Padre's Message
Click here to send an email to Fr. Gregory Golyzniak.
|
October 31, 2019
Dear parishioners and guests,
I would like to share few thoughts about important feast we will celebrate soon. All Souls Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few other denominations of Christianity. According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice. The intermediate option is purgatory, which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, must go. Purgatory is necessary so that souls are cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. There is scriptural basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2 Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. "Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus made atonement for the dead that they might be free from sin.” Additional references found in Zechariah, Sirach, and the Gospel of Matthew. Jewish tradition also reinforces this belief as well as the tradition and teaching of the Church, which has been affirmed throughout history. Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into heaven. All Souls Day is celebrated in much of the western world on November 2. Other rites have their own celebrations. The Eastern Orthodox Church has several such days throughout the year, mostly on Saturdays. All Souls Day is not a holy day of obligation. It should not be confused with All Saints' Day, which is a holy day of obligation. Many cultures also mark the day differently. In North America, Americans may say extra prayers or light candles for the departed. In parts of Latin America, families visit the graves of their ancestors. Let us remember our loved one in our prayers so one day when we pass from this world someone will pray for us. With prayer, Fr. Gregory |
About Fr. Gregory
Fr. Gregory Golyzniak was born and raised in Muszyna, Poland, the youngest of four children. He attended the world's largest Catholic Seminary in Tarnow, Poland, and was ordained in 1998. Father Gregory came to the United States and was assigned to the Diocese of Syracuse, New York, from 2002-2008. He then transferred to the Diocese of Colorado Springs, first serving as pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Southgate. In 2013, Fr. Gregory was assigned to St. Peter Catholic Church in Monument. Fr. Gregory is currently working long distance on a PhD in Sacred Architecture with an emphasis on the Gothic architecture of the 11th-17th centuries. UPON THIS ROCK
Building our future, honoring our legacy. Our plans to renovate the chapel, construct a new ministry center and expand the school are moving forward. Your pledge is vital to making this project a success. We are growing and we are all grateful for that! With growth often comes opportunities, equating to the need for space to accommodate the number of persons wishing to maintain and expand our stewardship and faith potential. Currently, our ministries use St. Peter School for many of their activities. In order to keep our school students as safe as possible, the school facilities must be dedicated for school use only. Please prayerfully consider financially supporting this project. Your support is greatly appreciated. The “Upon This Rock” pledge card is located on our website petertherock.org. If you have any questions about the project or want to meet with Father Gregory or Debby Dover, our Campaign Coordinator, please stop by or call the office at (719) 481-3511, we are happy to meet with you!
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Sunday, March 3, 2019 |