Dear St. Mary Magdalene Family,

As your new Pastor, it has been my privilege each day to become more acquainted with many of you and your families. It is encouraging to witness such a vibrant faith alive in so many of you. As Fr. Darius and I are still getting settled into the rectory we are also getting acquainted with various parish ministries, and most importantly discerning the most pressing needs of the parish which I know includes a critically needed new hall.

As priest and Pastor, I am charged with proclaiming the Word of God, celebrating the Sacraments, shepherding the faithful, pursuing personal holiness, ministering to the wounded, and fostering ecclesial communion among our parish members. With these as a guide, we will continue to shape our parish into a school of prayer, a field hospital for the wounded, and a lighthouse of charity. With that framework in mind, an immediate focus for me will be to help foster greater fellowship, build our faith community, and establish additional opportunities for you and your families to encounter Jesus Christ alive in His Sacraments, His Word, and in our faith community.

Our first objective is to build two new permanent confessionals in the Church. Over the years, the parish has been offering this vital Sacrament in a utility closet and the priest's vesting room. That space is insufficient. In just the four Saturdays Fr. Darius and I have heard confessions, we have done so for nearly 4 hours, non-stop, each time. The long stream of penitents seeking reconciliation represents a robust use of this transformative Sacrament. It is an encouraging sign of the lively faith of our parishioners. For all of those who wisely use this Sacrament to grow closer to the heart of Christ, I thank you. 

Since Confession is a Sacrament, instituted by Jesus Christ to give us grace, it is time the parish dedicates adequate and permanent space to this vital Sacrament of the Church. Therefore, my plan is to create two dignified, private, and comfortable confessionals dedicated for use by the growing number of penitents who pray each week at our parish. The confessionals will be permanent and will continue to be used even after a new hall is built and our existing church and sanctuary become exclusively a full time worship space.

The second important immediate need is the installation of an audio-visual system to be used for lectures, films, catechesis, and evangelization initiatives. We priests are called to preach and teach the Word of God faithfully and to be ministers of the New Evangelization. We are entrusted with handing on the Deposit of Faith. To this end, proper audio-visual and technical support is essential to nourish the faith of our parishioners and lead them to Christ. The plan is for this system to be installed in the hall portion of the church and will be utilized mostly during the week when the dividing wall is in place and the space is available. I ask for your prayers as we move to make these initiatives a reality to better serve you and your families.

In conclusion, please be assured of Fr. Darius's and my daily prayers for you, your families, and all your intentions.

Fr. John

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