Dear Parishioners,

   This Wednesday I am having a significant birthday, I will be turning 60. As Cathy Priddy put it, “The Sixties are the youth of old age.” Moving into another decade of life on earth always gives pause for reflection. To think about the gift of life itself, where it came from and where it is going.  
      Almighty God is the origin of all life and my parents who participated in giving me the gift of life. My mother who formed me in her womb and loved me and my twin brother even before we were born. And the love she gave us didn’t stop. It was a gift of having seven siblings and growing up at a time that was relatively carefree. Growing up in a time free of computers and cellphones where we actually interacted with nature and built and destroyed things was a blessing. I feel so blessed to have grown up at the time when I did. 
    I feel so blessed to grow up in a family where the faith in Jesus was central to our life. Sunday worship and rosary as a family was who we were. My vocation to the priesthood I owe to my family and the way I was raised. My parents taught us a belief in God, a strong work ethic and the difference between right and wrong. I feel also blessed to have been raised in the family I was, in this country and in Eastern Washington.
    Looking back in my memories I can see only blessings and gratitude. Even the challenges and difficulties had their place and reason, mostly to trust more deeply in the hand of God guiding my life. The good Lord has surrounded my life with so much love, support and friendship. 
    And once I pass 60 I can say for sure that I am no longer “middle aged” and definitely on the back side of life. The journey, the pilgrimage, is going to one place: the grave and eternal life. I am happy to be closer to death because I am not afraid of death. I know Our Lord and his mother will be there to greet me when I close my eyes to this life and wake up into eternity. I look forward to what awaits me in eternity, it can only be amazingly good because we have a good and loving God who promises as St. Paul says, “Eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Fr. Vincent sent a quick update of his pilgrimage on Tuesday, Nov. 1:
We are in Sienna. It is a very beautiful town. We have walked over 100 miles so far. We walked through a famous wine region that makes Brunello wine from Sangiovese grapes (pictured below). The weather has been sunny and nice but rain may come by the end of the week. (More pictures were shared through Flocknotes - see past newsletters at www.chewelahcatholic.org)