From the Pastor's Desk- July 5

Dear parishioners,

Happy Fourth of July weekend! This year marks the 250th anniversary of America.

This week, I would like to express my gratitude and prayers for the ministry of Fr. Juan Espino, DCJM. As you may already know, we are a religious order of priests with missions in different states and countries. Fr. Juan has been assigned to our parish for a total of six years, although he also served in the Diocese of Arlington for another six years through his priestly service. Virginia has been a meaningful place for him, as he has flourished here as a priest. However, the Good Lord is now calling him to a new assignment in Littleton, Colorado. He will certainly be missed, and while changes are always difficult, they can be fruitful if we embrace them in communion with the Lord, trusting in his plans and being grateful for Fr. Juan's time with us, which will come to an end this summer. Returning to Colorado will reconnect him with the many graces he received there, particularly his final vows in October 2012 and his ordination as a priest in June 2013. The parish will host a farewell reception this Thursday, July 9, starting with Mass at 7 pm, followed by an opportunity to show our gratitude and wish Fr. Juan well.

Our annual registration for catechetical programs is now underway, and our Religious Education Office is hard at work processing enrollments through July 20. We kindly ask for your patience as the staff makes its way through a busy season of registrations. A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet many of our wonderful and patient catechists. You can see them in the photo below, taken at the end of our meeting, where I listened to their thoughts and assured them of the importance of this ministry, as well as my support and expectations. We will begin next year's apostolic work with a retreat on August 29, and we are blessed to have Bishop Burbidge celebrate our Confirmation Masses on October 3 this year.

God bless you!

Fr. Álvaro