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A Letter from Rev. Joseph K. Kalladan, Pastor


Sunday Bulletin - January 20, 2008

Dear Parishioner,

The big news about St. Thomas Aquinas Parish these days is, of course, our Parish Mission. The unexpected number of parishioners, who have been participating in the Mission and experiencing a spiritual awakening, is truly heartwarming. We cannot but thank and praise God for all our people who have been coming to be nourished by His Spirit, despite the hectic schedules that we all go through daily. Deacon Glen and Linda Harmon have done an outstanding ministry of being God’s instruments, inspiring us to look at our lives as God would want us to look.

Personally, I have enjoyed their testimonies particularly since I am coming from my annual spiritual retreat last week at Holy Name Retreat Center with other priests of our Archdiocese. That was indeed a great spiritual experience for me, as also, I believe, for my brother priests. I understand that several men of the parish are going for the ‘Annual Men’s Retreat’ for the weekend of Jan. 25-27 and the ladies are preparing for theirs in March. How wonderful that so many want God to touch their lives so deeply and so lovingly.

I have experienced both personally and pastorally that when we choose to open ourselves to let God take control of our lives, then, our lives get on a totally different perspective. Jesus who came into our world to give us His life, yes “life to the full” that He has promised. The world can never understand this life in Christ Jesus. Why? It is because worldly values are totally opposed to the values that Christ has established for His followers. The world says: blessed are the rich”; while, Jesus states: “blessed are the poor”. Since the world could not accept Him, they had to put Him on a cross to do away with Him altogether. Did they succeed? You know the answer.

We, brothers and sisters, who glory in Our Lord Jesus Christ, may our Christian lives be an eloquent witness to the world of Christ’s presence and His Gospel in the world around us so that others will see Jesus in and through us. This, of course, is the ongoing challenge we all face daily in our Christian lives. May this God of Love and Mercy assist us in our efforts to be more Christ-like in our words and actions. 

Prayerfully,

Fr. K.K.

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