FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK……

November 16, 2003

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

We're rapidly moving toward the close of another liturgical year as well as the beginning of an entirely new one.  Next Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ, the King and is the last Sunday in this liturgical year of 2003.  That's why the Scripture readings for today focus on the theme of the "end time."  The Church wants us to look ahead and be ready for what is to come.

The end of a year and the beginning of another one has traditionally been a time to look back at the past year to sort out what must be forgiven and set aside from what should be kept and perhaps enhanced and built upon in the coming year ahead.  It is in this spirit, then, that I, as your pastor, would like to take advantage of the next six weeks to begin a renewal of our Sunday Liturgy here at the Old Mission.  There are three key documents that I'll use to help us accomplish this goal.  Two of them are pastoral letters written by His Eminence Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  As part of the Diocese of Monterey, we also belong to the Province of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.  It's only fitting, then, that we take the lead from our Cardinal Archbishop.  The first is titled "GATHER FAITHFULLY TOGETHER" and was promulgated on September 4, 1997.  The second is titled "AS I HAVE DONE FOR YOU" and was promulgated on April 20, 2000.  The third document is a brochure titled "HOW WE CELEBRATE THE LITURGY IN THE DIOCESE OF MONTEREY" distributed by the Monterey Diocese' Divine Worship Office in Advent of 2002.  These three documents will give us the basic principles for our renewal of Sunday worship here at the Old Mission.  I hope and pray that you will join me in this special project.

The chief objective of our liturgical renewal here at Old Mission San Miguel, is to promote, foster and enhance what our Cardinal Archbishop calls the "full, conscious, and active participation" of each one of us in our Sunday Liturgy as called for by the Second Vatican Council.  I'm convinced that if by the Holy Spirit's guidance we achieve this goal, our faith community here at the Old Mission will become an even greater blessing yet to the people we serve!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Raymond J. Tintle, OFM
Pastor