From the Desk of Father Jason - April 26, 2026

Dear Saint Francis Xavier Parishioners,

This weekend we have two additional celebrations connected to the 4th Sunday of Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

Good Shepherd Sunday comes out of the Gospel reading. We get the discourse about the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd is Jesus Christ. The sheep are we who follow Him. It is a parable about relationships. The Good Shepherd has a relationship with His sheep. They know his voice. Hopefully we know Jesus’ voice. Hopefully, we are in relationship with the Good Shepherd.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations is our response to the Lord Jesus Christ to pray that the Lord of the harvest send laborers for His harvest. We especially pray for those called to the vocations of ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), consecrate life in all its forms (male and female religious life, societies of apostolic life, consecrated virginity, secular institutes), and to the missionary life.

A vocation into one of these ways of life is not an accident. It is first and foremost a call from God Himself. But in a world with so many voices, it is sometimes difficult to perceive the voice of the Good Shepherd. Our prayers, as individuals and a parish, are essential.

There are men being called to be priests and deacons in our parish. We need to help them to hear.

There are men and women being called to consecrated life in our parish. They are not always from someone else’s family.

I would not be your priest if it were not for the prayers of individuals in my life and my home parish. We need to help the young people from our parish to answer the call.

Sincerely through Jesus,

Fr. Jason