Brothers and Sisters,

There isn’t any doubt that the selection of Mary, a person, one of us, to be the Mother of the Son of God was a great gift.  A gift that is combined with our everyday challenges.  Every mother and father understand well what I mean.  The feast of the Presentation of Our Lord which we celebrate in Church today reminds us of one of these challenges.  Mary offers back the Son to God and to the world to which Jesus has been sent.  I am reminded of a hymn taught to me in the primary grades.  One of the verses stayed with me:  Lord ,we take you home…Jesus we will not lose You to anyone…Day and night , Dear Jesus, you will be with us…For we love You very much.  Already as children we experience a longing for the Friend we always want to be near us.  Today, Mary brings Jesus to the temple where she hears that He will be a great sign of contradiction and her heart pierced with a sword.  Mary, this woman incredibly free – free to give us Jesus. — does not keep Him only for herself.   So often it is difficult for us to let someone go.  This is not so strange.  There will come a day for a mother to allow for a son to move out; a child to allow for a parent to leave this world.  At some point, we all will have to reconcile ourselves to a breakdown of our health.

Today, let us ask Mary to make our hearts ever more free; that we may more graciously give our love; may give of ourselves to others.  And in so doing, give Jesus to the world.

This is my first letter to you, my brothers and sisters.  I consider this a very special moment in my life.  I feel a joint responsibility toward your spiritual growth.  I pray for our Parish Community as well as for myself, that guided by the Holy Spirit, we all may become more like Him…like Jesus.

Allow me, please, to dare to ask your support of the Annual Catholic Appeal 2020.  Many of you have already received a direct mailing from His Eminence, Cardinal Blase Cupich, asking for your financial donation toward the annual Catholic Appeal 2020.  As much as you are able, please support our Archdiocese of which we are all a part.

God reward you…Thank you…God bless!

Fr. Pawel Barwikowski