From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Parishioners
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This feast day marks the final Sunday within the Christmas season. Next week you will notice all the Christmas poinsettia plants will be gone along with the Christmas trees and Nativity scene. In the city of Rome, Christmas decorations remain in place until February 2, which is the Presentation of the Lord, but here in the U.S. most decorations have begun to be put away. I hope that these weeks of Christmas have been moments of grace and blessings. Jesus comes to us as a child in Bethlehem, to grow in wisdom and strength, which will lead him to the cross on Calvary. As we see in today’s gospel, after John baptizes Jesus, the heavens are opened and the voice of God speaks to us, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” We pray that the grace of the Holy Spirit will continue to flow in abundance here at St. Martin de Porres parish.
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, our Holy Father Pope Francis has called the entire Catholic Church to participate in the upcoming Synod of Bishops. The word “synod” simply means gathering. The Holy Father has called all Catholics to journey together with their bishops. This Synod is a process of journeying together by listening, dialoging, praying, discerning and making decisions together for the purpose of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here in the Diocese of Brooklyn, each parish has been asked to hold a listening session based on questions that have presented by the Bishops of the Church. These questions will be published in next week’s bulletin. We will hold a listening session the first week in January. From that listening session, our responses will then be compiled and given to Bishop Brennan, who will then report back to the Bishops of the United States. You will hear more information about the Synod as we get closer to the listening session date.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Service
As is the custom, the Diocesan Vicariate for Black Catholic Concerns will host a prayer service celebrating the birthday of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The prayer service will take place next Monday, January 17 at Our Lady of Victory Church beginning at 12:00Noon. We will welcome Father John McKenzie, a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit as the guest homilist. There will be a light reception in McGuinness Hall following the prayer service. All are welcomed to join us.
Bishop Robert Brennan Official Visit
It is with great joy that we will welcome Bishop Robert Brennan, the new Bishop of Brooklyn to our parish community. Bishop Brennan will celebrate the 11:30AM Mass at St. Peter Claver Church on Sunday, February 27. At that Mass, Bishop Brennan will bless the new organ console, the newly renovated shrine to St. Therese of Lisieux and the newly refurbished choir pews. There will be a reception to follow in Msgr. Rodgers Hall. Please be sure to put this important date for our parish community on your calendar.
Wishing you a blessed and peaceful week,
Father Alonzo Q. Cox