Dear Catholic Deaf Community, We just celebrated the start of the new year (it felt like yesterday), and now February, the month of love, is here! Time is going fast indeed. It is a good reminder to live life to the fullest, count our blessings, and love others as God has loved us. I attended the National Catholic Office for the Deaf Pastoral Week in January. The presentations gave all the participants a time of self-reflection, faith growth, resources and an opportunity to learn about other Deaf ministries. I enjoyed meeting priests who recently started working with the Deaf community in their dioceses, which gives me Hope for the future. As always, it was great seeing Fr. Mike and being able to reconnect. Another pleasant surprise was seeing Annmarie Buchanan and meeting her two little ones. As you know, this is the Year of the Jubilee of the Pilgrims of Hope. The jubilee celebrations are a way to remind us that God the Almighty Father calls us to be reunited with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. A Jubilee year is a holy year that invites us to be united as a family. Pope Francis encourages us to meditate on the virtue of Hope. In a world filled with struggles, war and division, let us take time to pray, receive the sacrament of penance, and receive the Holy Eucharist more often to be filled with God’s love and hope to share with those around us. Lastly, the Deaf Eucharistic Congress in Maryland in April will feature Fr. Mike, Jeanine Adkins and Deacon Pat Graybill as guest speakers. This will be an excellent opportunity to fall in love again with Jesus present in the Eucharist and allow him into our lives! And where Jesus lives, there is Hope! May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 15:13