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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy
(Your Christmas Gift)
Every Christmas, our church offers a special gift to our parishioners. In the past, we have been blessed to share books such as Holy Moments and 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory, thanks to the generosity of the Ladies Altar Society. This year, through their continued kindness and dedication to our community, we are delighted to present the book Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy. I am happy to offer a short summary of the book.
Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy is a brief and reflective work in which Matthew Kelly encourages readers to slow the pace of their lives so they can rediscover meaning, joy, and presence. His central message is clear: modern life is noisy, rushed, and fragmented-and unless we intentionally slow down, we risk missing what matters most.
The book highlights several key themes:
The Power of Pause
Kelly urges us to build intentional pauses into our daily lives-moments of silence, reflection, and
stillness that help us reconnect with ourselves, others, and God. Joy comes not from doing more, but
from doing less with greater awareness.
Choosing What Truly Matters
Much of our stress arises from saying yes to too many commitments. Kelly encourages pruning
unnecessary obligations, simplifying routines, and focusing on people and activities that genuinely
enrich our lives.
Living with Purpose
Joy grows when we align our days with our deeper purpose. Slowing down gives us the mental space
to ask important questions: What kind of person am I becoming? What do I value? Our daily choices
should flow from these answers.
The Gift of the Present Moment
Kelly reminds us that joy is often found in ordinary moments-conversations, nature, family,
gratitude-if we are fully present. The book invites us to reclaim our attention from distractions and
technology.
Practical Practices:
He offers simple, daily habits such as:
† taking brief moments of silence
† reflecting on daily blessings
† limiting media consumption
† simplifying our goals
† protecting time for relationships
Sabbath Opens Space for Joy
Kelly presents the Sabbath as an intentional rhythm of rest that helps us step away from busyness and
return to what truly matters. Rather than a rule to follow, it is portrayed as a restorative gift-one that
slows our inner pace and fosters presence with ourselves, others, and God. By letting go of constant
productivity, we make room for joy, peace, and gratitude through simple and life-giving moments.
Embracing Sabbath regularly nurtures a healthier, more grounded, and more joyful way of living.
Ultimately, the book teaches that joy is not something we chase; it is something we slow down enough to experience. By simplifying our lives, being present, and living with intention, we create the space for joy to naturally arise.
It is a timely book. Please read it and be blessed.
Merry Christmas.
A Pilgrimage of Faith and Family
My dear parishioners,
I am happy to inform you of my home visit from January 5th to February 11th, 2026. This time, two priests from the Diocese of Lafayette will be accompanying me, and I will be taking them to several well-known pilgrimage centers in India. These include the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle, four Marian Basilicas, several 500-year-old churches, the tomb of St. Teresa of Calcutta and the site of her first mission near a Hindu temple, the Taj Mahal, and my family home.
As you can imagine, my mother is eagerly waiting to see me. I assure you of my prayers for all of you at the holy places we will be visiting and offering Masses.
During my 14-day stay at home, I will also travel to my Diocese of Kadapa to visit my bishop on January 27th. In addition, I will attend my 1985 classmates' priests' reunion on February 4th and 5th, and I will celebrate the baptism of my nephew's baby on February 7th - he was married in September 2024. After that, I will prepare to return on February 10th and will arrive back here on the night of February 11th.
I will be away for five weekends. Fr. Mike Bergeron will cover four of those weekends, and one weekend will be covered by a priest from the Food for the Poor group. As our weekday Mass attendance is very low, I am sorry to inform you that there will be no weekday Masses during my absence. Please attend Mass at neighboring parishes on those days.
Wishing you all the best in the New Year.
In the Service of the Lord,
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