Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Lent begins in about 10 days with Ash Wednesday. It is a special time when "we come face to face with mercy, our need for mercy, the experience of God's generous mercy, the challenge to be merciful to others, and perhaps hardest of all, be merciful to ourselves. It is through mercy we come to the knowledge of God." (Father Mark-David Janus, CSP, Mercy Not Sacrifice, 2022)

Mercy leads us to service. We'll be offering great opportunities to know God through accompaniment with one another. We begin this weekend with the kickoff of the annual Together in Mission campaign, which support needy parishes and schools of our Archdiocese. The theme this year is:

THIS IS THE HOUR OF LOVE



It is such a great reminder that the mercy of the Lord works through each of us, and the time is now for us to respond. 

Approximately one in every five parishes in the archdiocese relies on financial assistance from the appeal. And approximately one in every four Catholic schools in the Archdiocese depends on your support. Your continued generosity to Together in Mission and your faith in our ministries are proof that by offering the Lord what we can, He will provide what we need.

The Appeal delivers ministries to those seeking to expand their faith and education, as well as provides essential support throughout our Archdiocese.

You may have received a letter from Archbishop Gomez about Together in Mission, and I ask you to read through it closely and reflect on how we can help him fulfill his mission and, together, put our faith and love into action.

Peace and blessings,

Father Gil

For our immigrant sisters and brothers living in fear of deportation, may the Lord accompany them through the ministry of the Christian community:

For the healing, comfort, and peace of the sick, for Bruno Raineri, Shirley Ruess, Sister Irene Wright, Melinda Nadres, Greg Tinsley, Jack & Vicki Phillips, Tel Ramon, Mary Pat Cooper, Todd Wiench, Bernadette Tee, Estrella and John Monzon, Charles Candel, Joan Doyle, Marisa Kavanau, Carol King Wolcott, John Wolcott, Angel Appleton, Clark Gassan, Lohriena Lohrie Counts, Nora McCormick Heinen, Weldon Tilley, Paul Lannan, Eileen Gaffney.

For the eternal rest of our beloved departed, Cristina Mirendolf, Elaine Vucelich, Marietta Lavin, Jeffrey Graham, Renee Goode, Alex Pretti, Robert J. Burns, John 'JJ' Goldrick, Dellie Abad, James Kennedy, José Fernandez, Terry O'Malley Seidler, Rich Puppione, Christie Farmer, Alfred Ruess, Christohper Hudlin, Alan Culver, Laura James, Anne Marie Hannick, Father Greg Goethals, SJ, Ron Schuster, Bobby Burks, Father Jack Lynch, CSP, Arlene Havel, Phil Duncan, Michele Kearin, Father Brad Schoeberle, CSP, Mary Tokuza, Haruko Hiromura, Donny Kie, Cesar Robeniol, Nellie Scholar, may they rest in peace.

For peace in every nation: may the light of the Holy Spirit transform hearts so that all may seek the way of peace together and comfort the wounded and grieving, let us pray to the Lord: