September 18, 2020

Dear Parent,

The family, which experiences the joy of faith,
communicates it naturally.
That family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world,
It is the leaven of society.
Pope Francis, October 27, 2013

When you brought your child to church to receive the sacrament of Baptism, the priest tells all present that “parents are the first teachers of their children.” All the other adults whom the child will encounter support the parents in their role - grandparents, extended family, priests, teachers, and close friends. What a great gift and tremendous responsibility this is for parents. Yet no greater joy can come from this gift of sharing life with a person who is a part of who you are.

The family is the basic building block of the community and thus of society as a whole. It is within our family system where we learn to love, support, forgive, and have fun! For us, as Catholics, it is also where we first begin our relationship with God. Our family nurtures this gift of faith and knowledge of a God who loves and cares for us. We belong to an organized religion that provides the sacraments to enrich a child’s faith life and to support families in their vocation.

Within the next few weeks our third grade students who are parishioners of Annunciation BVM and St. Denis will receive their First Eucharist. In November our seventh grade students from both parishes will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. These are spiritual milestones for our children. Let us be mindful of the many graces the sacramental life of the church gives to our families, our parish communities and our school community.