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Dear Friends in Christ,

In today's first reading, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of the dreams of the faithful, the dreams that we know have come true in the love of Jesus Christ that we share. His prophecy speaks of the land blooming with abundant flowers, and the air filled with the sound of joyful song, and likens the wealth of our faith to the rich and beautiful lands of Sharon and Carmel.

Anyone who knows the history of the Church in this state, and in this entire area of the country, knows very well that the prophet might just as well have spoken of the gifts of Sharon and Washington, for in the faith and the hope of the Catholic people who have long dwelled in these cities and the country all around, are to be found the seeds of a glory that could not have been seen a century and a half ago, a local glory, born when believing souls first came to this place, and made it the home for their future and the future of their children.

And from this place, upon foot and horseback, the true faith of our Church slowly but persistently spread its rich and fruitful vines to the east and the south and the north. The fruits of Catholic endeavor now reach to all the counties, all the towns and cities of this state - but do not doubt, that if the roots of this great vine are searched for, then here, in Washington, here in St. Joseph Parish, those roots will be discovered - healthy, strong, pulsing with life, and still giving to the Church, a spiritual energy that remains vital and central to the health of our Church - the Catholic Church in North Georgia.

Another of the prophetic utterances of Isaiah is also fulfilled today - "they will meet with joy and gladness, for with divine recompense, God has come among His people."

Today, we know that our joy and gladness wears a special vestment, a vestment fashioned from and adorned with concrete and steel, rock and wood, in the design and fabric of the building we prepare to bless. And we know too, that this building is a sign, in a long history of signs, that our God is with us, remains with us, and cannot be taken away. In the one hundred and fifty years that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ has been celebrated in this place, there have been moments of weakness, there have been periods when the tie seemed stretched to the point of separation, and there have been disappointments, when what had seemed a strong presence, faded - and when good works thought to be permanent, left our midst, and found new homes in other places. But never has the love of the people who remained wavered - settled like a boulder of granite, hard with the strength of the faith, the soil of loyalty surrounding it, this Church, this parish has stayed, held on, renewed, and now once again, it grows strong and vibrant - strong with the energy of those who know how to cherish and hold on to the past, vibrant with the vision of those who know how to give, to hand on to the children among us, the best of what we have remembered, the best of what we know, the best of what we will dream.

All of these feelings, all of this history is present in the gift we receive today from God - His bringing to life in us joy and gladness, His bringing forth from our desires, our resources, and our labors, a fine building, a temple where He may be glorified - a school where the Faith that sustains us, will live anew, learned and held by the believers who will gather here, from this day forward.

And in the midst of this, Christ asks us: "What did you go out to see - and why did you go out?"

And with all love, all devotion, we answer, "We came out to see you, O Lord - and we came because we would be saved. Be pleased to accept the offering we make, this work of our hands."

Dear friends, today, we stand with our past at our backs, and our future in our hands - we place our feet firmly on this ground, and make our vow that this will long be our home, rich with heritage, and brimming with promise - St. Joseph's Parish, Washington - a place favored by God, filled with His Spirit, and touched by the loving hand of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

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