Pastor's Easter Message
Easter: The Most Joyous Day of the Year
by Fr. Mitch Zygadlo, Pastor of St. Louis
Ret. Catholic Chaplain, USAF
Dear Parishioners,
Throughout the 40 days of Lent, we have been preparing through our sacrifices, fasting, increased prayer, and special acts of charity to clear our hearts and minds of everything that distracts us from the centrality of Jesus Christ. In a world that is filled with things and noise and, unfortunately, wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Haiti, as well as crime in our country and cities, it is important to pause and acknowledge the Lord of the Universe. We thank Him for His victory over sin and death and for extending his triumph and peace to us.
As we enter this joyous season of Easter, I am filled with gratitude for the many blessings we enjoy at St. Louis Church. Thank you for the generous ways you support our superb community of faith. Your sharing in our Easter celebration is a gift beyond measure! (Read more about the importance of your support below.)
On behalf of Fr. Maurici, Deacon Pat, and our Staff, I wish you every good blessing in the Easter Season. May the Risen Lord fill your hearts with serenity and the peace only He can give.
Have a Blessed Easter!
Yours in the Risen Lord, Your Pastor,
Fr. Mitch
A note of deep appreciation ...
I thank you again for your ongoing support of St. Louis Parish, including our church’s new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) and this year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal, which we have achieved with 102%!
Thanks to many people’s hard work, contributions and patience, our new HVAC system is installed and working! If you recall, almost two years ago, during a much harsher winter than this year, our heater (built in the 1950s) refused to start. I feared the faithful would not come to a cold church for Masses!
Thanks to Sally Schrecker and Building and Finance committee members, we received many estimates ranging from $1M to $1.4M before selecting the Kenron Company to replace the church’s entire HVAC system for approximately $800,000. Our successful sale of the house on Rand Place covered 50% of the cost. The rest of the money came from our operating account. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to cover all costs with minimum disruption of services.
Through it all, we prepared children for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation; we hosted Fruit of the Vine sessions along with several ongoing ministries; we continued to work on growing our Faith Formation program; and celebrated Masses, baptisms, funerals, and weddings. Additionally, our parish continued its long-standing support of our wonderful St. Louis School and of Saint’s Place.
Please prayerfully consider increasing your giving this year and/or donating directly toward our HVAC (operating account) replenishment.* Your continued support—in your name or in honor or memory of someone you love—will help ensure you, your children, and your grandchildren will benefit from worshiping in our HOLY CHURCH!
In this year of the Eucharistic Revival, I invite you to visit Jesus in the Tabernacle and pray for our St. Louis Church community, knowing of my deep appreciation.
Grateful for your prayers and support, and wishing you blessed Easter, I remain,
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Mitch
* Your gift toward HVAC replenishment will be recognized in our annual newsletter and in a donor listing that will be added to Reddington Hall, next to the 2001 Campaign plaque later this year.