Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Brussels, Belgium is the home of Tintin, the cartoon character created by Georges Prosper Remi, who went by the pen name Hergé. While I was in Brussels about a month ago, I visited the Tintin Boutique and purchased a tiny volume called Tintin: Little Book of Peril. This is one of the cartoons, with the caption “Life can be full of surprises!”
Indeed, life can be full of surprises, like when you test positive for Covid on Christmas evening, as I did. As I write this letter a few days after Christmas, I’ve been dealing with cold symptoms since my trip to Europe, and barely managed to make my way through the final days leading up to Christmas, and its liturgical celebrations. So, if you haven’t seen much of me lately, it was because of life’s little surprises.
I do wish to express my thanks and great appreciation to everyone who contributed to making the celebration of Christmas here at SPSA so beautiful – liturgically, visually and musically. Needless to say, it takes many hours of practice and preparation each year to make our festival celebrations as impactful as possible, so I appreciate more than I can say the time and talent needed to do it all with such grace, dignity and reverence.
I also want to say thanks for the many cards and gifts given to me and the friars. If I haven’t been able to thank you personally, please know how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness. One man from Norwich who I’ve gotten to know, brings his family to Christmas Mass every year. He was feeling a bit out of sorts this year, and this is what he wrote to me: “As the musical prelude began, I just totally snapped out of the funk and was myself again. The words of the angel ‘Do not be afraid’ really meant something to me that night.” May we enter 2025 without fear, but with sure and fervent hope!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.
Pastor