Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
I am very excited to share with you that we have exceeded our 2021 AMA Campaign; Recovery and Renewal goal of $250,000! Thanks to your generosity we now stand at just over $302,000. This is an amazing accomplishment in such a short period of time, and is a testament to your selfless stewardship and your commitment to our Carmel Mission community.
The parables in the Gospel today are both about the miraculous nature of growth, and about trust in God’s provenance. This is particularly fitting as we digest the success of our AMA campaign. The goals of the campaign, enhanced communication, the continued support of our virtual community, improvements to the visitor experience, and a look to the future as we celebrate our 250th anniversary year are, at their core, also about growth.
Over two hundred and fifty years ago, St. Junipero came to these shores trusting in God to help him preach the Good News of the Gospel in, what was to him, a New World. While faith was at the center of all he did, he did not wait idly by for God to do the work. He walked, and preached, and built, and fundraised, and loved with his whole heart. Overcoming countless difficulties, he continually said “Yes” to God’s call to service. He did not remain static, he grew and adapted as was required to meet the challenges of the day.
We have undergone a time of great challenge, and are only now beginning to realize the long-term impacts of the pandemic in our world. Our community was able to endure this difficult time, not because we had all the answers, but because we had faith in God’s ability to help us grow. Just as the tiny mustard seed can become the greatest of plants, we believe that God is working within us and our community to take the seeds of our investments, our efforts, and incubate and harvest them to bring about His Kingdom.
I thank God for your faith, for your fidelity, for your vision, and for your ongoing support of our beloved Carmel Mission. I wish you and your loved ones blessings of good health, new hope and profound peace,
Fr. Paul
Please take a moment to read our Carmel Mission Weekly Bulletin.