From the Desk of Father Mark - Our Pastor
March 29, 2026 - Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS BULLETIN EDITION

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From the Desk of Father Mark - Our Pastor
April 12, 2026 - Second Sunday of Easter

“Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

I remember as a child that Sunday Mass would always be crowded. While I knew not everyone went to church, it was certainly common that people attended regularly. Over the course of my adult life, I saw those numbers diminish along with the number of vocations to priesthood and religious life. In 2020, the result of Covid decreased the number of church-goers even more. Over the past year, I have noticed numbers on the rise. And at the Easter Vigil, eight people were baptized, and one person was received into the church. It is said across the world, there is a renewed interest in the Catholic faith, especially among younger people. I imagine everyone has their own idea as to the reason for the rise. Seeking answers to eternal questions is in the heart of most people.

Ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit that infuses the hearts of the faithful, and there is no better place to encounter that infusion than through the Eucharist. By imparting the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, Jesus imparts it upon us all through the Church.

It is the risen Jesus who gifts us with the Holy Spirit. What is your experience of the risen Lord? For me, it is the realization that like on the road to Emmaus, Jesus is always by my side.

"On the faithful, who adore and confess you, evermore, In your sevenfold gift descend; Give them virtue’s sure reward; Give them your salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia!"

Happy Easter to all!

Fr. Mark Walter
Pastor of Our Lady of the Ridge - St.Linus Parish