Milestones

My Dear Parish Family,

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
This beautiful, simple prayer is the first prayer I learned at age 3. It is probably one of the first prayers learned by most Catholic children around the world. It is pure Catholic prose complete with gestures! I was proud to practice, slowly, and finally figure out the hand motions … top of the forehead, deep down to the middle of the chest near the heart, then as far as I could reach from shoulder to shoulder, first the left then the right. Milestone conquered!

As a child, I imagined the sign of the cross as an invisible shield that helped me to be brave and strong in my faith and in my relationship with God. As an adult, the description of the vertical movement equating to my relationship with God and the horizontal movement pointing to my relationship with humankind is a wonderful reminder of our connectedness and our duty to those relationships. I make the sign of the cross 10 or 12 times a day. It reminds me who I am and whose I am. I find great comfort in that connection, that sense of belonging to something with deep meaning and great future, belonging to Jesus.

Today, our parish is blessed to have 105 candidates for Confirmation, receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads as Bishop Barron anoints them with oil and says, “Be sealed with the Holy Spirit.” With this sign and their response, these young people are making a milestone in their own lives, saying ‘yes’ to Jesus and a Christian way of life. Let’s support and encourage them and show them it can be done!

It has been one of my life’s great joys to be a member of the Padre Serra Parish staff alongside wonderful pastors, coworkers and volunteers in the vineyard of our parish home. I have worked hard and tried to give creative energy and physical might to help carry forward the richness our founders began. I am proud of our people and our accomplishments. Now, after more than 15 years on staff, I am retiring at the end of June.

I am ready for the next phase, the next milestone, with a heart wide open to whatever God has planned for me. I will continue to belong to our beautiful parish community as a participant and volunteer! I look forward to grandchildren and vegetable gardens, time to read, walk on the beach, travel the world, to being a homemaker making-home for my husband and family and even writing a book or two. Big and happy changes!

One thing remains the same, the commitment made for me at my Baptism and by me at my Confirmation, to find Jesus in the experiences of our lives and to share his love with others. I loved my job and appreciated the opportunities to see Jesus’ hand in the daily decisions, activities and people. I loved getting to know so many of you, thank you for sharing your lives with me. For those whom I have had the privilege to minister to in Faith Formation, especially those in youth and young adult ministry, I loved loving you, as a mom loves her kids, helping them grow and letting them go.

Jesus said, “I will be with you always.” I have seen him in all of you. Amen.

With a grateful heart, Siempre Adelante!

Eve Collier
Parish Life Minister

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