My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to each of you. As summer begins to unfold its warmth and light, I send a joyful greeting to each of you - families, young people, grandparents, and all the faithful of our diocese. This is a beautiful season, a time of sunshine and Sabbath - a moment to breathe deeply, to rest, to reconnect, and to rejoice in the gift of life.

With school out and many parish ministries taking a summer pause, the pace of life shifts, but this is not a time of spiritual idleness. It is an invitation to live our faith joyfully in the rhythms of rest, and renewal, and gratitude. Whether you are traveling on vacation, enjoying your backyard garden or barbecue, visiting grandparents or grandchildren, starting a new hobby, reading that novel you've been meaning to get to, or simply spending more time with those you love, let these moments be relished and touched by grace. 

I will have the great personal joy to spend some time with my own family, my mother and brother who live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, along the great shore of Lake Superior. It is a privileged moment that I cherish every year. 

Summer also gives us a chance to grow in gratitude. It offers us the space to reflect, to pray, to rediscover the beauty of silence, and to listen. Listen perhaps to a good podcast on faith or, even more deeply, to the voice of the Lord speaking in our hearts. Consider making a retreat, even just for a day, visiting one of our Jubilee pilgrimage churches in the diocese, or stopping in for Mass or simply for a quiet moment of prayer. These little pilgrimages can be powerful reminders that even in our rest, we are on the journey of faith, discovery, and wonder. 

This season also gives us the chance to prepare for the year ahead with joy and hope. Many of our parishes are already planning for the fall new catechetical programs, youth events, service opportunities, and community celebrations. Your prayers, your energy, your presence, and, yes, your joy are the heartbeat of our Church here in central and northern Alabama. So, this summer, I encourage you to enjoy the gifts that surround you, be with the people you love, and let the Lord refresh your soul.

May the season fill you with renewed gratitude for what the Lord has done and joyful anticipation and expectation - expectant hope - for what lies ahead. May Mary, our mother, watch over you, and may the peace of Christ dwell richly in your homes. May God bless you and happy summer.