Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

God’s peace be with you and it’s my hope that you are glowing in God’s love. How blessed are we to be able to walk this earthly pilgrimage with one another as members of St. Irene Parish! No matter what may be happening around us, the parish is our safe haven. It is the place where we can come together, gathered around the Eucharistic table, to worship and serve our Lord.

It is also the place where we serve one another. Here in our community, united in God’s love, we are a visible sign of the body of Christ and together we can accomplish amazing things. Nourished by prayer and the sacraments, both old and new members of our parish family are on the path of discipleship and growing in relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ each day. We value formation in the faith and sharing our faith with others through evangelization. We also know the importance of bringing the love of God to our neighbors through acts of charity and service. Through our many ministries, and our social and service-oriented outreach programs, we put into action the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). St. John the Apostle eloquently emphasizes this truth: “If God so loved us, we also must love one another” (1 Jn 4:11). How blessed are we to be loved by God, and more so to share this love with others!

With this in mind, I invite you to respond to our parish’s new stewardship program: God’s Love Unites Us. Please review the contents of this brochure and prayerfully consider how you and your family can play an active role in continuing the work of Jesus Christ through our parish community. Our goal is to increase our Sunday offertory contributions to bring Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. This is no easy task in today’s climate, but I am confident that our dedicated parishioners and friends are up to the challenge.

Please contact the parish office about how you can participate.  We are counting on you! By participating in God’s Love Unites Us, we respond to God’s great gift of love by loving one another with the heart of His Son.

Thank you for your generosity, prayers, and commitment to St. Irene Parish! Blessed are the peacemakers who see the good in others, who help restore faith and love.

In Christ,

Fr. Clive Otieno