Greetings from Fr. Dave

Lent 2019 here we go! This weekend’s topic is: Decluttering our lives in a chaotic world. There is a lot of interest in simplifying our lives and there are new gurus telling us how to do that. The kind of decluttering I will be talking about is different.
 
Lent begins with the familiar account of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. Jesus’ time in the desert deprived him of the normal physical supports, enjoyments, and distractions that protect all of us from feeling the full force of our vulnerability, raw dependence on God, and need to surrender in deep trust to God. We accumulate all kinds of clutter in our lives — some of it just plain harmful, some of it neutral, and some of it clearly good. This clutter can easily become an escape from facing the hole at the bottom of our very being — an emptiness that can only be filled by God.
 
Our world constantly shouts the message that maximizing individual happiness is the goal of life — and is within our reach. Our Christian faith tells us a different message: that we are in this world to know, love, and serve God, and to prepare for loving him for all eternity. Jesus himself summed up the commandments by saying we are to love God and to love our neighbor. That is not quite the same as seeking personal instant gratification!

So, as we enter into this season, I pray that each of us will have the courage and the inspiration to enter more fully into the desert — by our acts of self-denial, by our commitment to serve generously, and by our openness to be led by God. Come Holy Spirit!
 


A Support Group for Sexual Abuse Survivors is forming here at Holy Trinity. Survivors from other parishes will be invited to attend. The group is designed to facilitate connection, compassion, and commonality between members, offer education on how sexual trauma can interfere with one’s health and happiness, and provide tools for healthy coping. We will incorporate prayer, scripture, and other inspirational spiritual materials. We will be meeting in the parish office conference room every other Thursday from 6:30-7:45pm beginning Thursday, March 28 ^th. The group will be facilitated by long-time Holy Trinity parishioner Lisa Knudsen. If you are interested in joining or have any questions, please give Lisa a call at 503.341.2694.
 

Our Lent Reconciliation Service is Monday, March 18 ^th at 7:00pm. As usual, additional priests from the University of Portland will be assisting in hearing confessions following a brief communal preparation. I urge you to make use of this opportunity.


Thanks to all who have participated so far in the Annual Catholic Appeal. These are the funds collected to meet our parish obligation to the Archdiocese, used for services beyond the scope of Holy Trinity: seminary training, clergy retirement, prison ministry, campus ministry, and the support offices of the Archdiocese. Our parish needs to raise $130,000. Additional pledge envelopes are available in the entry of the church. May I please ask those of you who have not responded to help us wrap this up? Thanks.
 

Last week, funeral services were held for Esperanza David. May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace.