Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
Indeed, the Lord is Risen!!  Happy Easter and Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!
Yes indeed the Lord is risen!  Let us rejoice and be glad!  Do not be afraid to continue saying, “Happy Easter!” to people.  We are still in the Octave of Easter and the Easter season continues for another six weeks!  Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, which is a relatively new liturgical day.  While the Divine Mercy devotion had already been popular for some time, St. Pope John Paul II incorporated this emphasis of divine mercy into the liturgical year assigning it to the second Sunday of Easter.  On this day we hear in the Gospel how Jesus appears to the Apostles in the locked room and He says to them, “Peace be with you.”  The risen Christ comes to His frightened friends who abandoned Him, and rather than scold them He offers peace, mercy.  May the Lord’s peace and mercy be with us as we continue to rejoice in all the Lord does for us. 
 
Divine Mercy Sundaes on Divine Mercy Sunday
Yes you read it right.  After the 11am Sunday Mass this weekend in the PAC some volunteers will be making available ice cream sundaes in honor of the Divine Mercy Devotion.  The Novena of which ends today.  Come and celebrate this Easter Season which shows God’s infinite Divine Mercy. 
Also if you want to participate at a Divine Mercy Prayer Service, there will be one held at Nativity Parish today at 2:30pm.  So enjoy the ice cream here and then I hope to see you at Nativity giving thanks to God for the Mercy He shows us in Christ.
 
Thank you to our Stewards of the Land ministry
I hope you have all noticed how the grounds of our campus have been cleaned up and trimmed, and flowers planted in our Marian Grotto and even a little garden happening over by the gym.  Thank you to our Stewards of the Land ministry as they share in the mission of the parish by proclaiming the Gospel through beauty. God uses beauty to speak to us if we are open to it, especially the natural beauty that comes through creation.  Make sure to take time and thank God for this season as we visually enjoy His abundance.
 
Thank you to all Holy Week volunteers
Speaking of abundance.  Thank you to all who make the inside of our church look great as well!  Our sacristan and other volunteers to decorate for Easter did and continue (all those flowers have to be watered and maintained) doing a great job.  We can see the abundance of life in our decor which helps us in our worship of the Risen Christ.  Also thank you to all our servers, ushers, EMHC’s, lectors, cantors, choirs, and instrumentalists.  The beautiful Holy Week liturgies helped us enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Christ.
 
Parish Council Nominations
Our Parish Council term will be ending in June and there are people rotating off the Council.  This is to give them a break and so other people have a chance to share their gifts in this regard. The Parish Council is a consultative body which aids the pastor in being a steward of the mission of the parish.  They aid him by being extra channels of communication with the wider parish community.  The requirements are: a practicing Catholic in good standing, a St. Paul Parishioner for at least a year, 18 years of age, able to commit to 9-10 monthly meetings for a 3 year term, and being available to listen to parishioners after Mass about once a month.  You may nominate yourself or another.  There are nomination forms in the Narthex.  If you have questions about the process please call the rectory, but we need the nomination forms in by tomorrow, April 29.
 
Happy Easter and God bless you!
 
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr