A Note From Father Rob

Twelve years ago, I attended my first St. James Bazaar, a grand event indeed. I was surprised by the variety of foods, crafts and pottery goods on display. I was also surprised by the number of people who came to make their purchases in the kitchen and in the parish hall, and certainly, I was surprised by the amount of money we made for our charities.

But mostly, I was surprised by the enthusiasm and the joyful spirit of the parishioners of St. James as they worked together on such a wonderful community event. It was a sight to behold and one I have never grown tired of being a part of. I have a lot of good memories of our bazaars over the years. Most of those memories are the memories of faces. I remember the faces of the people who brought in their wares. I remember the faces of our patrons as they waited patiently in line, and I remember the parishioners behind the tables, in the kitchen, at the sales table and in the parking lot. I remember a lot of faces. And on those faces, I seem to remember a lot of smiles.

I remember a lot of smiles because our bazaar has always brought us together with our neighbors, under the best of circumstances; working together to make a difference in our community. How can you not smile about that?

I look forward to gathering with you all tomorrow, once again, as we open the doors of St. James and offer our time and talents to our neighbors, to our friends and to our Lord.

See you tomorrow, Rob+