January 2021

Dear Friends of the Shrine of St. Anthony,

As a new year begins, I find myself praying about how to find a refreshed faith in God during this New Year.  What speaks to me powerfully is a passage from the prophet Isaiah (54:2) “Enlarge the space for your tent, spread out your tent…and make firm your stakes.”  The experience I have at celebrating Sunday mass under the tent and seeing the many faithful come with their chairs and seat themselves both inside and stretched outside the tent gives me hope.  I can certainly witness that we have spread the walls wide to accommodate so many people.

I mentioned at a Sunday mass recently that when I ask God to look on the faith of his faithful people, I am edified that whatever the weather, dry, wet, cold, you are there coming to celebrate your faith and receive the gift of the Eucharist.  We are still restricted by the imposition that Covid necessitates, but we are doing our best to serve the Lord and you.

St. Anthony, pray for us.

Prayerfully,

Fr. Richard-Jacob
Director