Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past week we celebrated the great feasts of the Exaltation of the Cross on Monday and Our Lady of Sorrows on Tuesday. These two feast days highlight the paradox of our lives: joy that comes when we are able to triumph over challenging moments, as well as sorrow that can linger from unresolved situations. The reality is that life is an intermingling of joys and sorrows.

The hope that is offered to us in Jesus Christ is that joy can be found in the midst of sorrow.

The vocation of the Christian is to open our eyes, ears, minds and hearts to the joy that surpasses understanding. Yet it is impossible to embrace that joy without being open and transformed by the grace that only comes from Christ. This grace (or divine assistance) enables us to detach from our personal wants and desire only the will of God. In that moment we are able to see that God never abandons us, rather He has an unexpected (and better!) plan for us.

As we venture on our journey of bringing together the parish communities of St. Augustine and St. Francis Xavier, may we open our hearts and minds in confidence that the best is yet to come, since we believe in a God who continually exalts joy in the midst of sorrow.

Our Lady of Sorrows, may we embrace our sufferings as a means of uniting ourselves to your Son’s Passion, which always culminates in the triumph of the Resurrection!

Peace and blessings,

Fr. John Gribowich
Administrator, St. Augustine – St. Francis Xavier