My dear Derebail Parishioners, Blessings to you all. May the Holy Redeemer be praised now and forever.

Merry Christmas

I, along with Fr. Kevin, wish you all a very Merry Christmas. May the Child Jesus shower His choicest blessings upon you, especially the elderly and the sick in our Parish Community. May the Child Jesus be born anew in our hearts, families, wards, and Parish.

Happy New Year 2025!

I extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyful and blessed Year 2025. This year is particularly significant as it marks the Jubilee of the birth of Jesus, our Lord. Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared 2025 as a Jubilee Year.

The Jubilee 2025 is an important event for the Catholic Church, providing an opportunity for spiritual renewal, pilgrimage, forgiveness, and a deepening of the Church’s mission of evangelization. In January 2024, Pope Francis announced the theme for this Jubilee: “Pilgrims of Hope.” He emphasized that this year will be a time to rediscover hope as a vital Christian virtue. In a world filled with challenges, disappointments, and fearful events, hope becomes our anchor. Hope strengthens us, encourages us, nourishes us, and leads us forward. Hope never disappoints—it is our stronghold.

Let us make this Jubilee Year vibrant within our parish. I warmly invite all parishioners to participate actively in the programs and activities we will organize during this holy year.

House Blessings

We will soon begin the annual house blessings. This is a cherished opportunity for spiritual renewal. When the clergy visits your home, gather together around your home altar in prayer, so that the Lord may bless your household and every member of your family. Let this be a moment of grace and spiritual enrichment.

May the New Year bring joy, health, and abundant blessings to us all. Be assured of my prayers for each one of you.

A New Year’s Resolution Prayer

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I will trust You always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.

(Thomas Merton)

Rev. Fr Joseph Martis

Parish Priest