Truly Pro-Life

Dear Parishioners,

In the coming days or weeks, we expect to hear a decision from the Supreme Court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson. With leaked documents pointing to a reversal of Roe v. Wade, we have seen celebration and outcry from both sides of this issue. We Catholics are pro-life. Abortion is an objective evil, as it kills an innocent person, a human being in the womb that God created. At the same time, the mother and father are also human beings and we need to be mindful of them and do whatever life-giving things we can to support them. In order to be truly pro-life, we need to also keep in mind the poor, the hungry, the unemployed, the sick, the migrant, and more. Issues such as racism, harrassment, bigotry, war, violence also loom large. Commonly, these issues of justice are broken away from political discussions due to the reigning party lines. As for us Catholics, these and more make up the “seamless garment” of Catholic Social Teaching. But, for the sake of brevity, and in light of current events surrounding the SCOTUS, I ask your indulgence, as I focus on this one aspect today.

Ever since Roe v. Wade, the Church has prayed and sought out the protection of the poorest of the poor, those who have no voice and whose lives may be at risk, the children in the womb. Opponents are currently making an argument that the pro-life movement has been too focused on the child and not the mother. And they may have a good point. Whenever we have had our local Pregnancy Care Center (PCC) come to our parish to encourage us to support them, I have thanked them for their wholistic approach to life, and have tried to remind us that saying no to abortion is not enough. Our local PCC not only helps the mother know what is going on in her womb via an ultrasound machine (thank you all who helped our Knights of Columbus acquire a new state-of-the-art ultrasound machine for our PCC), but they also accompany her and the father regardless of the decision they make in the days and months that follow.

It is critical that the holocaust of abortion upon the youngest of our children end. That is an important first step! Yet, it is not enough. We must also engage more fervently in the care for women who find themselves, for whatever reason, pondering on having an abortion. To be truly pro-life is to think and act holistically, encompassing the mother, the father, the extended family, and the child in the womb. It should not be myopic in approach, as some in the current debate appears to be claiming. Being pro-life is an all-inclusive or, “both-and” approach. This is part of our Catholic tradition, and we should do what we can to protect all lives involved. The details of how to do this are complicated and difficult. But, let not the current rhetoric of false dichotomies entrap us. We love babies and mothers, and fathers, and their extended families. We want life for them all!

Now more than ever, let us be pro-women, pro-fathers, and pro-children, for there are solutions that can help them without the specter of death. Let us lovingly walk with those who are contemplating abortion, and let them know that we love them. Let them know that God loves them and their children. Do not shame them. Lovingly lift up these moms and dads who are fearful of what may happen next, and offer them life-giving options. Let us walk in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who are newly pregnant and help them rejoice in the gift of life that they have been given. May we defend the precious children growing in their mothers’ wombs, for they will be our next generation. Let us encourage new mothers when they are afraid.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, our work is not done. We need to do more to lift up adoption as a truly heroic option. We need to work together so that abortion is no longer conscionable, and love, support, encourage, pray, and offer other life-giving solutions that are our hallmarks to remedy the difficulties for expectant mothers and fathers.

We, as a society, have much more to do to lift up the poor and vulnerable. That work is also not done. May we never turn a blind eye to the needs of others and be willing to reach out a hand, lift them up, and help them to do the same for others.

Finally, I urge you not to enter into any dialogues that disrespect others, encourages violence, uses derogatory words, is purely argumentative, calls people names, and more. To be truly pro-life, we must live and speak in life-giving ways. Do not succumb to base behavior, but stand dignified and lift up those with whom you are speaking. Honor others as God knows them to be: precious, loved, and one-of-a-kind. May we be truly pro-life from womb to tomb so that we will keep the commandments of our Lord (cf. John 14:21, 23-24) who has made all life human life precious.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Love is Found in Service and Ministry

Dear Parishioners,

Spring has sprung, albeit in a very wet way. Yet, we all know we need the precipitation given our drought situation. In addition, many of our ministries are becoming more active after being shuddered or reduced due to the threat of the pandemic. It has been heart-warming to see many parishioners who have been away return to regular attendance at Mass. Last weekend, we had our annual Spring Cleaning event. I hope you noticed how much better the campus looks. A big thank you needs to go out to Kirk Chapman of our Maintenance Committee who lead the charge of this wonderful event and all who participated in it.

In this weekend’s Gospel, we hear from Jesus, ‘I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” Our Lord created the Church, founded upon Peter as the first leader, so that we would be able to live out this commandment more easily and allow it to energize us to go out and love others. This is done in many ways, including the ministries of the parish. Thank God our ministries are starting to come back to life again so that we can get busy about living out this new commandment from our Lord.

Here is a simple list of the ministries winding up again at St. Anne:

• “Newcomer’s Ice Cream Social” which will take place this Sunday at 1:30 PM in the Sky Room. If you are new to our parish in the last two years or so, please consider coming. We will have, of course, ice cream with various toppings. The leaders of various ministries will be present to help you get acquainted with the activities and mission of our parish.  

• This Saturday (May 14), we witnessed the return of our school’s BINGO & Spaghetti Dinner. 

• One of the most important ministries is that of funerals. Connected to our funerals is our ability to offer receptions afterwards. In this regard, I hope that our Funeral Reception Teams will return so that we can host these important receptions again. 

• I have been told, as of this writing, that we may very well have Coffee & Donuts after the Sunday Masses this very weekend. Ah! Yes! Coffee & Donuts, the eighth sacrament!  Just kidding of course. I have a feeling this ministry may need more help with set up and take down of tables as well as cleaning.

• The removal of the temporary 9 AM Sunday Mass which we had added due to COVID, means that we can start hosting other events between the Masses on Sunday’s such as “Catholicism 101."

At Our Lady of the River, the community was quickly able to start up Coffee & Donuts after Mass once the mask mandates were dropped. At St. Patrick of the Forest, I hope, they will be able to do similar soon. I know that they have are will soon restarted their Pastoral and Administrative Council meetings. 

None of this would be possible had people not responded in faith to God’s prompting. Please pray and ask God how you are being called to participate in these or other ministries of our parish and/or missions. We are called to be in greater communion with our Lord, and he wants us, consequently, to be in greater communion with each other. Participating in any of these and other ministries of our parish or missions, is a magnificent way to encounter God and his people. And by doing so, others will come to know that we are His disciples.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Feed My Sheep

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday’s Gospel is a magnificent moment in the life of Peter who had betrayed Jesus. Before Simon was able to even apologize, Jesus called him to himself and asked him three times if he loved him. Each time, Simon said, yes, thus restoring him and his relationship with our Lord since Simon’s three denials. With each affirmation, Jesus then commissioned him to feed his lambs, tend his sheep, and feed his sheep. Then he shared with Simon that in his coming ministry, Simon would suffer and ultimately die for the glory of God.

This episode was not just for Simon. It is for us as well. We are all being called to lay down our lives in order to tend to the poor and the downcast, to feed the young and old with the saving message of the Gospel. We often might cringe at such a prospect, especially knowing how obstinate our culture is to the Christian Faith. But, it is the path that we are all called to walk.

For me, I receive the words of our Lord in the context of my coming departure and reassignment. I am dedicated to the mission here at St. Anne until the last moment of my ministry here, and yet I know that I am being called to leave, something that brings sadness to my heart. I have spent much time in prayer and thought about this coming transition, and I trust that my own “death” to my role as your pastor is part of God’s plan, part of what will give him glory. I have heard from many of you, of your mutual sadness and desire for me to stay. Thank you for your love and care in this regard. Please pray that I will be able to fulfill the new calling I have received.

It was critical to Christ’s mission that he sent out his Apostles, and by extension, us, into the world so that others may come to know him. In time, you will receive a new pastor. I can only imagine the stress he must be feeling knowing that he is being called to move from his current parish. One thing that he does not know, but I believe he will discover very quickly, is how welcoming and loving you all are. So, just as I am being sent away, he is being sent here. Please pray for him, though we know not his name at this writing. Pray that God will prepare you to welcome him as we would Christ (Benedictine motto).

I know how much you love the Lord, and I am excited for whomever the new pastor will be, because he will encounter you whom I love so much. May we all take to heart the commission that Simon received as our own. May we pray for all our priests who will be moving next month. Let us all cast our nets, metaphorically speaking, to receive the amazing gifts that God has in store for us here as well as in heaven.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Being Reassigned

Dear Parishioners,

It’s with sadness that I report I will be leaving at the end of June and have been reassigned to a new parish. But, have no worries. St. Anne and her missions have been listed as “open” for a new pastor. This means that the Archbishop with counsel from the Clergy Personnel Board have been working to discern who will be succeeding me. That priest has yet to be chosen, but I trust that the Holy Spirit has got this, and despite our mutual sadness of this change, I encourage you all to entrust your hearts and thoughts in the same Holy Spirit. God is not anxious like we are. He’s got a plan that we often know nothing about. So, let us let go of our fears, and simply trust.

It’s been 13 years of joy filled and dynamic ministry here. You have all touched me helped me grow into the person I am today. I hope that I have done similar for you. Knowing that the Archbishop has been looking at moving me since late last year, I have been engaged in my own extended Lenten observances. But for many of you, this is possibly unexpected news. Saying goodbye is hard, but it is also a statement of faith, expressing that God be with you and that we have confidence that we will will see each other again.

In the meantime, I remain active as always and I continue my duties as normal. As time gets closer to the end of June, however, my availability for meetings will become more difficult. So let’s make these next three months even more dynamic in faith, hope, and love!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Ministry Personnel Opportunities

Dear Parishioners,

In the past several months, we have been working hard to lift up our ministry staffing in the parish office. As such, Carol Scherf recently move from our Bookkeeper position to our Parish Manager position, replacing Stephen Voehl who moved on to other employment late in 2021. Carol’s move left a hole in our Bookkeeper position which we have been working to fill. This is an important aspect of our work to serve our parish, our missions, and our school. From the foundations of financial stability and accounting comes healthy pastoral ministry for the church. If you or someone you know would like to join our team as a part-time bookkeeper, please email a resume and cover letter to BookkeeperSearch@stannegp.com or come by the office and give them to Carol.

Next, we are looking for someone whom God is calling to be our part-time Coordinator of Youth Ministry. If you or someone you know may be qualified for such an important ministry position here at St. Anne, please encourage them to apply. The details for applications in this regard are found in this bulletin. If this is not you, then let us all pray that God will bring to us just the right person who help lead and inspire our teens in their faith with Christ.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Lent - Fasting and Feasting

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Lenten season! This time of year offers us encouragement to engage in a deeper way the traditions of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. For some, it is a time to give up something. For others it is a time to add something. In countries outside of the U.S, the latter is more their custom than the former. In our culture, giving up something is synonymous with Lent. If you are not sure what you might do in this holy season, may I offer some suggestions.

Prayer

There is no lack of need of prayer for the situation in the Ukraine. I think all our hearts are broken as we stand in solidarity with the people of the Ukraine. Pope Francis encouraged the world to fast on Ash Wednesday, specifically for the tragedy unfolding and the people being impacted by the violence. If you fulfilled that papal request on Ash Wednesday, wonderful! Might I then invite you to extend your intentions of prayer and fasting throughout the six weeks of Lent of peace and conversion of hearts? In addition, please ask Mary, the Queen of Peace and Our Lady of Kyiv, to intercede as she asked us to pray for the conversion of Russia so many years ago. Another Saint you may want to seek out is St. Vladimir I of Kyiv, a convert from paganism who eventually removed all semblances of idolatry in his kingdom and promoted Christianity. The patron saint of the Ukraine is St. Olga of Kyiv. She is considered one of Eastern Orthodox’s greatest saints. Her story is quite dramatic, and I’ll leave it to you to search for her and her story. But, let’s just say that she was no pushover when it came to those who wished evil. You can read more by clicking her link, above.

Fasting

We typically confuse fasting with abstinence. Fasting is the reduction of something while abstinence is the total removal of something. But, sometimes, as I mentioned above, we might focus only on reducing or removing something and forget about adding something. So, consider fasting and feasting in ways that are complimentary. May I recommend fasting from speaking hurtful words or committing violent actions and then feasting on acts of charity especially towards those who have hurt or injured you? Commit to reducing the amount of talking you do and listen more. Stop swearing and offer compliments and blessings instead. When in tribulation, fast from evil thoughts and harsh attacks and instead assume the best of the other, for their behavior may very well have a source of deep suffering, and then offer them comfort and a gentle word of compassion.

Almsgiving

Almsgiving can be a sore point for some. Some cling to or are captured by their wealth or are greedy with their time and talent. Instead of simply offering lenten observances that only impact oneself, maybe consider donating each week or once a day some of money to charity. Maybe give of your time to someone who needs help, a neighbor or maybe a total stranger. Maybe offer transportation to someone or fix something that your neighbor cannot. Maybe you might consider making a donation to Catholic Relief Services for the people suffering in Ukraine.

Whatever you do for Lent, be sure it is done out of selfless love and not self-serving motivations. Remember, this whole season is intended to prepare and train us to celebrate the most important event of all history, Christ’s Resurrection. If you decide to go to daily Mass once a week dedicate it not just for yourself, but for the intention of others. By letting go and removing the obstacles to God while also giving of yourself for the good of others, this Lent may very well change everything.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt 3: Synodal Primer: Scriptures & Questions

Dear Parishioners,

We are just under a month until we host our synodal gatherings (see last two week’s bulletins for details). As such I would like to share with you the Scriptures and questions upon which we will be pondering. These will be the focus of our prayers in adoration as well as our reflections in the discernment time which will follow. This is just a primer so that you can bounce these scriptures and questions around in your heart, asking the Holy Spirit to help you be open without any agenda, have an openness to the synodal process, and be given a joy of anticipation for our time together.

SCRIPTURE 1
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Question 1: What in the church fills me with life? How is the Holy Spirit working in my life to deepen my faith and inspire me to be a better disciple and witness of Christ’s love to others?

SCRIPTURE 2

Hebrews 10:21-24: Since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.

Question 2: As a community of believers, what experiences of the Catholic Church have brought joys or revealed wounds? And how can these experiences help us grow together in faith and offer the hope and healing of Christ to the greater community in which we live?

SCRIPTURE 3

1John 1:1-4: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life — for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us — what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Question 3: As a Catholic community, we are expressly enjoined to invite others into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. When we dream about how best to accomplish this, what steps is the Holy Spirit inviting the Church in western Oregon to take?

All participants will be given a handout with these Scriptures and questions as well as guidelines for the “Table Conversations.” So, you will not need to remember these items or bring a copy of this letter to the Synodal gathering you choose to attend. Again, my hope is that you would use these for prayer and preparation in the Holy Spirit until we gather together on March 3rd or 12th.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 2

Dear Parishioners,

In our last bulletin, I wrote about the Synod which has been called forth by Pope Francis. I explained what a synod is and is not. The theme of this synod is, oddly enough, synodality. Yes. The way by which we journey and discuss what it means to be Church are front and center. Again, the topic is also the process. It is a synod on synodality. So, the destination is also the journey. In my conversations with Archbishop Sample, he believes that the Holy Father desires to teach us a way to journey, discuss, and be Church through this new Apostolic Age (see previous bulletin letter). A handbook called the Vademecum has set out guidance for us as we do our part in this synodal process. It describes three points or dimensions for us to pray about between now and our coming discernment gatherings in early March: Communion, Participation, and Mission.

COMMUNION By his gracious will, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, through the covenant that he offers to his people. The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. It is Christ who reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.

PARTICIPATION A call for the involvement of all who belong to the People of God— laity, consecrated and ordained—to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another. This listening creates space for us to hear the Holy Spirit together and guides our aspirations for the Church of the Third Millennium. Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit. In a synodal Church the whole community, in the free and rich diversity of its members, is called together to pray, listen, analyze, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God’s will. Genuine efforts must be made to ensure the inclusion of those at the margins or who feel excluded.

MISSION The Church exists to evangelize. We can never be centered on ourselves. Our mission is to witness the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deep missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world. In this way, synodality is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God’s kingdom.

Once again, mark your calendar to participate in one of the two gatherings in March:

Wednesday, March 3 @ 6 PM

Saturday, March 12 @ 8 AM

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 1

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis called for a worldwide synod of the Church which will involve all Catholic parishes in our Archdiocese and throughout the world. The goal of this process is to help our bishops prepare for the “Assembly of the Synod of Bishops” in October 2023. This may also include other groups with whom our parish interacts and ministers. This may be the first you have heard about it, so I hope this bulletin letter will help explain what a synod is and what it is not as well as a sneak peek at what we plan to do in order to join the synodal process.

What is a Synod? The word comes from two Greek words, one meaning “together,” and the other meaning “road” or “way.” The term connotes a quality about how the Church is to accomplish its mission. In the early Church, the term was used to describe how the people of “the Way” (earliest term for Christians) would purposely come together and form permanent communities. Eventually, this term was used to express a gathering of the Church locally, regionally, or globally. So it expresses a way of gathering with a sense of being on a journey together.

Today, it describes a type of gathering of bishops by which they discern how the Lord is calling them and the rest of the Church to follow Jesus. This word is the root of two other related words, “synodal” or “synodality,” both of which express the style of this gathering. How to pronounce these words is a challenge. Try “sin-ah-d,” “sin-ah-dal,” and “sin-ah-dal-ity” respectively. 

The gathering is intended to reflect on how the Church carries out her mission, journeying together in order to more effectively proclaim the Gospel. This is an ancient approach to “being” Church. The gathering (Synod) is a way of gathering and discerning what the Holy Spirit is calling the Church to do and be. Another way of describing it is a mode-of-being. Archbishop Sample taught that this Synod will be about how to be Church, how to be synodal. This is why the current topic of this Synod is precisely about synodality. So, it is a “Synod on Synodality,” a gathering where the Church journeys together to discover and experience what it means to be a pilgrim people called to proclaim the Gospel.

What this Synod is not. It is not a gathering to determine doctrine or settle theological issues. Some pundits have already called for warning, noting the German Bishops who erroneously called their recent gatherings as a “synodal way” which was used to tackle the hot topics of their culture. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishop in Rome challenged the German bishops, writing that that their make-up was “not ecclesiologically valid.” The German bishops’ approach has been more akin to a “Particular Council” or a Council of the Catholic Church in Germany. A “Council” is, technically speaking, a meeting of bishops given authority to make law for their region or country, but only under direct authority of Rome who approves the agenda. None of that happened. Pope Francis weighed in as well and warned them writing, “Every time the ecclesial community has tried to resolve it problems alone, trusting and focusing exclusively on its forces or its methods, its intelligence, its will or prestige, it ended up increasing and perpetuating the evils it tried to solve.” So have no worries, Rome has responded and offered a correction. This is not the process or goal of the current “Synod on Synodality.”

Archbishop Sample’s own reflection and commentary, in preparation for our part in the synodal process, recognized that we live in unique and challenging times and that we are no longer living in a time where Christian faith guides the minds and hearts of our culture. Instead, we are in a new Apostolic time where few express Christian faith. He recognized that how we used to do things as Church doesn’t work anymore. This is not an issue of doctrine, but an issue of evangelization and outreach to those who have left the Church and those in our world who are lost and don’t know Jesus Christ and his Gospel (cf. Opening comments, Synodal Workshop, January 20, 2022). He further shared that The Pope wants to “lead us in a process that will help us all together, in the universal church, to walk together.…to learn how to be the Church in a new way, a way of mutual discernment… guided by the Holy Spirit, absolutely soaked in prayer, so that we can truly discern what the Holy Spirit…is asking of us today in our time and in our archdiocese.”

This last Saturday, January 29th, parishioners gathered for a time of adoration in our church in order to increase our zeal of the Eucharist and pray for divine guidance for the Synodal process, a deeper appreciation of the dignity and sacredness of human life, an end to abortion, and a renewed spirit and light for all parishes and parishioners in the Portland and Baker Dioceses. 

I will write more about the Synod in the weeks to come. In the meantime, if you wish to participate in our local synodal discernment process, save one of these two dates: March 3rd at 6 PM or March 12th at 8 AM. Each of these dates will host a gathering which will begin with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by a time of gathering for discernment about the coming Synod of the Church.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Download the Prayer card for the Synod by clicking here.

Reflecting Back On The Good News in 2021

Dear Parishioners, 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Every year, we publish a multiple-week bulletin during the holidays. As such, I have encouraged our staff to write a reflection about the good news that happened to them and the ministries this year. One might assume that the pandemic obscured our vision and abilities to minister to the community, but I am proud to say that just the opposite was true. Of course, there were roadblocks and obstacles. But, that just meant we had to let go of old paradigms, our need to control, and just let Jesus take care of everything (cf. Surrender Novena). So, I hope that you will find this bulletin a source of encouragement and joy.

As for myself, I look back and have the fondest memories of spending Wednesday’s giving away boxes of food for whomever drove up into our parking lot. All said and done, we gave away 36,820 boxes of food and 2,400 gallons of milk to those in need. It was such a bright spot in a dark time of our year. When we finally ended, it had been over a year since we gave out our initial food boxes. I am so grateful for meeting new people, working together as a team, praying with people who either asked or seemed to need it, reassuring those who came to us in tears that God would provide, and the laughter and joy that came with just giving oneself away in service. The parish staff also stepped up to support this event with a clear sense of mission.

I am also grateful for the teachers and staff of our school. The hurdles that were set before us, unexpectedly, required us to pivot several times, and they did! Our school population is the largest since I arrived (see Colleen’s reflection therein). Through adversity, we have found a focus and dependence on Jesus. 

I am grateful for the presence of Anthony Hoangphan, our pastoral year seminarian. Having another person in the house can create issues. Yet, Anthony was flexible and charitable the whole time. I didn’t know if we would have enough things for him to do given the COVID shutdowns. But, alas, there was no shortage of things for him to do in ministry. In addition, we learned new skills in woodworking, and even build a children’s shelf/seat for the school auction.

Finally and possibly most potently, the Surrender Novena was a huge gift. My mother, Helene, passed in  September of 2020. A year or more prior to her passing, she began praying this relatively unknown novena over and over, possibly completing it over 30 times. My brother-in-law stumbled upon it in a Catholic bookstore in Denver. He showed it to my sister, Carolyn, and they then gave it to my mother. She shared it with the rest of my siblings, and I preached about it at her funeral. Archbishop Sample was present at her funeral and, long story short, he began to pray it. From there, it was reproduced and given to all the priests of the Archdiocese. Since then, it has gone out to countless people who have found profound solace and hope praying the novena. At last tally, we have ordered over 3,000 cards and I expect to run out of those in several months. I was recently told that the archdiocesan Office of Divine Worship had given out almost 20,000 of these novena cards! Praise God!  I have mourned my mother’s passing, but it is most certainly pierced by the light of this legacy of prayer which she championed in her last year of life, and I believe continues to do so from heaven.

So, as we say farewell to 2021, I want to leave you with the prayer refrain from the Surrender Novena. I believe it to be a key to our true joy in Christ now and into our future:

“Oh my Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything!”

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor