Of Course They'res Still Pikachu

I think Jesus is trying to reach me through the church bulletin. Right after Morgans post about her return to St. Annes, this letter from Fr. Dan is printed. Oh. Maybe Jesus is calling Morgan through me. Or some shit like that. God i sound like the CCD book.

Hospitality

A parishioner once shared that after the Soviet Union collapsed, she sought religion to help answer some of the questions she had about life. Being ethnically Jewish, she first went to a synagogue on the Sabbath. But she did not feel wecomed there. So she went next to the Russian Orthodox church. Likewise she also felt unwelcomed.

Fortunately she met a young man who was Catholic and invited her to his Churcch. The catholic Church being a minority in Russia was a smaller Church but everyone knew everyone and they made her feel welcomed. in time, she was baptized, became Catholic and found God to be a strength through some of the hardest parts of her life.

I share this story with you, because it's easy for us in the big Church to be impersonal. It's possible for us to come on Sunday, sit far apart from everyone, and then just slip away. But was that God's intention to have us come and worship?

Was God's intention not for us to be close, be the body of Christ, to encourage and support one another in the journey of life? So consider the attitudes and habits we come to Mass with. Why do we sit so far from the altar? Why do we avoid others? Do we attend mass just because our mothers told us to?

Or do we unintentionally come to learn, to pray, to become united with God and each other? The priest needs encouragement, too, so imagine how he would feel if everyone sat at the back. What is our body language saying?

Our coffee and donuts after Mass is our attempt to encourage you to gather and socialize. So don't just stay wiht your own 'clique.' Meet someone else. Introduce yourself. Welcome them. As St. Paul said, 'Do not neglect hosiptailty, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels' (Heb 13:2).

And of course we need greeters and people who are willing to help set up coffee and donuts. If you can be a greeter, a host a few times a year, peloase contact Bea Wirth at the Gift Shop or at 681-5151. And please do thank those volunteers. They'd appreciate it.

-Fr. Dan



Yea i feel bad because i do all the bad stuff this letter says. Sit in the back. Sit in the row with no people in it. Try not to look around to give peace. Once the blessing is given, race out the door and go home. It's kinda sad. All the smaller churches have a sense of community. But they're typically rich Irish people and i dont like them. St. Anne is more poor irish and chinese people, and they dont like eachother. It's so sad. Maybe i'll call up to be a greeter. Wanna join, morgan? (happy bday by the way)