Greetings to all of you!
What a miraculous week it has been for us at St. Mark! As you know, we have been cleared by the Diocese to break ground on our new Church and I am still in a daze. The people of our parish have stepped in with great generosity to make this happen and I am so grateful to you and to God for this wonderful grace! I pray for your continued support during this process and I look forward to the day when this Church will be a reality. It just goes to show how persistence in prayer and a true focus on doing God's work will make this happen. Never give up!
It looks like Eric the Lion doesn't want to get up on the bell tower platform. I think he's thrilled with all the attention he has gotten down below and doesn't want to leave! However, he may not get his wish and I hope soon he will be lifted so he can watch over New Tampa a little better. It seems the powers that be wish to make sure of his security up there and ours down below, so keep watching!
Last week I attended a workshop called "Fortunate Families" in which the topic of discussion dealt with parents who have a of Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, or transgenderd child. I have to say how eye opening it was for me to see how parents deal with issues that affect those so closest to them. I was so impressed by the honesty of these parents and how they had to finally come to acceptance although it wasn't an easy path. There was a quote that struck me, "When children finally come out of the closet, many parents go in." In light of the words of Pope Francis that we should not judge, I thought the day was an uplifting experience for those attending and those children and parents need our prayers and acceptance. If anyone needs more information on this workshop, feel free to email or call me at the office.
Well that is all for now. May God continue to bless St. Mark and the wonderful people who make it all happen!
Peace,
Fr. David
