A Word from Monsignor Lisante

Dear Friends,

    I hope by now, you've had a chance to visit the newly established Shrine to St. Therese, the Little Flower. We dedicated the shrine last Sunday morning and the response to it has been overwhelmingly positive. Please use this place of beauty and peace as an opportunity for prayer and reflection.

Thanks to Fr. Bruno Dekrem for returning to St. Thomas and taking part in the dedication of our St. Therese Shrine. It was wonderful to see our old friend Father Bruno back where he belongs!

Thanks also to Dr. Lou and Genevieve Pellegrino for their devotion to this vision. Genevieve came to me many months ago with a deep longing to promote devotion to St. Therese by the establishment of this Shrine. She can be rightly delighted at the outcome. .Thanks to Margo Almeida for her artistic abilities, so beautifully displayed at the Shrine. Thanks to Val Tomicich for his dedicated coordination of the construction. Thanks to parish maintenance coordinator Joe DeMarinis for all his help. To Bob Hoffman for his construction excellence. To Peter and Pat Larkin for their dedicated assistance in many levels of the Shrine's development. Now please visit this holy place often and reflect on the wisdom of St. Therese, who taught us how to make the ordinary into the extraordinary, and to do it always for God.

By the time you read this bulletin, I hope you will have heard from our visitors offering the Parish Mission this week. It is an extraordinary opportunity we are given to put aside all the less important things in our lives and focus for three nights on the things that truly matter. Please don't let this chance pass without being a part of it. Make the time on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights to be with us for our annual Advent Parish Mission. And bring a friend. We will all be better for this wonderful opportunity.

I've been contacted by a great young adult in our parish who has an apartment for rent. He's looking for a partner in this apartment. If you're a young adult looking for a good living arrangement, call the rectory for more of the details (489-8585).

Next week (December 9th) begins the Jewish observance of Hanukkah. Please wish your Jewish neighbors and friends good wishes during this importantly joyous time in their religious calendar. We are a widely interfaith community in these parts, and our neighbor's celebration of holy days is a proximate occasion to let them know we share their joy.

Finally, please don't forget our own important Holy Day, December 8th. On this day we remember the Immaculate Conception, the moment Mary came into being without the burden of original sin. She is patroness of the Americas, and this is surely a time when we need her help and protection. Join us for Mass on this day in which we honor and celebrate Mary's unique role in salvation history.

Have a beautiful week.
In the love of Christ,

Msgr. Jim Lisante

Pastor