Good Shepherd Sunday

04-21-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Fred Adamson

Dear Parishioners,

Last weekend was a great celebration for the parish as over 50 young people were confirmed and received First Holy Communion. The Church rejoices in God’s saving love. Congratulations to these young people.

This weekend is Good Shepherd Sunday. It falls in the Easter season as a reminder of the care and love Jesus the Good Shepherd has for His flock. Sheep, shepherds and flocks can be a little hard for us to relate to in our current world but would have been a very familiar image for the people of Jesus’ time. What we can relate to is His care and attention to the flock. In our Catholic faith the Holy Father and bishops are seen as the lead shepherds of the flock. It is for that reason they carry a Crosier as a link to the shepherds staff in leading and guiding the flock. As pastor, I share in the role of Bishop John here at our parish, guiding and leading as part of the larger Diocese of Phoenix. Fr. Ryan, as associate pastor or parochial vicar, is assigned here to assist the pastor in the daily duties of parish life. We all strive to be good shepherds following the model of Christ the Good Shepherd. We are grateful to serve here at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

As we continue our Easter Journey we invite you to attend the Via Lucis – the Paschal Way of Light. This special devotion meditates on 14 post Resurrection encounters with Jesus and the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit. The first one is this Friday, April 26th at 7pm and then again on May 17th. It will be a way for us as a community to grow in our Paschal Joy. Please join us.

At all the Masses this weekend I will be providing an update on the Building Our Spiritual Home Campaign. In this 30th Anniversary of the parish we are filled with gratitude for the faithful people of the community, the beautiful campus and gift of God in our lives. All we have is from God and the generosity of the people of God in these 30 years. If you were away this weekend, there are campaign pamphlets in the vestibule as well as more information on our parish webpage.

I know many of our parishioners who have summer homes are preparing to leave as the days become warmer here in the desert. Please don’t forget us over the summer months. Stay in touch by visiting our webpage, following us on Facebook and Instagram, and signing up for our mid-week updates via Flocknote. We will miss you in the months ahead and pray that you enjoy the cooler days.

Easter Blessings,

Fr. Fred Adamson