Ask Deacon Mike
January 1, 2007
Happy New Year to all! I am writing this from my daughter’s home in Ohio. After Christmas we went back home to visit with family and friends. We have had an enjoyable week and are looking forward to coming home tomorrow.
As I reflect on this New Year I can only pray that it is filled with opportunities for happiness and peace for us all. In fact, there are two opportunities that I wish to tell you about that will happen this year. I will celebrate my 10th anniversary of ordination as a deacon in February. In May Fr. Roncase will celebrate 25 years of priesthood.
I call these opportunities not for my sake or Father’s. These are opportunities for us as a community to come together to thank Almighty God for 1) His gift to us of the Church and 2) the vital gift of ordained ministry. I am not implying that ordained ministry is greater than any other vocation because I do not believe it is. Being a married man, also, I can tell you that all vocations (calls to lead our lives in service to God and each other) are equally important.
I know that Fr. Roncase feels as I do that he and I have been given a wonderful opportunity to serve this parish. It is for this reason that we hope to celebrate these two anniversaries with all of you. We would have it no other way. After all, you are the reason our ministry exists. In serving you, we serve Jesus who calls each of us to go out into the world and minister to the needs of all.
At this point I am not sure when these celebrations will occur or what they will consist of. I can tell you this; these celebrations are not about Father and me. They are about all of us and the love we share through Jesus our Lord.
I know there will be many other opportunities this year to celebrate God’s love for us. New children will be born to us this year. New members of our Catholic Church will be baptized and confirmed at Easter. Many of you will celebrate wedding anniversaries. Some will graduate from colleges and high schools. Some will pass from this life into the promised eternal life with God in heaven. In each and every one of these opportunities we have the wonderful assurance that Jesus is with us always, even till the end of time. For that we celebrate.
As this New Year begins it is my sincere prayer that each of us will recognize these opportunities and do our best to celebrate the great gift of God in our lives. We do this both individually and as a community. Please know that Fr. Roncase and I are here to assist you in any way we can. Let us know what we can do to help you recognize Jesus who is with you in the good times and the difficult ones as well.
I continue to invite you to send me any questions you may have concerning faith, church, sacraments and moral issues. You are always in my thoughts and prayers. I love you all.