The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the mercy of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. May the Lord intensify the hope within you so that your light may shine more brightly in your homes and in the world. On May 7, 2005, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, at his inaugural Eucharistic Celebration said; “In the saints' we can see how often they have been - and continue to be - first and foremost simple people from whom shone - and shines - a radiant light that can lead others to Christ.” We are these simple people, the saints, whose light must lead each other to Christ. Though we are simple we are strong, because together we have made an impact in our homes, our parish, our community, and our nation.

As I reflect on this past year I have seen tremendous generosity flow from your hearts into the hands of people around the nation. From the weekly filling of our food bank, the 500 families fed at Thanksgiving, the 450 children receiving gifts from our Jesse Tree, to the help offered to victims of Hurricane Katrina, you are the “radiant light” of which our Holy Father speaks.  You are my greatest gift and I love all of you with a fatherly love. I want to thank you for your support, your prayers, and your generosity. May the true light of Christ, be yours and may your generosity be returned to you a hundred times more. God bless you all.