Friday, December 27, 2024

New Year's Resolutions


Dear Parishioners,
At the beginning of a calendar year, many people make one or more New Year’s resolutions which they may or may not keep. Personally, I think the beginning of Advent or Lent makes better sense from a spiritual perspective.
In an attempt to put these resolutions in a more spiritual light, I make the following twenty suggestions for your consideration.  I do not think that it is wise to try to tackle too many things at once but rather pick one or two that you might be able to incorporate successfully into your routine.
 Here’s my suggested list:
  • Be faithful in Mass attendance weekly
  • Read a passage from the Bible each day
  • Say a daily Rosary
  • Visit an elderly relative, friend or neighbor on a regular basis (weekly or monthly?)
  • Volunteer to help at a Church activity or with some Church ministry
  • Go to Confession monthly
  • Send a card or make a call to someone who has recently lost a loved one
  • Audition for the Church choir
  • Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament on First Fridays or some other time (during daily Eucharistic Adoration time)
  • Invite someone to go to Church with you
  • Call the parish priest about something that you need to do to for your spiritual benefit (for example, investigate an annulment, complete any Sacraments that were not received, get some spiritual direction, etc.)
  • Purchase and read a Catholic spiritual book (perhaps a spiritual classic)
  • Stop gossiping
  • Take the time to listen carefully to someone
  • Be a good example to children (take them to Church, teach them to pray, talk to them about God, teach them to share, etc.)
  • Limit time in front of the TV or computer or on the phone
  • Make an effort to smile more and complain less
  • Make a conscious effort to remind yourself daily that you are living in the presence of God
  • Thank Jesus every day
  • Pray for someone whom you do not like / Reconcile with someone from whom you are alienated 
I also suggest that you take the time to consecrate your family to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary as I do the same for the entire parish as your pastor.

Oh Mother Most Pure, we come to You as a family and consecrate ourselves to your most Immaculate Heart. 

We come to You as a family and place our trust in Your powerful intercession. 

Oh Dearest Mother Mary, teach us as a mother teaches her children, for our souls are soiled and our prayers are weak because of our sinful hearts. 

Here we are Dearest Mother, ready to respond to You and follow Your way, for Your way leads us to the heart of Your Son, Jesus. 

We are ready to be cleansed and purified. 

Come then Virgin Most Pure, and embrace us with Your motherly mantle. 

Make our hearts whiter than snow and as pure as a spring of fresh water. 

Teach us to pray, so that our prayers may become more beautiful than the singing of the birds at the break of dawn. 

Dear Mother Mary, we entrust to Your Immaculate Heart of hearts, our family and our entire future. 

Lead us all to our homeland which is Heaven. Amen. 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Happy New Year!
Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor

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