2021 Stewardship of Prayer Renewal
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2020 Stewardship of Prayer Witness Talk
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November 21, 2021
Dear Parishioner,
Advent is a time of renewed hope leading us to the light of Christmas. It is a journey we make in the darkest days of our year...and the noisiest. Every day, we are barraged with messages demanding our time and attention – on television, the radio, online, even driving to work. Pope Francis says that the Church “urgently needs the deep breath of prayer.” He invites each of us to rest in the love of Jesus; to experience His stillness and peace.
Entering the Season of Advent, we have a wonderful opportunity to “quiet the noise”; even as the parish continues to ramp up activities after the shutdown from the pandemic. In this new “normal”, I offer you a simple suggestion: catch your breath, slow down, calm your mind and heart, and take time for quiet prayer each day. In this quiet time, we become aware of God’s goodness. In this stillness, it is easier to see what is important. Experiencing this “deep breath of prayer” is a refreshing change of scenery. This is where gratefulness and generosity are born.
Please read the enclosed materials and reflect on the personal witness from Toni Medaglia at all Masses on November 27 & 28 (a recording can be found at StPius.net/Prayer). At all Masses on the weekend of December 4 & 5, you will be invited to make a commitment to enter more deeply into a spirit of prayer during this Advent and throughout the year.
We can begin this Season of Advent recommitting ourselves to a life of stewardship in prayer – the basis of all other facets of stewardship and the firm foundation which makes all things possible in our parish. Father Augustine and I urge you to take time to detach, unplug, and pray. When you do, your heart will find peace, and your life will reflect more perfectly God’s love and grace active in you.
Gratefully Yours in Christ,
Rev. William C. Schooler
Pastor