Pastor's Message - July 18/19 , 2026
My Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope you are enjoying the summer, even though these past few days have been quite cold and windy!
Thank you for welcoming Fr. Joseph with such great joy and enthusiasm. To everyone who prepared the wonderful welcome reception and worked so hard to make it such a beautiful celebration, thank you! I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, energy, and creativity.
What a blessing it is to belong to such a caring and vibrant parish community. God continues to bless us in so many ways, and for that we give Him thanks. I am looking forward to a wonderful summer together, and I know many of you are as well.
The coming months will be especially busy as we prepare for our August Summer Night and our annual Oktoberfest.
During Oktoberfest we gather not only for fellowship and celebration but also to honor our beloved patron, St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary. His quiet faith, humble service, and unwavering trust in God continue to inspire us as a parish family.
I would like to thank, in advance, the many volunteers who have already begun planning and preparing for this special weekend. Your dedication is truly appreciated.
As a parish community, we are called to continue proclaiming Christ and living His Gospel each day.
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells the familiar Parable of the Sower. The sower scatters the seed generously, allowing it to fall on every kind of ground. Some seed falls on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on rich soil where it produces an abundant harvest.
The seed, of course, is the Word of God. The question for each of us is this: What kind of soil am I? Are there rocks of fear, disappointment, or complacency that keep God's Word from taking deep root? Are there thorns—the worries of daily life, distractions, or the pursuit of material things—that choke the life of faith? Or are we striving each day to become rich soil where God's Word can flourish and bear fruit?
The Lord continues to sow His Word generously in our hearts. He never grows tired of inviting us to grow in faith, hope, and love. As disciples of Jesus, we are also called to be sowers—planting seeds of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and hope wherever we go. We may never know how those small acts of goodness will touch another person's life, but God promises that every seed planted in love has the power to bear abundant fruit.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God's Word never returns empty but always accomplishes the purpose for which He sends it. What a beautiful promise! Every time we live our faith, share our hope, and extend Christ's love to another person, God is at work bringing forth a rich harvest.
As we prepare for our parish celebrations and our Oktoberfest, may we continue to sow seeds of welcome, hospitality, generosity, and joy. May everyone who comes to our parish experience the love of Christ through the witness of our community.
May St. Joseph continue to guide and inspire us as faithful disciples. And may each of us become rich soil, receiving God's Word with open hearts and bearing fruit that will last.
May God bless you and your families with a safe, joyful, and restful summer.
Your servant
Fr. Geoffrey
