A Year of Gratefulness

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! With all the bad news in the world that covers our headlines, it is important not just to be nostalgic, but to once again, root ourselves in those things that are truly good, beautiful, and true (cf. Philippians 4:7- 9). For in these things are true joy and peace. For in these things we encounter the Good News who is Jesus Christ.

This year, for me, I look back and I am thankful for the work of all our pastoral ministers who have tirelessly worked in the vineyard with equally passionate volunteers. Events such as Joe’s Camp to Summer Bible School to the events surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe show how much God had been working in the lives of our people. For a second year in a row, those who entered the Church through the Easter Vigil celebration, made up a group so large that the room where their classes where held was moved to a much larger one in the Parish Center. This year our sacristan crew (those who help prepare for Mass), more than tripled in size! I am so humbled to see their selfless dedication to this important task each week.

I am grateful that the Lord has blessed our school with a large increase in students which has allowed us to spread the Good News to more children and their families. The school community continued to grow in vibrancy. I am also so grateful for our wonderful teaching and administrative staff at the school. The sense of camaraderie and morale is inspiring.

I am excited about the work and direction our Core Building Committee who have taken a year to explore all the options for a new church building. Please note that I did not say renovation. In the course of our explorations, it turned out not be a significant cost difference to rebuild versus renovate the existing structure. So, early on after making that decision, we explored almost every location and arrangement of a proposed new church. In the Spring, we will have a feasibility study done in order to determine what financial potential there is in this project. I am so pleased with the discernment that has been so seriously undertaken in this task. I believe you will love what will come out of it all.

Finally, I am so very thankful for all the people who have newly come to worship here at St. Anne’s. They have helped us have new people helping with ministries. They have brought fresh eyes and ears to help us with our mission. I hope that we continue to be that church where Jesus is prophetically preached, hearts are healed, and the Mass becomes ever-more the center of our faith, for it is there that we encounter the sacrificed and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. In all, there is much for which to be grateful. May all these things give glory to God!

May God bless you all!

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Reasons To Rejoice!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter season and, especially today, Mercy Sunday.  So many wonderful things are happening about us because of God's work.  We received many adults and children into the Church via baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.  Fr. José was the presider and did a great job.  I felt blessed to be able to have such a competent Parochial Vicar who can just take over.  Congratulations to all our Neophytes (that's what the Church calls the newly baptized and confirmed)!

Also today is a special day for the Church Universal, for we will be witnessing the canonization of two amazing new saints: Sts. Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II.  I was not yet born when John XXIII was living, but I studied about him and his work in the Second Vatican Council when I was a seminarian.  What a loving and gracious man he was!  I am so very thankful for his openness to the Holy Spirit and his daring call for an Ecumenical Council.  Pope John Paul II is someone with whom I am much more familiar.  He has been the pope for most of my childhood and was a great inspiration to me in my journey to the priesthood.  This day, Mercy Sunday, was a special celebration for Pope John Paul II, and he was the one who called the Church to observe it as a special day for the whole Church.  Here's a link to the USCCB's website for more information about these canonizations.

On Tuesday, one of our own archdiocesan priests, Fr. Peter Smith will be ordained a bishop.  He was ordained a deacon at the same Mass where I was ordained a priest.  He is a member of the association of the People of Praise.  Our Archdiocese is large, and we have great need for an auxiliary bishop who can assist Archbishop Sample in the shepherding of our Church.  Congratulations to Bishop-elect Peter Smith!

In all, today we have many reasons to rejoice.  The greatest one is, of course, the reality that Jesus Christ is risen and has opened the gates of heaven for his faithful.  May this Good News be in your hearts and minds so that we can all rejoice together and spread the joy of this Gospel to all we know!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Blessed Easter!

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Easter!  Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia! Alleluia!

All during the season of Lent we’ve been preparing ourselves for this time.  Now it is upon us.  But what does that mean?  You might ask, what significance is that for me?  Well, simply put, it means that there is an opportunity for heaven for you and for me.  It means that we can be forgiven of our sins.  It means that Jesus broke the barrier of death so that we can live forever.  It is the fulfillment of the law and prophets. It means that death is not the end.  It means that the Eucharist is more than just receiving Jesus, it is a foretaste of heaven. 

Easter means that we have many new Catholics in our midst.  On Easter Vigil Saturday, we baptized 9 people, submersing them in the waters of forgiveness.  Sixteen were further confirmed and given their first Holy Communion.  It was a joyous time.  This year’s class of new Catholics were a real inspiration to me and our whole team.  From day one, our RCIA team knew that this would be a special year.  As we gathered for our first class, it became obvious that we could not fit in the room.  There were simply too many people.  What a delightful problem.  So, we simply moved to a larger room for the year.  What transpired was amazing, mysterious, and joy-filled.  I want to especially thank Jessica Bubien, our Pastoral Associate, as this was her first year directing our RCIA.  I want to thank the many persons on her team. Without them, we couldn’t have offered our RCIA well.  Thank you all!

So now that Easter has arrived, I pray that you and your family will have a time of peace and joy.  The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.  These are God’s ways of showing us how much he loves us.  But even then, they pale in comparison to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead.  So, let them always remind you of this cost of true love.  

May you all have a blessed Easter!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Merry Christmas!

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas! It is my prayer that the amazing love of God who gave his only begotten Son to us will rest upon your hearts. By this, may your Christmas be full of the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Among the many things that have blessed us is the presence of our new Coordinator of Youth Ministry, the addition of many new Catholics during the Easter Vigil, a hugely successful Spring Clean-up Day, the creation of a new liturgical Environment Committee, the beginning of a new Grounds Maintenance Committee, and so many other moments where the community came together to help those in need. Again, looking back, I consider it a true privilege to be your pastor.

I now begin to look forward to the, yet to be seen, miraculous happenings of God in our midst as has been the case this past year. Thank you to all who have been part of the incredible things that have been part of the life of St. Anne.

If there is anything I can do, anything that I need to apologize for, anything where I have fallen short, or any way that I can help, please let me know. Let us then pray for each other now that Christmas is upon us. May the remembrance and celebration of the birth of our Savior bring you joy and peace.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

More Details Regarding Holy Week

Dear Parishioners,

Holy Week is almost upon us. Next Sunday, Parishioners will be invited to begin our Passion/Palm Sunday celebration with the blessing of palms outside the Church at the 9:30 AM Spanish Mass and in the Parish Center at the 11 AM Mass. All the other Masses will begin in the Church proper. This year, there will be two notable changes in our Triduum: The veneration of the cross and the baptisms.

Good Friday: After talking with our Liturgy Committee, I have come to understand that St. Anne’s has historically offered multiple crucifixes for venation on Good Friday service. However, the Church calls for only one cross to be used. It is an option to use a cross or crucifix. Since the theology of the veneration is directed towards the cross (recall the priests intones: “Behold the wood of the cross on which hung the savior of the world...”) and the rite is called the “veneration of the cross,” we will be using one very large cross and not a crucifix. Since it will be almost life-sized, it will allow several people to approach the cross at once and offer their veneration at the foot of the cross as well as the right and left arm of the cross. The size of the cross should aid in the timeliness of this part of the service. Examples of veneration include a bow, a kiss, a genuflection, or a simple touch of the hand according to the preference of the person. Families are encouraged to approach at one time instead of individually waiting for each person to venerate.

Easter Vigil: As mentioned in last week’s column, I described that we will be offering baptisms by immersion or submersion, that is either having water poured all over the person or actually dipping the person all the way under the water. If you have never seen this approach, you will be in for a special treat. I have done immersion/submersion baptisms ever since I was ordained almost ten years ago. For the truly inquisitive, I have posted a video describing how to make a temporary immersion pool and showing actual immersions on Easter Vigil. Go to http://www.frbill.org/frgeek.html to see it on your computer. The baptismal fount will be located between the front pews where there is plenty of space and will remain there for the entire Easter season. When you arrive to Church during the Easter season, you are encouraged to enter the Church, bless yourself from the large fount, and then go to your pew. Of course, the traditional holy water founts at the entrances of the Church will be available.

With the arrival of a new pastor comes some new approaches. It is a new day, and I hope that this Easter will be one of renewal and refreshment to all who come through our doors.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor