From the Pastor: March 17, 2026

March 2026

Dear Parishioners,

We are blessed to have an ever-increasing number of parishioners and guests attending Mass, especially on the weekends. We enter the church with a sense of reverence for what we will experience through the course of the liturgy. It is a sacred moment that nurtures our souls and strengthens our faith. As you might expect or have yourselves experienced, the quiet of the moment is often punctuated with distractions. I daresay that is to be expected in a parish of our size.

Our parish Mission Statement begins with these words: The love of Christ impels us to welcome all. The scope of that statement is daunting, and with God’s help we embrace that opportunity with kindness and joy. It is heartwarming to see families with young children actively participating in the activities of the parish and attending Mass as a family. These parents have taken seriously the commitment they made at their children’s baptisms to bring them up in the practice of the Faith.

The issue I must unfortunately mention is the behavior of young children who sometimes get out of hand. I want to be categorically clear. Children of all ages are welcome at all the Masses of the parish in pews of their parents’ choice. However, with that comes the responsibility to address the behavior of their children when they create a significant distraction during the liturgy that impacts the solemnity of the moment.

Our Parish Statement also includes these words: to worship joyfully and pray fervently. The young children of the parish bring that sense of joy with them into the parish, but there are times when their exuberance needs to be monitored by their parents so that all of us can pray, both fervently and reverently.

Sincerely in the Lord,

Fr. Yesalonia