Prayer – Our Conversations With God Our God is a personal God who walks with us on our journey in our celebrations or in our sorrows. Our joy is His joy as we experience consolation and the calm and good times. The Lord is especially with us in our most difficult days. In the pain and the hurt, God shows us how great His strength and presence can be. He is Our Hope, He is Our Peace. Know that He is close to you no matter the situation or experience. Through prayer, you can invite Him in a variety of ways. The most precious prayer that we offer, we do so communally in the Holy Mass, the Eucharist. However, when you cannot attend a daily Mass or Liturgy of the Hours, or you cannot participate in a devotion like the Rosary or Divine Mercy Novena or Chaplet, or you cannot muster up the words to pray a formal prayer of thanksgiving or petition, follow the way of St. Therese, the Little Flower whose feast day we have celebrated this weekend. “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. It is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus.” Jesus is ready to be invited in, to listen, and to comfort you, regardless of how bright the day is or how dark the night gets (Psalm 18:28). The Lord will give you Hope. Fr. John

Remember that earlier this year our Diocese participated in the worldwide Synod called for by Pope Francis. Well, now the results from ALL of the Dioceses in the US have been consolidated and are available at the USCCB website at the link below. We encourage you to read this extraordinary document - and notice how so many of the same comments throughout the country match the results of our own Diocesan Listening Session. 

Updates – Two Phases Basilica, St. John’s and St. Bonaventure are presently in Phase I As we continue the Road to Renewal, the remaining Families will be designated to be formed within two Phases. Each Phase will consist of the following stages: Activation Stage - Parishes begin developing a Family Council and Family Action Plan. This phase lasts six months. Phase 1 FoPs will commence this stage November 1, 2022. Phase 2 FoPs will commence this stage May 1, 2023. Inauguration Stage - The date on which a Family of Parishes begins functioning as a Family. Phase 1 FoPs are estimated to be inaugurated May 1, 2023. Phase 2 FoPs are estimated to be inaugurated Nov. 1, 2023. As we continue down the Road to Renewal, please don’t forget to visit our website at www.RoadToRenewal.org and pray the Prayer for Renewal regularly. See you on the Road to Renewal!

A Magnificat for Renewal My heart shudders in God's close breath, and I stand silent before majesty and mercy. . . God shines in the eyes of those who love me, startles me with unending surprises. God's mercy rains on me. I lift my face to drink its cleansing power. God's humor overturns my selfish plans, shakes out my stifling impatience. God favors me with family and friends; graces me with poetry for beauty of expression and intuition for understanding. And I praise God with these, with the gift of myself. God upholds the promise lived through Jesus present in the world, and in my heart. Amen