Dear Parishioners of Pope Saint John XXIII Parish Family,
Greetings to you on this 29thSunday in Ordinary time. We are just four Sundays away from the celebration of the solemnity of Christ the King, which marks the last week of the liturgical year. All the readings foretell the suffering of Christ for the salvation of all. In the first reading we hear Isaiahs song of the suffering servant, who offers himself as the sacrifices for the sins of all, so that his descendants can have long life. So also, the second reading speaks of Christ as the High Priest who offers himself as sacrifice. In the Gospel, Jesus having predicted the third time his death, His disciples ask him for place on their right and left. Lets follow our Masters life of sacrifice to obtain everlasting life. Because, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Speaking of the Stewardship of Time, Talent and Treasure, we thank each one for the great sacrifices that we make as parish community. We thank all the various volunteers at each of our campuses in helping manage the day-to-day activities at each site. Especially for the event we had last week at different locations. Such as, Fall Harvest Bazaar at St. John of the Woods, the fundraising breakfast at Visitation, and the weekly Vietnam Breakfast. We extend our heartfelt thanks not only to the volunteers who organized these events but also to the vendors and everyone who participated and contributed. Your sacrifices have allowed us to soundproof our hall and fund the painting and parking lot projects.
As the Pastor, I greatly appreciate all the support in guiding and governing our diverse and complex parish. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our Pastoral Council and Financial Council. We are fortunate to have members from the Real Estate Committee, Holy Rosary Ad-hoc Committee, St. John of the Woods(SJOW) Leadership Committee, Long Range Planning Committee, and other leadership groups who meet regularly at various locations within PSJXXIII. Each member of these committees plays a crucial role in the parish's major decision-making processes, providing invaluable support to me as your Pastor. A list of all committee members will be published in the bulletin and on our website.
I am pleased to officially introduce two new members of the Leadership Committee for the upcoming three-year term. First, please welcome Cecilia Tamayo as the new mission leader for SJOW. She has just begun her ministry with us, and her husband, Jose Tamayo, is also excited to support this important work. We are truly grateful for their "yes" to our parish! Second, we welcome Ann McEntee, who has joined the Finance Committee at SJOW and will represent us at the PSJ 23 Finance Council meetings. You can see their picture in the right corner and in the newsletter.
The Visitation leadership team recently met to discuss ongoing projects. With the help of a dedicated volunteer, we finally received the permit for the Ramp Project. We will be able to move forward now in scheduling a time for the contactor to install the new ramp, which will give our lower hall access to all of our parishioners. The paint project was completed at Visitation as well. Not only does this project ensure longevity for our campus, but it brightens our campus in a way the church deserves. Please continue to support paying for this project. We have had to use savings to pay for the project up front and hope to recoup that money through fundraising efforts. Our first fundraising event was a breakfast held on Oct. 13. Please look for future fundraising opportunities.
Our Lazarus Committee volunteers at St. Rita have been busy planning for the funerals of two long time and beloved parishioners. We thank our volunteers who walk with our families through sorrowful times. We are so thankful to be able to continue offering funeral Masses at St. Rita for our long-time parishioners. We also administered the Sacrament of Healing at the prayer meeting on Saturday Oct. 12.
I also want to inform you that we hosted Pierce County Deanery Meeting last week, attended by 20 priests and seminarians at our main campus. Before I conclude, let us warmly welcome all the newly baptized and recently registered members to our parish family. We pray that each of us experiences Christ our Salvation through our liturgies and our faith community. Let us strive to build the Kingdom of God here on earth through our love for God and our love for one another. Thank you, and may you have a blessed day and week!
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Tuan Nguyen, D. Min
Pastor