Dear Parishioners,
Each of our scripture passages for Mass today speak to us about persistence. God calls us to be persistent in prayer! We must approach the Lord each day in prayer, thanking him for the many blessings and graces that he has bestowed upon us, his children. In our gospel today, one of the disciples of Jesus asks him, “teach us how to pray”. The Lord responds by giving us the prayer of the Our Father, but he goes even deeper. The Lord reminds us that to be people of prayer, we must be persistent. There are so many times in our lives that we approach the Lord in prayer during times of trouble and grief. It is from those moments that we truly encounter the grace of God’s abundant love for us. Many times, after that, we no longer turn to the Lord in prayer. Prayer must be incorporated into our daily lives. Through the complicated and busy moments of our lives we must stop to thank the Lord for all that he has done for us and all that he will do for us. Every day is a gift from God; therefore, we are called to thank him not just on Sundays or times when it’s tough, but every single day of our lives! Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open to you. Let us allow these words to resonate within our minds and hearts, as we continue to grow as witnesses of the risen Lord.
Parish Flea Market
Our parish crafts and art flea market was scheduled for last Saturday. Unfortunately, it was a rain out. Our new date will be Saturday, August 20. It will be held at Our Lady of Victory beginning at 9:00AM. New flyers and registration forms are located at each of the three churches.
School of Faith Formation Registration
New registration and re-registration forms are now available for the upcoming academic year for our parish school of Faith Formation (Sunday school). Students preparing to receive First Holy Communion and Confirmation must be registered in our parish school of Faith Formation. Registration forms are available online via our parish website. The registration fee is $55. For more information you may contact Ms. Michelle Joseph our Director of Faith Formation.
Annual Catholic Appeal
I once again want to thank all of you who have made a pledge to this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal. As you know, monies that are raised through the appeal go to help support the work of the Diocese of Brooklyn, such as Catholic Charities, Catholic Migration Services and Vocations to the Priesthood. Each parish is assigned a goal to raise throughout the year. Or goal here at St. Martin de Porres is $63,586. We have pledged to date $34,117. The key to having a successful campaign is 100% participation. If every family in our parish made a pledge we would definitely make our goal and even go over it. Any monies that are received over the goal comes directly back to the parish. If you have not yet made a pledge, please consider doing so. Thank you all for you your generosity.
Wishing all of you a blessed and joyful week,
Father Alonzo Q. Cox