Parishioners of St. Joseph & St. Anthony, sisters and brothers of the Risen Christ,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
We are celebrating Easter this year mindful that we are observing The Year of Faith (11 Oct 12 –24 Nov 13). Our Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI hopes that the Year of Faith will “help Catholics appreciate the gift of faith, deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their commitment to sharing faith with others.” Hence, it is our faith in Jesus who suffered, died and rose again that we are to celebrate throughout the year. The liturgies that we have celebrated this Easter Triduum meant to help us deepen our bond with the same Lord. It is the truth of Easter – Jesus is risen and dies no more that should therefore give us a real source of joy and encouragement to become witnesses who inspire others.
Tuesday, April 2nd, will mark my five years as your pastor. It is my joy and privilege to continue my journey with you as we prepare to celebrate the 100 years of the Catholic presence in the Town of Smithers next year. Early this year of 2013, Monsignor Stephen Jensen was appointed as the new Bishop of our Diocese. As we all know by now, his ordination and installation will take place at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Prince George on Easter Tuesday. During the 4th week of Lent, the Catholics all over the world rejoice and welcome a humble servant of God, Pope Francis as our new Supreme Pontiff. All of these events (in the life of our parish communities of St. Joseph’s and St. Anthony’s, the local church in the Diocese of Prince George and in the life of the Holy Catholic Church in which we belong) should serve as stimulus for each of us in our journey of faith. These are little reminders for us that God is alive and we are being taken care of by our Risen Lord everyday of our lives. We just need to be attentive to his presence!
When we discover His presence and His actions in our respective lives, it should make us even more joyful Christians. As Pope Francis would say: “Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy that comes from having many possessions, but it comes from having encountered a Person, Jesus, who is among us. It comes from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable…” Easter is a real reminder for us that we are not alone in the journey, we are not abandoned – Jesus is truly risen and He is with us!
The message of Easter is Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Peace, Love and Joy! This message is meant to be shared by us who have received it. Like Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John “who went and announced to the disciples ‘I have seen the Lord,’” may we, too become bearers and preachers of this Good News. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi “Preach the Gospel always; if necessary, use words.” Therefore, I pray that the way we live our lives and the quality of relationships we build here on earth be a constant proclamation of the power of the Risen Lord.
Happy Easter and happy renewal of our Baptismal Promises!
With my Easter Prayers and Blessings,
Fr. Rectorino M. Tolentino, Jr.
Pastor
Note from the webmaster, we reposted this message from Fr. Rector as it was posted on our old website.