11/03/2025
What a most wonderful three days here at the best parishes on the East Bay: Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St Mary in Bristol. 2 Separate parishes , one pastor, but now working so much as one parish. It all began on Friday, Halloween. At OLMC school our children were in costumes and our 7th Grade did a spooky science lab. Didn’t know you could blow up pumpkins in so many safeful ways. So much fun. Then in the evening so many of our children from our parishes came trick and treating to the rectory They knew I had the big Snickers bars not the silly “fun size bars!” And then Saturday Morning for our joint All Saints Mass we packed the church. All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation but when it falls on a Saturday or Monday the obligation is remitted. We had a full church. Most awesome. And then Sunday All Souls’ Day. First thing was donuts and coffee after mass, always the first Sunday of the Month at OLMC. Last one till April. All the donuts went very quickly Baby Bottle Boomerang for pro life causes at both pariahes were a huge success, our parishioners generosity is amazing. Big tradition in both parishes is that we have an All Souls Mass for all those who died during the past year whose funerals were held in the two parishes. Was going to do it in just one of the parishes but we had too many people who passed. 59. So we had one mass at OLMC and one mass St Mary’s. Incredible crowds at both of the masses as we read out the names of all the faithful departed from both parishes. But wait there is more. This evening we had our third meeting of our teens going on the mission trip orphanage to the Mustard Seed Orphanage in Jamaica next July/August. Christmas letter writing campaign. Jamaica was terribly affected by Hurricane Melissa but we and especially our teens are hopeful we will still be able to go at the end of July. Wonderful day of ministry, faith, evangelization, youth ministry, and the work of God. I am so happy I am the pastor of the two most awesome and busy and faith filled parishes in the diocese. St Mary and OLMC. Ended the day with a hotdog 🤣
