Letters from Fr. Andre

January: A Month of Grace and New Beginnings 

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration with your family, friends, and loved ones. As we begin 2026 together, my heart is filled with gratitude for the many ways you love, serve, and support our parish - especially as we continue celebrating our 150th anniversary. This milestone invites us not only to remember the past but to renew our commitment to Christ and to one another. January gives us a beautiful path to do exactly that.

Week of January 1 – Mary, Mother of God

We start the year in the arms of Mary, our patroness and our gentle guide. Entrusting 2026 to her is not just a tradition - it is an act of hope. Mary shows us how to welcome God’s plans with courage and humility. I invite you

to begin this year by asking her to walk with you and with our parish family as we step into the next chapter of our 150 years of faith.

Week of January 4 – Feast of the Epiphany

The Magi followed a star with searching hearts. Their journey reminds us that God often meets us when we take even the smallest step toward Him. As we celebrate Epiphany, I encourage you to look for “stars” in your own life - moments, people, or nudges that lead you closer to Christ - and to share God’s light with someone who may need encouragement this season.

Week of January 11 – Baptism of the Lord

With the Baptism of the Lord, we close the Christmas season and remember our own baptismal calling. Jesus steps into the Jordan to stand with us, and we are reminded that we are God’s beloved. This week, I invite you to renew your baptism by offering your gifts to our community - serving, volunteering, praying, and helping our parish continue to grow in vitality as we honor 150 years of discipleship.

Week of January 18 – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Gospel (John 1:29–34), John the Baptist points to Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” His witness invites us to point others toward Christ through kindness, mercy, and love. This week is also the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a time to pray that all Christians may walk more closely together in the Spirit of peace. On January 22, the Day of Prayer for the Unborn, we unite our hearts in prayer for the protection of unborn children and for a deeper respect for every human life. I encourage you to make this a day of prayer, compassion, and quiet intercession.

Week of January 25 – Third Sunday in Ordinary Time & Catholic Schools Week

This Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12–23) invites us to follow Christ with trust - just as the first disciples left their nets and stepped into a new future. As Jesus calls us today, may we also walk forward in faith and live the Gospel with purpose. This weekend also begins Catholic Schools Week, a joyful time to honor our school community and all who help form our children in faith, knowledge, and love. Throughout the week, the School of St. Mary will highlight the heart of Catholic education - prayer, learning, service, and compassion. I warmly invite you and your families to visit the School of St. Mary, meet Ms. Kathy Thompson, our Principal, and our dedicated teachers and staff, and experience the welcome and community that help our children grow in wisdom and faith.

Thank you (Salamat),

Fr. Andre Beltran  

January 11

The heavens opened. The Spirit descended.

A voice spoke.

And in that moment, Jesus revealed not only who He is – but who we are.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord brings us back to the very beginning of our Christian life – that moment when God claimed us, named us, and sent us. Jesus’ baptism is not simply a scene from His life. It is the pattern of ours: beloved, chosen, and missioned.

When I look at our parish right now – our blessings, our challenges, our hopes – I return again and again to that truth: we belong to God, and God sends us. Every one of us.

In these past months, I have felt this truth more deeply. To be honest, the load is heavy. There are days when finding time for prayer, reading, rest, quiet, or even moments with my own family can be difficult. I know many of you carry heavy loads too – in your homes, in your work, in caring for family members, and in serving our parish.

Our deacons also feel this weight. They are offering more hours, more presence, and more sacrifice than ever before. Their generosity inspires me daily, but it also reveals something important: we are living in a new reality of the Church. Fewer priests. Fewer clergy overall. And greater needs.

But this is not a story of decline. It is a story of calling.

The Spirit who came upon Jesus at the Jordan is the same Spirit given to you at your baptism. And through that Spirit, God is inviting the laity of our parish to take a more intentional role in the life and governance of the Church.

Not simply helping with tasks – but embracing true co-responsibility for the mission.

This invitation is not forced. It is not a burden. It is the Church returning to the grace of baptism: we are all called, and we are all sent.

But discipleship is costly. Not in a fearful way – but in a real way. It asks something of us. It stretches us. It sanctifies us.

And yet, every time we say “Yes,” something beautiful happens: God multiplies it. God strengthens it. God blesses it.

As your priest, I write to you with affection and hope. I believe deeply that God is doing something new in our parish – something that will require us to walk together, to listen to the Spirit together, and to make room for one another’s gifts.

The heavens opened over Jesus that day. I believe they are opening over us too – inviting us to remember who we are, and to step forward with courage and faith.

Let us walk this road together, as beloved sons and daughters of God.

Thank you (Salamat),

Fr. Andre Beltran

Past Letters: