and the crops feast on that rich soil.

I must say that it’s hard to believe that it’s been 55 years since my graduation from Lafayette High, but it is true, nonetheless. We graduated with 72 in 1969, the largest class in our school’s history at that point. Ten of our classmates have died and of the 62, about 30 showed up for the reunion. It was good to see many old friends, reminisce and tell some “war stories.” It was also difficult to see several of my classmates suffering from severe illnesses or disease.

When God called me to be a priest, I was a Financial Advisor with a major New York Stock Exchange firm. My mission was to help people save money for retirement and manage their funds in retirement. I offered my clients CDs, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and annuities. As an insurance agent, I was licensed with about eight different insurance companies to include John Hancock, Genworth, Protective Life, Hartford and other firms. As God was calling me to share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ, he let me know that I was going to be an “agent of reconciliation” for him.

During my reunion, I was able to talk with two classmates who are away from the Church due to invalid marriages. They went through a divorce and remarried without a Decree of Nullity from the Church. I was able to talk with them, explain the process for seeking a Decree of Nullity and invite them to reconcile with the Church, so they could receive all of the sacraments of the Church. I believe they listened to me and my prayer is that they will begin the process of reconciling with the Church.

So…how about you? Are you, in your own way and in your own fashion, serving as an “agent of reconciliation?” We still have many parishioners who have not returned from the COVID interruption. Are you inviting and welcoming them back to Church?

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!” (Romans 10:15)

All the best…in Christ,

Father Wilson