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These beautiful October days are perfect for a run, a walk or any other outdoor activity that you enjoy. Get out there and celebrate the beauty.........you'll create memories that will help you deal with 100+ temperatures next summer!!!!
The picture doesn't show a lot of progress but there is great progress on the foundation etc. of the Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul. A thank you to all the workers who are part of building this beautiful place to worship God. Many of those working on this building will probably never enter it to pray or attend a mass but I pray that they will all know that they are welcome and that as the Catholic community gathers to pray there in the years to come these workers, their families and all of God's people will be part of our prayer.
I recently attended a workshop on the renewal of the Romand Missal that the Roman Catholic Church uses for our most important prayer, the mass. The workshop discussed the precise wording of prayers in the mass and emphasized how much of the mass comes from Sacred Scripture. One specific word choice caught my attention.......rather than speaking of Christ's salvation for All.........it speaks of Christ's salvation for many. The precise meaning of this wording is to acknowledge that Christ does offer Himself for all of us but He leaves us free to choose to embrace His gift or not. I believe that makes Christ's love for us even more profound. He completely pours Himself out but still loves us so much that He gives us the choice to embrace His saving gift or not. The mission of the Church, of every baptized Christian is to "go out to the world" and share the life and message of Jesus Christ. Let us work faithfully so that "the many" mentioned in the prayers of the mass becomes the overwhelming throngs of humanity who HAVE chosen to follow Christ. Because God loves us so much that He leaves us free to choose there will always be some who choose to reject Christ let us do all we can to make sure that ultimately that number is very few!!!!!!!!
Joseph Strickland
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland was named the fourth bishop of Tyler in September of 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to being named bishop, he served a number of roles in the diocese, including vicar general, judicial vicar, and pastor of the Cathedral parish. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1985. 