Christmas Messages

CHRISTMAS MESSAGES FROM THE PRIESTS AND SISTERS     Dear Parishioners:  This is my first Christmas here at St. Joseph Parish and, yes, I do love it here.  One of my favorite Christmas carols is “Go Tell It On The Mountain” mainly because of its simplicity and joy.  And this is the message I share with all of you:  keep it simple, keep it joyful;  do not fret over anything or anybody, especially if they do not share our beliefs.  One important fact is Christmas has a whole season which ends on the Baptism of the Lord on January 13, 2008.  Therefore, if a card has not been sent out yet, if a package hasn’t been mailed, RELAX for the beauty of Christmas is needed in this hectic world 24/7, 365 days a year!  “Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!”  Mary Christmas!   Father Nicholas Pavia Dear Parishioners:  In the words of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI: “With the shepherds, let us enter the stable of Bethlehem beneath the loving gaze of Mary, the silent witness of His miraculous birth.  May she help us to experience the happiness of Christmas.  May she teach us how to treasure in our hearts the mystery of God who for our sake became man, and may she help us to bear witness in our world to His truth, His love and His peace.”   Please know of my prayers on this Christmas Day that every grace and blessing will come to you from the hand of the Child who was born to bring us grace and salvation. Merry Christmas!   Father Marcello Dear Friends:  In the second reading from the Christmas Mass at Midnight we hear proclaimed from the letter of St. Paul to Titus:  “Beloved: the grace of God has appeared . . . as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”  As we celebrate this beautiful feast and season of Christmas, we are reminded so profoundly of God’s great love for each of us.  That love, which first took flesh in Jesus, calls us to be bearers of His Love to one another as well.   It is a blessing for us to be a part of St. Joseph Parish and to share in this loving community of faith.  May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace at Christmas and throughout the New Year.  Be assured of a special remembrance in our prayers.   The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus