As I write this column on Easter Monday morning, I am overwhelmed by the beauty of this past Holy Week, and the reverence of our celebrations. The Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday as always is the highlight of the sacred Triduum. This year, our catechumen, Shauna Rossley received all three Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist – and thus entered into full membership in the church. Your warm and enthusiastic reception is what the Body of Christ is all about. Shauna’s family and friends, at the reception later in the evening, were touched by her welcome and overjoyed for her.

What also struck me about this sacred time all week, is the number of people who contributed their time and talent to ensure that our celebrations unfolded almost flawlessly. Perhaps because we have been “perfecting” our working together for the past seven years, we were able to focus on the mysteries we celebrated and not on the mechanics of the celebration.
I hesitate to name people to thank individually because of the danger of leaving someone out and the ensuing hurt. Suffice it to say that thanks go out to ALL our ministries, from music to altar servers to lectors and Eucharistic ministers; to Angie our head sacristan, and all those who spent Saturday morning cleaning and decorating our church so beautifully for the Easter Celebrations; and to our faithful maintenance men, Antonio and Francisco who clean up after everyone!

Now for fifty days we will celebrate this Easter Season, allowing the wonder of the Resurrection to become ever more a part of our lives and to infuse us with its New Life.