Location: St. Mary Catholic Church-Fredericksburg
Dear brothers and sisters, today, we gather to welcome Fr. Ian Robbins as the new Pastor of this community. You are a community of diverse background, united by our shared communion in Jesus. Pope Francis has acknowledged that parish priests are well aware of the wide variety among their parishioners, (quote) “since they know from within the life of God’s People, their joys and hardships, their resources and their needs. For this reason, a synodal Church needs its parish priests. Without priests, we will never be able to learn how to walk together and to set out on the path of synodality.” (end of quote). Good priests are always being nurtured by their flock, growing in skill and love.
Just as the prophet Elijah was nourished with the bread from heaven for his tough journey, we too must be strengthened with the Bread of Life – Jesus Christ.
In our first reading, Elijah, exhausted and overwhelmed, received sustenance from an angel, allowing him to journey for forty days and nights to Mount Horeb. This bread was not just physical nourishment; it was a divine provision that symbolized God’s sustaining presence and grace.
Similarly, as you welcome your new Pastor, we recognize that he, too, needs the nourishment of God’s Word and the Eucharist. His time with you may be short or long, but like Elijah, he embarks on a journey with God at the center. His mission is to help you get closer to Christ, the Bread of Life, who satisfies our deepest spiritual hunger.
Saint Paul encourages us to “be imitators of God, as beloved children,” living in love and embodying the virtues of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Fr. Ian Robbins is called to model these qualities, following in the footsteps of Jesus, who walked among us doing good and healing wounds.
As a community, you are invited to join him in this mission, striving to continue building a parish where love and mercy abound.
Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life.” This profound statement reminds us that Jesus offers Himself to us in the Eucharist, nourishing our souls and granting us eternal life. The Mass is a real encounter with the living Christ. Your new Pastor, in presiding over the celebration of the Eucharist – especially on Sunday – brings Christ’s life-giving presence into your midst, uniting you as one body in the Lord.
As you begin this new chapter, let us pray that God provides Fr. Ian with the grace, the strength, and the skills ne needs to serve everyone according to their needs. May he continue to be a vessel of God’s love, offering the nourishment of God’s Word and His sacraments to all, guiding you through the challenges of life with the assurance of Christ’s enduring presence.
Let us pray for the help of Our Lady of Guadalupe, for us to never end seeking our nourishment from the Bread of Life, which sustains us and leads us to eternal joy.
