Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The Incarnation happened. That is, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, God the Son, took on our human flesh, becoming one of us, humbling Himself in a way beyond any normal expectation for the word. The Incarnation happened, and God the Son became man. He shared the human experience, especially the experience of family life. Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It is in this context that Jesus shared and sanctified our human experience. Before He transformed the baptism of St. John the Baptist into an efficacious sign for the forgiveness of sin, before He drew close to sinners and brought them back into communion with God, before He healed illnesses, before He took the sin of the world on Himself, Jesus first entered into family life. From Eden on, when Adam pointed an accusing finger at Eve and said “It’s her fault,” family life has suffered. In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, we see the restoration of God’s original plan for familial communion. The saving work of Jesus Christ begins in the family, and it is in the family even today that He wants to continue that work. Our families can be places of real encounter with Jesus. Our families, perfect or imperfect, are meant to be a source of God’s grace. Today, we are invited to imitate the virtues of the Holy Family, to welcome Jesus into our homes and hearts, and to ask Him to heal and bless our families, just as He healed and blessed the crowds that followed Him.
With this feast of the Holy Family, I am also thinking about the gift of our parish family here at St. Pius X. As the calendar year draws to a close, we’ll see many year-in-review articles, and your favorite media platform will provide you with your favorite songs, posts, videos, or whatever else of the last year. I would like to briefly share here some thoughts on the year of Our Lord 2025 for the St. Pius X parish family.
- I am thankful in a special way for Fr. Brendan and Deacon Don, my brothers in Holy Orders who with me, share in the care of souls here at St. Pius. Without them, the sacramental life of this parish would look very different. I am especially grateful to Fr. Brendan for leading small groups, for his readiness at any moment to go to hospitals or nursing homes when the call comes in, and for bringing us the beautiful Advent Saturday Rorate masses. Deacon Don provides our parish with three essential ministries that deserve to be recognized in a particular way. Each week, he brings Holy Communion to homebound parishioners, helping them to maintain a sacramental connection to our parish. He also helps parents prepare for the baptism of their children. And our Adoration Chapel would not function without his faithfully opening it on Monday mornings and closing it on Friday evenings. I am immensely grateful to God for these brothers in ministry.
- Looking back on this year, I am moved by the hard work of our parish staff. I hope it goes without saying, but I want to say it anyway: I cannot do what I do as pastor without the support and efforts of the parish staff. Whether it is our small groups, religious education, parish events, communications, or the different ministries, they make all the difference in the world. They have helped me immeasurably with their counsel, their skill, and their immense love for this parish.
- My personal highlight this year came on November 9, when Bishop Caggiano joined us for Mass to celebrate our 70th Anniversary. At the end of Mass, I asked those who have volunteered in various ways to stand and be recognized. Jesus is the reason for this parish, but it is our generous parishioners who volunteer their time and energy that make this place an incarnate reality. A parish thrives when people respond – this parish is alive and well because you are generous with your time and energy again and again. Thank you!
May God bless you and your families, and may 2026 be a year of grace for all of you!
Peace,
Fr. Sam
