June 6, 2021

Dear St. Martin of Tours Family and Friends,

I have in past bulletins mentioned how important it is to say “Thank You” to God for all the good things he has given to us. Also, we should do the same with our parents, spouses, siblings, children, and friends. After all, it’s presumptuous and rude not to say “thank you.” Even my dog Dash has his way of saying “thank you” after I play with him or give him a treat. Shouldn’t we expect at least as much from human beings?

This is why I feel really terrible about how delinquent I am with writing thank you notes. So many of you have been so kind and thoughtful toward me (and Dash!), sending us Christmas cards, birthday cards, Easter cards, Father’s Day cards, and most recently Ordination Anniversary cards.

Yet I’m disorganized, and often I procrastinate. In fact, I still have a pile of addressed envelopes from Christmas 2020 to thank so many of you for your thoughtfulness. I did attack the pile a few months ago and then also last month, and maybe I got twenty of them out. But each note is always personalized. And since my handwriting is so terrible I can’t do too many at once.

As a result I was about seventy thank-you notes behind, then after my birthday, about 100, and now even more. In fact, I am so far behind, I don’t know what else to do now except to ask for your forgiveness.

Also, I want you to know that when I receive a card, a gift, food, or any note of support from you, my heart is grateful and glad, and say a prayer of thanksgiving for you. I do not in any way take your kindness for granted.

So, again, to all of you who have been so charitable toward me, I want you to know that I never take your kindness for granted. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will in the future try to do better, I promise!

As I write this note, it is Thursday morning. Today, according to The Flame of Love devotion, is a day of fasting on bread and water. It’s not easy! I still require my morning coffee. Three days ago (Monday) was also a day of fasting and truth be told I felt so terrible that by 6 p.m. I broke the fast (which is allowable as long as one pray the rosary); but I really wanted to do better. As we say “little by little” - so in time I expect to do the fast perfectly. I don’t intend to stop, since I do indeed want to save souls, release souls for Purgatory, bring blessings upon the parish, offer sufferings for your sick loved one, and so all I can to help Jesus.

I do wonder how many of you have chosen to take up some of the practices of The Flame of Love that were included in the bulletin from last week and the week before that? Take courage! Let’s all do a little extra for Our Lord, and He will respond with exuberant kindness.

Blessings—and— THANK YOU!