Padre's Message
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February 27, 2020
Dear parishioners and guests, A few days ago Pope Francis released his message for Lent. The theme of his message is “With God there is always a dialogue of the heart” Holy Father invites the faithful to embrace the paschal mystery as the basis for conversion. In his message, Pope Francis points to the paschal mystery - the mystery of Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection - as the basis of conversion. The message bears the title “We implore you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God”, a quote from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. “This kerygma [fundamental proclamation of the Gospel message] sums up the mystery of a love ‘so real, so true, so concrete, that it invites us to a relationship of openness and fruitful dialogue’ (Christus vivit, 117)”, the Pope writes. “Whoever believes this message rejects the lie that our life is ours to do as we will”. Pope Francis says that during this season of Lent, he wants to invite the faithful to fix their eyes on the crucified Lord, and allow ourselves “to be saved over and over again”. “Jesus’ Pasch is not a past event; rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit it is ever present, enabling us to see and touch with faith the flesh of Christ in those who suffer”. The Holy Father emphasizes the importance of prayer during Lent, as a means of responding to God’s love, “which always precedes and sustains us”. We are also called to hear and respond to the Word of Jesus, in order to experience “the mercy He freely gives us". God is always engaged in a “dialogue of salvation with us”, despite our weaknesses and failings, the Pope says. This desire to save us “led the Father to burden His Son with the weight of our sins, thus, in the expression of Pope Benedict XVI, ‘turning of God against Himself’ (Deus caritas est, 12)”. “Putting the paschal mystery at the center of our lives means feeling compassion towards the wounds of the crucified Christ present in the many innocent victims of wars, in attacks on life, from that of the unborn to that of the elderly, and various forms of violence”. This means being personally committed to and involved in “the building of a better world”, the Pope says. In commending charitable giving, the Pope notes the meeting he has convened for the end of march “with young economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers, with the aim of shaping a more just and inclusive economy". Pope Francis concludes his message with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary “that our Lenten celebration will open our hearts to hear God’s call to be reconciled to Himself, to fix our gaze on the paschal mystery, and to be converted to an open and sincere dialogue with Him”. Have a fruitful Lent. With prayer, Fr. G |
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 |