Making New Beginnings – Last Sunday we celebrated Jesus’ Ascension. With Jesus’ departure, the Apostles were commissioned to continue His work. So this marked a new beginning for the Apostles as they set off on their own. Fortunately, Jesus didn’t abandon them but left them His Spirit to guide them, to encourage and to strengthen them in their work. That’s what we celebrate today, the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birth of the Church. As we celebrate Spring, it is a celebration of new life and new possibilities, the old giving way to the new. For many of our 8th graders who have been here at St. Brendan School since Kindergarten, it is the ending of one chapter of life, but a beginning of another. In less than 2 weeks, they will be graduating on Friday, May 31.
Today, they celebrate with the parish at the 8am mass, to
thank you for all the financial and spiritual support you’ve
given them over the years and to ask for your ongoing
prayers. It’s very appropriate that their parish graduation
mass falls on the feast of Pentecost, because just as the
Apostles were fearful of what to do, as Jesus left their
side, but guided by the Holy Spirit they were able to
do great things and the Church quickly grew, in spite
of persecution and hardships. So relying on the Holy
Spirit, our young men and women can also achieve
and do great things. Please keep them in your prayers,
as they begin an exciting and new chapter in life.
Congratulations, 8th graders! Our prayers go with you…
Fr. Mike’s Graduation – Speaking of new beginnings,
most of you have already heard that Fr. Mike Quinn will
also be graduating from St. Brendan and going to
bigger and better things. Although he has been
ordained a priest for only 4 years, but he has
maturity and life experience. With the
announcement of Fr. Tom Parenti’s retirement
at Star of the Sea in Sausalito, the Archbishop has
asked Fr. Mike to become the Pastor there, beginning
on July 1. So we congratulate him and of course,
pray for him that God may bless him, so that he
may achieve great things for God there in Sausalito.
A farewell celebration will be held for him on Sunday,
June 23 following the 9:30am mass.
Welcome New Parishioners – We’re blessed to be able
to welcome new parishioners to St. Brendan this Sunday
at the 9:30am mass. Twice a year, one before
Thanksgiving and one near the feast of our patron saint,
St. Brendan (May 16), we welcome new Catholics to our
community. I want to thank the Welcome Committee
chaired by Rebecca Kassekert and Paula Haskell-
Miraglia for planning and organizing this event.
To our newest members, a hearty warm welcome to
you all! You get first “dibs” on the coffee and pastries
this Sunday.
Fr. Dan
