I recently had the privilege of being a participant in the first virtual Zoom Alpha.
The word – Alpha – is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and it means – beginning. For me – Alpha was the beginning of a closer relationship to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit. Alpha shed a new light on the pathway of my Spiritual Journey. Alpha meets you where you are -and with no judgement – gently brings you closer to Jesus.
Alpha is a conversation that you have within you group. You bring your doubts, fears, concerns, and questions to your group. I stress that this is a conversation, not a Bible study or Catechism class.
As I navigated the ten sessions I found myself growing closer to Jesus and more aware of the Holy Spirit.
The weeks progressed – and I found myself bonding with my group members. This was very powerful for me. I was building relationships with people whom I knew casually from Church or from the neighborhood – and they were becoming my friends.
A deeply moving experience for me – was the virtual Prayer Retreat weekend – where members of my group prayed especially for me and my intentions. I truly felt the Holy Spirit’s Presence during this time.
So – as our Parish gift to you – go to our Parish website – divinemercyhamden.com . Follow the prompts for Alpha-2 – January 14th – and register. Ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to join Alpha with you. They needn’t be from our parish or Catholic. You can comfortably enjoy Alpha from your home in the coming weeks.
I promise you that after having gone through the Alpha course- you will view the situations in your life in a positive light.
I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to me today and on behalf of the Alpha Team – I wish you peace and joy as you usher in the New Year and enjoy a wonderful Alpha experience!
In closing, I’d like to read you a quote from my favorite inspirational writer- Katherine Galasso – Vigorito. She says: “Today is a new beginning. It’s a brand new chapter in your life that will overflow with meaning, contentment, and happiness. New friendship, new opportunities, and new joys are waiting for you”.
Thank you again and I hope to meet you on January 14th!
