Lenten Reconciliation Services

Dear Parishioners,

Lent is the season to refocus our attention on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Last time I wrote, I described how we might consider the idea of fasting and feasting… fasting from those problematic issues we have in our lives while feasting on areas where we can to do more. Today, I would like to offer a more explicit fast from sin and a feast of forgiveness. We all have sinned. We all have areas where we are tempted and have given in to evil. Jesus came to heal us from this reality. One way to battle our sin is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let us feast on God’s forgiveness through this Sacrament. In my homily of last weekend, I reflected on the uncertainty we all have about our last day on earth and how we all encounter tragedies. None of us know when it will be or what tragedy will befall us. Yet, we should all be ready for these events with hope. Hope comes from an encounter and knowledge of God’s amazing grace and mercy. Again, the Sacrament of Reconciliation offers us those gifts so that we can boldly live our lives bearing the Good News of Jesus’ mercy.

This coming Thursday at St. Anne, we will offer our lenten Communal Reconciliation Service with the help of nine priests from around our Vicariate. It will be held at 7 PM and lead by our very own, Fr. Arjie. Please mark your calendar and don’t let anything get in the way of this important Sacrament. For those of you in the area of Cave Junction we will be hosting our lenten Reconciliation Service on Monday at 7 PM. If evenings are an issue for you and you cannot drive to church in the dark or your schedule simply won’t allow that evening, we have a daytime opportunity where Fr. Arjie and myself will be available in the confessionals of the church at St. Anne on Tuesday from 3 PM to 5 PM. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a most powerful way to feast on God’s mercy and be given hope amidst the tragedies in our lives.

May God bless you all!

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Safety First!

Dear Parishioners,

The last several months, and especially in the past couple weeks, attention has been given to the suffering and violence that is present in our world as well as here locally. What should be our response? First, prayer for the safety of people in harm’s way, the consolation and healing of the victims and their families, and the conversion of heart for the perpetrators.  Second, reconciliation in our hearts with regard to those whom we have harmed or held unjust prejudice against. Thirdly, a concerted effort to reach out to those who are in pain. Fourthly, seek out justice, mercy, peace, and safety in the name of the Prince of Peace.

All of these are things we can all do.  In addition, reflecting on imitating Christ through today’s reading from Colossians 1:24-28, we are called to suffer with those who are suffering.  By offering up these sufferings, we join together with our Lord in his Passion.  By joining in his passion, we join also in his death and resurrection. This is a mystery.  But, it is one that Paul models for us to do.

In the last several months, St. Anne has seen an increase in mischievous to malicious behavior on our campus. We’ve had cars parked near the adoration chapel vandalized late at night. Two men entered the church last month, stole some candles and put their half-empty beer cans in box-top container for the school. Just this past week, a young adult tried to enter the adoration chapel around 10 PM and when he couldn’t get in, he proceeded to harass one of our adorers who was just driving into the parking lot by jumping on his car while brandishing a large cane of some sort.  What are we to do?  Again, I offer the same four things as I mentioned above.

As the pastor, I am committed to the pastoral and temporal stewardship of the parish.  So, I take all these events seriously.  We have placed cameras all around our campus and even have more yet to be installed. We will soon be changing the combination to the church and possibly retrofitting it with a completely different security system. I’ve given my concerns to the Adoration Chapel Committee to discern a measured response to keep our parishioners safe. And I’ve asked the police to increase their patrols on our campus through the night watch. There is no way to make every public place safe from persons bent on harm.  But, our prudential judgement paired with wisdom for the good of the community will help mitigate temptation and loitering which will keep our campus open and safe.

All that said, let us all continue to commit ourselves to being stewards of our church. Do not hesitate to report anything that seems odd or out of place.  I need to know, and you are my eyes and ears.  Let us pray as a community to pour the Holy Spirit on our campus, so that all who come here will find St. Anne of place light, refreshment, and peace.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor