From Our Pastor: Happy Easter!

We continue the celebration of Easter. Easter is a season, not a day. We need to continue to change our culture. We are an Easter people. Continue to give people the greeting and blessing of "Happy Easter!" Only we can help change our secular society and announce the gift of the resurrection as we should. Easter doesn't end until Pentecost. If we prepare for 40 days in Lent, as Catholics we must celebrate longer for 50 days. Today is Divine Mercy Sunday where we celebrate the gift of the mercy Jesus longs to give each and every one of us if we seek His mercy. Jesus can only give us mercy if we seek His mercy and give ourselves over to His mercy. For mercy to be given, justice must be present. In justice we deserve punishment for our sins, but in Jesus' mercy, when it is sought, we receive love and forgiveness. So, this Divine Mercy Sunday seek His mercy as it is the source of grace and transformation. May we be an Easter people announcing what His mercy has in store for we who seek it and announce the victory He has won for us in the Resurrection. Happy Easter!

Also this last Friday we had the ordination of two transitional deacons for the Diocese of Springfield in IL. Paul Lesupati and Zachary Samples were both ordained deacons in preparation for their future ordination as priests in 2022. Please continue to pray for them as they thank the Lord for their diaconate, but also continue to prepare for their priesthood. We have one priesthood ordination this year. Keep Rev. Mr. Chris Trummer in your prayers as he is in the home stretch of preparation for the priesthood as he will be ordained June 12, 2021. What joyous occasions to celebrate God's gift to the Church in the Yes of these men! Maybe he is calling someone sitting in the pews around you or in your family. Pray for them and encourage them to consider priesthood. There are many sitting in our midst, but need your support and prayers and encouragement.

Lastly, the announcement of priest moves is this weekend. Fr. David and I are not going anywhere. BUT Bishop Thomas John Paprocki has asked me to take on an additional responsibility as an Associate Vocations Director for the Quincy Deanery. I am honored to be in this position of recruitment for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, while also still working to encourage more young people to seek the vocation of marriage in the sacrament of the Church. It will be a joy to work in recruitment and help young men and women to have to courage to say Yes when God calls them, and then walk with them on the journey as they apply. It isn't really much different than what I have been doing in my priesthood these last almost 7 years, but now it comes with an official position. Let us pray and work together for more vocations! For holy vocations!

Rev. Steven Arisman