A Message from Our Pastor

Friends in Christ, November 16, 2025

Last Sunday, my brothers and sisters sent me a picture of all seven of them gathered

together in Michigan. My brother from Texas and my brother from Indiana met the other five in

Wyandotte, Michigan, where they all lived. Some of them went to a Detroit Red Wings hockey

game on Sunday afternoon. After the hockey game, they all gathered at my brother Phil’s

house for a birthday party. They were celebrating my niece, Jamie’s, birthday. When I received

the picture, one of my siblings said that they all wished that I could have been there. I told them

that I was unable to make it because some of us have to “work” on Sundays! They all got a

good laugh at that response.

It’s hard to believe, but next Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church liturgical year and,

in two weeks, we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Today, and during the final week of the

liturgical year, the gospel readings will focus on the Second Coming of Jesus. The scriptures

will speak about the “end times” and what some of the signs will be and what will happen. As

we think about the end of the liturgical year, the end times, and Jesus’ return in glory, it’s also a

good time to think about our own “end times” when our lives will one day end. Do you ever give

much thought about the afterlife and what will happen after you die? Do you live as if there are

no consequences after you die by living a life apart from God? Do you try to live a holy life on

earth that will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven? With November being a special time to

pray for deceased loved ones and for the souls in purgatory, it’s also a time to reflect upon our

own mortality. We have no need to fear death if we are trying to follow Jesus daily and trying to

love God and love our neighbor. While we don’t know when Jesus is returning in glory or know

the day of our departure from earth, let us be prepared, awake, and vigilant by praying daily,

attending Mass weekly, going to confession, serving others, forgiving others, and asking the

saints for their prayers. St. Joseph, patron saint of a happy death, pray for us!

Thanks to everyone’s help and generosity at the fundraiser last Saturday for Eva Duran,

$5000 was raised to help her with medical treatments. As there was not much time in planning

for this fundraiser, it shows how generous people are in this community. May the Lord bless

everyone who helped in any way and for those who made donations by purchasing food.

On Saturday, Nov. 22 @ 11:00 am, at St. Cyril and Methodius Church in Rock Springs, a

special Mass will be celebrated for its 100th anniversary. Sadly, I believe that this will be the last

Mass celebrated in that church. Holy Spirit Catholic Community will now only be using Our

Lady of Sorrows for all of their Masses. I will be attending that Mass and Bishop Steven will be

celebrating the Mass. For many years, they have been planning on building a new church. I

know this, because I was the pastor there for six years. It is always difficult when parishioners

see their church closing, as they have had many good memories and generations of families

have been part St. Cyril and Methodius. Let us remember the parishioners of Holy Spirit

Catholic Community in our prayers as they celebrate the final Mass at St. Cyril and Methodius

church and as they move forward. God bless and have a blessed week.

In the peace of Christ,

Fr. Glen