Greetings from Fr. Dave

Thanksgiving Week! One of the most central virtues of Christianity is gratitude. This gratitude flows directly from the three-fold statement we have been using this month: “I came from God; I belong to God; My destiny is God.” It is these truths that lead us to profound gratitude to God and to the people, world, and situations around us.
 
Our Thanksgiving Day Mass will be at 9:00am and as is our custom, we invite those of you who have not yet had an opportunity to bring food for our Food Closet to do so. During the offertory of Mass we will invite folks to bring forward their food and place it in front of the altar. Because Wednesday the 27 ^th is a half day for the school, the weekly school Mass will be at 11:15am instead of 2:15pm.
 
We conclude the Church calendar this weekend with the feast of Christ the King, acknowledging him to be BOTH the King of Kings and the Shepherd-Leader; both the Son of God and the son of Mary; both fully human and divine. Both Jesus and the Christ. Jesus is our entry point into God! He continues to invite each of us into his divine friendship, assuring us always of his mercy, his trustworthiness, and his desire for us to be ever deeper union with him.
 

Emergency Protocols have been established for both our school and our parish. We have met with Washington County Sheriffs on two occasions now for training and for input on how best to handle emergencies when they arrive: medical emergencies, fire, and disruptive individuals. As you would guess there are many variables in all of this, preventing a single way of responding.
 
Fr. Hans, Brett, and I are all onboard with the steps we need to take during weekend Masses when we have so many people present. We also have our Mass Coordinators trained and are working with our Greeters for their assistance. Our sheriffs remind us that the single most important thing all of us can do is be alert and observant — and if anything doesn’t “fit” to speak up. If you are ever uncomfortable about a person you see in church or outside please tell us. Thankfully, we have been assured we are a very low risk as a target for violence.
 

Next weekend we begin Advent and will have our full Christmas schedule for you. One head’s up early: our Advent Reconciliation Service will be Saturday, December 7 ^th at 4:00pm. That will come up quickly, so please mark your calendars! Following a brief reflection and examination of conscience, four priests will be available to hear individual confessions and extend absolution.
 

Blessings to Matrix and Trixtan Bumanglag, Juan Lopez, Jacey Pena, and Charles Sargent, who were baptized this weekend!