WEEKEND OF JANUARY 2-3, 2021

Dear Friends,

We celebrate today the great feast of the Epiphany, when the newborn Christ was made manifest to the people of every nation, represented by the magi who came to worship him, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This great Christmas feast is yet another reminder to us of Emmanuel, God-with-us. As we honor the Lord, who is born in our hearts over and over again, we ask him to make us bearers of his light to a world that so desperately needs him.

    I would like to take this occasion to thank you all for your generosity in our Christmas collection. The sacrifices that were so evident in your contributions are appreciated by me, as your pastor, and are certainly not unnoticed by God. This is one of the most important collections of the year, and so I want you to be sure that your generosity is not only appreciated but very necessary for the upkeep of our parish. The total for the Christmas collection will be reported in the bulletin within the next few weeks, since envelopes for Christmas are still being received by the parish office.

    Thanks are also extended to all those who made donations for Christmas flowers in memory of their loved ones. The beauty of our church during this holy season is a credit to all of you. Your envelopes, upon which you wrote the names of your beloved deceased, have been placed next to the tabernacle in both the upper and lower churches, where they remain close to the heart of Jesus and are remembered in our prayers and in the celebration of Mass, especially during this holy season.

    Finally, I would like to once again thank all those who so generously sent cards, gifts, and treats to the Rectory for Father Buck, Father Noone, Buster, our wonderful staff, and me. Your generosity is truly overwhelming.

Please remember our Church of Saint Timothy Stewardship Restoration Appeal. This appeal is, for this year, taking the place of our annual census/block collection. As part of this initiative I am asking all the members of the parish, either as individuals or as households, to commit themselves to making a sacrificial gift to help us sustain Saint Timothy’s in our day-to-day and month-to-month operations, as well as to assist us in completing several capital projects which we have, of necessity, put on hold because we simply haven’t had the funds to do them. You should have received a direct mailing from me, explaining the appeal and asking you to prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift. I am happy to report that, as of this writing, we have collected over $40,000 from you, our generous parishioners. If you have not yet made your contribution or pledge to this important effort, I ask you to please do so. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at the rectory.

    I remind you that, in celebrating the feast of the Epiphany today, we still have another week in our season of Christmas. This season of joy and festivity doesn’t officially end until next Sunday, when we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. No matter what’s on the Hallmark channel or the radio, and even with the Valentine’s Day decorations and candy on sale in the stores, it is right that we continue to celebrate Christmas, and the first manifestations of this baby who is the Saviour of all humanity.

     Know that you and those you love are daily remembered in my Mass and my prayers.