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Sunday, May 17, 2026
Hello folks,
The Lord be with you all!
On this seventh Sunday of Easter, between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, we find ourselves in the time of being gathered in prayer with the Apostles. If Pentecost is said to be the birthday of the Church, perhaps this is the time of pregnancy: a time of prayer and sober preparation. The gifts of the Holy Spirit change us and change the society in which we live. Our Lord says in the Gospel today that He glorifies the Father on earth by accomplishing the work He gave Him to do, and that He is glorified in the people the Father has given Him. To allow the Lord to bear the fruit He desires in us, to be glorified in us, we must surely seek to be attentive and docile to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Lord does not overpower our free will but allows us to freely choose to become love like Him. By our own power, we cannot do this, but with Him, it is possible. Pray and seek to do His will!
Speaking of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, please pray for the members of our community who are preparing to be strengthened with His gifts at the end of the month in the sacrament of Confirmation. Most of them were on retreat this weekend finishing with the 5:30pm Mass, and Confirmation itself will be during the day of Saturday, May 30.
On an administrative note, Carol will be away this weekend, but we have volunteers who will be helping out. (Thank you, Nancy, Janice and Dawn.) As a result, the office will be opened but some things might not be completed this week as normal.
Next weekend will be the long weekend for Memorial Day, and the office will be closed that Monday. However, as part of our annual observance, there will be a Mass celebrated in Saint Joseph Cemetery on that Monday (May 25) morning at 8:15am, prior to the civic observance around 8:45am. The regular 8:30am Mass in Townsend will also happen as normal.
God bless,
Father Maher
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