August 19, 2015 – Excerpted from Put Out Into the Deep, Bishop DiMarzio’s column in The Tablet:

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Summer vacations are times when we can truly recreate. Not in the sense of physical enjoyment but rather in the sense of re-creation from which the word comes. Yes, summer is a time when we need to re-create the image of God that has been placed in us from our Baptism. We need time and distance upon occasion in order to take stock and rededicate ourselves to our life’s calling. Vacations are times away from our daily work where we can reflect on its true meaning, recharge our batteries, if you will, and return to our life’s work renewed with vim and vigor.

My hope is that this summer is giving you the opportunity to re-create yourself again. Do not forget to put yourselves in God’s presence. God is always present to us, but we sometimes forget that God surrounds us at all times in our lives. Vacation-time gives us that extra bit of leisure when we can contemplate the beauty of nature wherever we find it. It is the reflection of the Creator’s love for us. Those extra moments, minutes and hours of free time should be dedicated to some spiritual development and progress. Although most of the time we must find the presence of God in our busy daily lives, vacations offer us the unique opportunity to experience God’s presence at a time when we are usually close to family and friends enjoying well-deserved rest.

Read the full text of the Bishops column on The Tablet website.