Easter Updates and Upcoming Events

04-14-2024Weekly ReflectionFr. Tony Okolo C.S.Sp., V.F.

Beloved Parishioners,

As we continue our celebration of the Risen Lord, I share with you some Easter updates and upcoming events in the parish.

First, I wish to say a big thanks to everyone who participated in the Charity and Development Appeal of this year. It is amazing to see the effort by many of you to ensure that we reach our goal this year. I wish to announce that we have reached our goal and even exceeded it through your generosity, sacrifices and commitment that this was accomplished. I thank you and pray God’s blessings on every one of you.

The Easter celebration of this year 2024 was phenomenal. To the Glory of God, this year’s Easter celebration was well attended more than we have done in the previous years. The whole activities leading to Easter were greatly attended which was a demonstration of the faith you expressed in Jesus Our Lord and Savior. The Palm Sunday procession was done for the first time ever in the parish at 8:45am,10:30am and 12:30pm Masses, and the appreciation that greeted the procession has been highly encouraged that the plan is to do the procession in all the Masses next year. The Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper was equally well attended, and we appreciate all for joining the Liturgy and look forward to much better attendance by next year. I have received a lot of compliments and letters from many people about how they were touched by the celebration.

The Passion Play was fantastic, well appreciated and loved by all who came to the play. We had over six hundred people that came to be part of the passion play drama. We are very grateful to all the actors, directors and all who sacrificed time, energy, and resources to see to the success of the play. Our hope is that it becomes a yearly event for the parish as we hope to keep improving on how to make it the best that it deserves. At Easter Virgil we had ten people baptized, confirmed, and received Holy Communion.

Bishop Eduardo Nevares, the auxiliary bishop, was here to perform the sacrament of Confirmation and First Holy Communion to 35 kids and young people from our parish. It was a very moving ceremony, and we congratulate all those who received various sacraments during this season. I use this opportunity to thank the parents, sponsors, and catechists for all they did to get the kids well prepared.

The major upcoming event we have this time is the Gala scheduled for April 20th at the Havasu Air Center. It would be another opportunity for socializing, to meet more people and to have fun during the parish fundraising. I am calling on many of you parishioners, school parents and various ministries to do their best to be part of this Gala fundraising. Please do well to get the ticket.

Finally, the second phase of Christ in the Neighborhood begins this week till the end of June. On a very personal note, I have found this ministry very enriching, inspiring, and awesome. How I wish many of our parishioners would register and be part of the ministry. The ministry deepens our relationship with many of our parishioners and we get to know each other more. The ministry brings us closer to each other in communal prayer with one another. The two that I have attended have been wonderful and I call on many people to register and be part of this special ministry.