July 26, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters, We’re blessed to have with us a special guest at Mass this weekend: Fr Alfred Lopez. He is a priest from the Dominican order and connected with Food for the Poor, an organization that works to relieve of international hunger. Please give him a warm welcome to our parish, as he speaks about how we can be involved in helping those in need around the world! Here is a brief introduction from him: "Fr. Lopez belongs to Dominican Province of St. Albert and was ordained in 1984. Before advocating for the poor, he taught at Northern Michigan University and Dominican College of San Rafael. He was counselor at the Departments of Clinical Social Work at the University of New Mexico Hospital. Father Lopez will share personal witness about Food For The Poor’s mission to care for the destitute as a means of living out the Gospel to love one another." As we reflect on our responsibility of being witnesses to Christ’s love, I’d like to pass along a prayer from Pope Francis, found in his 2013 letter titled “The Joy of the Gospel.” In it, he gives the Blessed Mother the title of “Star of the New Evangelization,” and he asks us to call upon her assistance in the great project of making sure every human being knows God’s love: Mary, Virgin and Mother, Star of the new evangelization, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor, that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world. Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia! Through the intercession of Our Lady and our patron St. Thomas, let’s commit to fully living out our calling to be instruments of God’s mercy. God bless,

Father Jantz