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Dear Friends in Christ,
As the Thanksgiving holiday comes upon us this week, I am drawn once again to the main character in George Bernanos’s classic novel “The Diary of a Country Priest.” The young priest who is slowly dying of stomach cancer writes in his journal toward the end of his life that “Tout est grâce which in French means "All is grace" or "Grace is everywhere.” This is a central part of the mystery of faith that gathers us as Catholics; that everything good and bad, happy and sad, reveals the presence of a gracious God who loves us and desires fullness of life for us in Christ. Indeed, we have much to be thankful for.
I am grateful for the many new brothers and sisters I have had the privilege to meet in our family of parishes that formally began last July. There have been challenges in the transition to this new model of parish life for sure, but overall, I see the hand of the Lord bringing us together as Catholics in NE Seattle. I am especially grateful for the collaboration of Fr. Duc, Deacon Denny, and the other generous staff that serve our family. That includes the many dedicated lay volunteers and leaders in our four parishes—my profound thanks and appreciation to you all.
The solemnity of Christ the King we celebrate this weekend brings the church year to a close. Next week, we begin a new liturgical year of praise and thanks through the sacred season of Advent. This is a special time of waiting and watching in the hope for the Lord to come again at Christmas time, at the end of time, and in the meantime, where we live most of our lives. Please join me in praying for the trusting words of Julian of Norwich to live in our hearts. "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."
Blessings of peace,
Fr. William Heric, Pastor
Holy Mary Mother of God…pray for us!
St. Bridget of Kildare…pray for us!
St. Catherine of Siena…pray for us!
Live Jesus in our hearts…forever!
