Something for those of us in New Hampshire

I've decided to rededicate myself to getting and keeping current. It's kind of like a New Year's Resolution, but I made it in July - and I think it's going to be more helpful than those ritualistic Lenten "I'll give up chocolate" routines. Not that there's anything wrong with giving up chocolate, but this is going to require active participation on my part every day, which I think is something God would appreciate.

To the point. Scanning across the press releases on the Diocesan web site, I came across our Bishop's Pastoral Letter, One With Christ, regarding the changing Parish landscape in New Hampshire. As almost everywhere else in this country (or so it seems), we are faced with difficult times with a shortage of priests and in particular an interesting shift in demographics. The letter is painful to read at times because you know it involves the closing or merging of parishes, but it's something critical for everyone involved to understand. In my "A New Springtime" series, that has always been my underlying theme - we all must get more involved. And by that, I do not mean in the liberal "Spirit of Vatican II" sense, but that as members of this one Body of Christ it is imperative on us to know what is going on around us, so that we can offer our time, talent and treasure to the service of our Church whenever and however it may need it.