Chaplain's Message

Chaplain’s Corner: Walking Together Through a Season of Grace

Dear Sisters in Christ,

There is something especially beautiful about these final months of the year. As summer soon gives way to fall and the days grow shorter, the Church invites us to slow down, look within, and turn our hearts again toward the Lord. October, November, and December lead us on a wonderful spiritual journey of prayer, remembrance, hope, and preparation.

October draws us especially close to our Blessed Mother and the Rosary. As Catholic

Daughters, Mary holds a special place in our hearts. Her life reminds us what faithful

discipleship looks like: listening for God's voice, trusting His plan, and saying "yes" even when we cannot see the whole road ahead. This is a beautiful time to take up our Rosaries with renewed devotion. We can bring to Mary the concerns we carry for our families, our parish, our Catholic Daughter sisters, and our world, trusting that she always leads us closer to her Son.

November brings a quieter and more reflective spirit as we celebrate All Saints and All

Souls. We remember with gratitude those who have gone before us: parents and

grandparents, spouses, relatives, friends, and our own Catholic Daughter sisters who once prayed, served, laughed, and worked beside us. We miss them, but we remember them with Christian hope. Our faith assures us that death does not have the final word. Christ does. As November draws toward its close with Christ the King, we are reminded that everything we are and everything we hope for ultimately rests in Him.

Then Advent arrives. While the world around us seems to become busier by the day, the Church offers us a different invitation: Wait. Watch. Pray. Prepare. Advent encourages us to pause amid the decorating, shopping, gatherings, and preparations and ask a more important question: Am I preparing my heart for Jesus? Mary accompanies us once again. Her quiet faith and willingness to receive Christ remind us that perhaps the most important preparation for Christmas is not something we can purchase, decorate, bake, or wrap. It is simply making room for Christ.

And so, as Catholic Daughters, we walk through these

months together:

In October, we pray.

In November, we remember.

In Advent, we wait.

At Christmas, we welcome Christ.

May this season draw us closer to the Lord and to one another. May we remember those who have gone before us, reach out to those who may need friendship or encouragement, and continue to serve our parish and community with the love that has always been at the heart of our Catholic Daughter sisterhood. May God bless each of you and your families throughout this beautiful season of grace.

Deacon Stacy, Chaplain