From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Parishioners
Today is the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is also 4th of July weekend. Happy Independence Day to all of you. July 4 has been known as the unofficial beginning of summer. As we begin these months of rest and relaxation, we continue to keep our eyes fixated on Christ. We of course never take a vacation from our relationship with Jesus. We hear in today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that God’s grace is sufficient in us. Paul tells us that he would boast about his weaknesses so that the greatness of Christ can be fulfilled. What a beautiful way for us to follow the Lord in a deeper way. The Lord wants us to be true disciples of him, even in our faults, failures and weaknesses. May Christ continue to bless us in his love and mercy.
2021 Diocese of Brooklyn Annual Catholic Appeal
I wish to thank all of you who have already contributed to this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. Our goal here at St. Martin de Porres is $63,586. We have pledged thus far $38,395. The key to having a successful ACA is participation. We are asking everyone to participate in this year’s ACA that we will be able to achieve our goal. Any monies collected beyond the goal comes directly back to the parish. I thank each of you for your financial support here at St. Martin de Porres.
11:00 AM Tuesday Mass at Holy Rosary & First Friday Mass at St. Peter Claver
As is the custom, the 11:00 AM Tuesday Mass will be suspended for the months of July and August. The Mass will resume in September. In addition, the First Friday Noon Mass at St. Peter Claver will be suspended for the months of August and September. First Friday devotion at St. Peter Claver will resume in October.
Welcome Father Gyamfi Bonsu
This weekend we will welcome our summer priest, Father Gyamfi Bonsu. Father Bonsu is a priest from Ghana in Africa. This is his first summer with us here at St. Martin de Porres. He will be with us from July 1 to September 1. Please be sure to welcome him to our parish community.
Allow me to end with this prayer for Independence Day:
God, source of all freedom, this day is bright with the memory of those that declared that life and liberty are your gift to every human being. Help us to continue a good work begun long ago. Make our vision clear and our will strong; that only in human solidarity will we find liberty, and justice only in the honor that belongs to every life on earth. Turn our hearts towards the family of nations: to understand the ways of others, to offer friendship, and to find safety in the common good for all. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Wishing you a blessed and peaceful week,
Father Alonzo Q. Cox