FATHER BERNIE PIETRZAK
PASTOR
Dear People and Friends of Saint Anne,
Christ is born for us, let us rejoice in this day of our salvation! Let us open our hearts to receive the grace of this day, which is Christ himself. Jesus is the radiant “day” which has dawned on the horizon of humanity. A day of mercy, in which God our Father has revealed his great tenderness to the entire world. A day of light, which dispels the darkness of fear and anxiety. A day of peace, which invites us to embrace the gift and promise of forgiveness and reconciliation where it is needed in our lives.
On this day, Jesus, the Savior, is born of the Virgin Mary. In our Christmas Scriptures today, we see the sign which God has given us: “a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too set out to see this sign, this event which is renewed yearly in our Church.
Christmas is an event which is renewed in every family, parish and community that receives the love of God made flesh in Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago. With the shepherds, let us bow down and worship God’s goodness made flesh!
Where God is born, hope is born. Christ brings hope.
Where God is born, peace is born; and where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war.
Where God is born, hope is born; and where hope is born, persons regain their God given dignity.
Yet even today, a great number of men and women are deprived of their human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty and rejection. May our closeness today be felt by those who are most vulnerable.
Where God is born, mercy flourishes. As we contemplate the Crib, let us gaze on the open arms of Jesus—the merciful embrace of God.
Especially in the face of the harshness of the ongoing pandemic, over these last two years, we need to allow ourselves to embrace the signs of peace, hope, mercy and goodness that we find in the people we encounter every day and in the workings of the Spirit of Christ Jesus – our Savior. May our faith and trust in God overshadow any challenge or difficulty and use our struggle to birth something new and holy in our lives.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support of the Legacy of Faith campaign. We have collected nearly $6.1 million in pledges to date! The many projects supported by Legacy of Faith are creating a more inviting and updated place of worship and fellowship for our community!
As Saint Anne was adapting during the pandemic, we continued with projects supported by the Legacy of Faith campaign to create a more inviting and updated place of worship and fellowship for our community.
Over the last five years, we have made substantial improvements to the Church and School buildings, as well as the outside campus. In 2022, we look forward to beginning improvements on the Parish Center.
As promised since the beginning of the campaign, Saint Anne has approached these projects with the same prudent financial management practices that have provided the foundation for Saint Anne’s growth and fiscal stability. Legacy of Faith proceeds have been used only for those projects identified as part of the campaign and not for anything else. These funds are specific to the campaign and may not, under any circumstances, be used for operating expenses or other purposes. Further, Saint Anne will incur no debt as part of these projects, nor any future projects supported by Legacy of Faith.
If you would like to make a donation, have a question about your pledge or have any other inquiry relating to Legacy of Faith, please contact Andrea Wirt, Campaign Coordinator, at 847.382.5300 or LegacyofFaith@stannebarrington.org.
On behalf of our parish priests, parish staff and parish council leadership, I wish you a blessed and holy Christmas – along with a new year filled with the hope of the end of this pandemic and the healing of the Lord for people whose hearts are broken by loss or distress.
Be at Peace,
Father Bernie Pietrzak
Pastor