Dear Friends:

Can you believe that we haven’t worn green on a Sunday in Ordinary Time since February 14? We’ve had many special celebrations for the last four months. We’ve celebrated Lent, Easter, Pentecost, the Ascension, the Holy Trinity, and Corpus Christi. Now we return to the Sundays of Ordinary Time. We have to be careful, though, to fall into the trap of thinking our weekly celebrations are now “ordinary.” Especially this year, we can all gather together again in church. But there are other things to think about. In the Mass, God speaks to us through His Word. We witness a miracle happen on the altar, as bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. And then we are able to receive Jesus and he literally becomes one of us. What’s “ordinary” about that?

Remember to keep July 11 on your calendar for Mass at 10 AM at Shadowland Pavilion with Bishop Bradley to be followed by our parish picnic! We won’t celebrate a 12:00 noon Mass that day downtown, and some have asked if we need to have a 9:00 AM outdoor Mass at south, since the mass with the bishop is also outdoors at 10. I need to look into that a bit, so stay tuned. With guidelines and restrictions being lifted or changed, there have been questions about group and organization meetings returning to “in person.” Right now, I’m aiming for those to resume after July 1. I’ll need to confirm that as we get closer to that date. There will still be some scheduling considerations, ways to sanitize meeting space, wearing masks for those who need to, etc. Along those lines, we will be initiating a parish group/ organization annual registration process in August/September. I’ve also discussed this with the Parish Council, which we will be reorganizing as well. So, it remains a busy time…” work” is more “behind the scenes” during the week in the parish. But the Sunday obligation remains and is always the highlight of the week. For those who are on vacation, or those who are going on a vacation, remember this: there is no vacation from our vocation as Catholic Christians.

Many thanks again to those who brought red geraniums at Pentecost. As you can see, they have been planted and they look great. You’ll notice that we have put new mulch down… with a little more to be spread yet. I believe that we must do what we can to honor God’s house and landscaping like this and more is a great way to do that. Plus, it’s great for us, our visitors, and those driving by as it shows warmth and life!

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ! Fr. John

Dear Friends:

Even though “Ordinary Time” has already resumed, the Church continues her Sunday celebrations following the Easter Season.  First, we celebrated the Ascension of the Lord, then last week we celebrated Trinity Sunday and today we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  This year, our celebration is particularly special as people are returning to Mass after over a year of closures, dispensations, guidelines and restrictions.  One of the blessings of the COVID-19 pandemic could be that it strengthened some people’s desire to come to Mass and receive the Eucharist.  On the other hand, it could be that some don’t plan on returning… they have become “used to” not being at Mass.  We certainly see that with our perpetual adoration chapel… which I am told was so successful prior to the pandemic.  Now we can only get enough people to sign up for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  What happened?  We will be working hard on this.  To get the ball rolling, our website will have the capability of having a place for people to sign up for adoration times.  In the meantime, today’s Solemnity can give us pause to ask ourselves how important is the Body and Blood of Christ to us?

I’m happy to say that guidelines and restrictions continue to be lifted and adjusted by the diocese regarding our parishes.  Here are some of them, and how they affect us:  First, our churches can return to 100% capacity.  We are encouraged to provide a small section in the churches for those who may need to wear masks and/or remain socially distant.  We have done that already, but it appears that we will only need a small section of a few rows.  Second, those who have been fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks if they do not want to.  However, ushers are asked to wear masks while performing their responsibilities.  Third, we are encouraged to continue to celebrate a Mass outdoors, which we will do.  Starting this weekend, the 4:00 PM Saturday Mass at St. Joseph South will be held indoors, and the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass will be outdoors.  (This also makes sense in terms of what time the heat of the day is most challenging).  Next, we are able to start using our holy water fonts again.  They will be emptied and cleaned weekly.  Also, our clergy and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will only need to wear masks during the distribution of Holy Communion.  EMHC may begin bringing communion to the sick, provided the pastor is aware and has been given permission by him (through the parish office). We will now be able to have more than two altar servers in the sanctuary.  Indoor and outdoor activities may resume, but according to current state guidelines.  The same goes for parish meetings… so now meetings can be held as long as the location stays under the official capacity of the room.  Anyway, these are basically the rules that are directly applicable to most of us.

In other news… many thanks to those who have helped us reach our 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal successful!  Of course, we continue to receive pledges and gifts, because now any dollar raised will come back to the parish.  We are still reaching out to those who gave last year but have yet to make a gift this year.  But again, many thanks!

Again, remember to mark your calendars for Mass with the bishop, to be followed by a parish picnic… each to be located at Shadowland Pavilion.  More details are coming, but save the date!

On a personal note, this week I celebrate my 51^st birthday.  One unexpected gift that I received this year is the gift of my still-new parish family.  I’ve joked that I feel like I am starting all over again, because now we can greet one another outside the church, and now I can see everyone’s face from the nose down!  I’m sure that feels good for all of our vaccinated parishioners who wish to take off the masks.  So please be patient with me as we meet each other again!

Finally, a special welcome to all those who are visitors to our parish because of vacations or because they have returned to our area for the Summer.  We are happy you are here!

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ… Now and Forever!  Fr. John
 

Dear Friends:

While the Easter season has now ended, we continue special celebrations as today we celebrate Trinity Sunday.  On this day, we recognize our belief in our one God, in three persons.  This great mystery is a mystery we could call love in perfection.  We believe that the love between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is so perfect… so self-giving, they are one God, and three persons.  In the second reading, Saint Paul refers to all three persons.  And we have to take special account of how he reminds us that God the Father is “Abba.”  That word, uttered by Christ himself, is sometimes translated, “daddy.”  Imagine what that means to us… our God who has an affection for us like a “daddy” has to his child.  When we see this, we recognize a lot about the Holy Trinity’s relationship with us.

This weekend we celebrate Memorial Day, recalling and commemorating the sacrifice of men and women for the sake of our country.  We should never forget their sacrifice; nor should we forget about the men and women who serve our country now.  For those who have died in service to our country, may eternal rest be granted unto them!

I want to extend a special welcome to any visitors that we have this weekend.  Memorial Day weekend is always the “unofficial” beginning of summer, so we know there are folks here to join us today that we may not normally see.  I’ve also begun to meet our “snowbirds” who come from far and near and are our “summer” parishioners.  A big welcome to you as well.

With all of the rapid changes in guidelines due to COVID, it’s hard to predict any changes each week.  Remember that I author this column the Monday before each weekend, so it is hard for me to predict how the guidelines could change.  Based on our experience last weekend, I think what we did to follow changed guidelines worked well.  First, it is no longer necessary to wear masks in church; although some should or need to.  For those who do, we have sectioned off about ¼ of the front sections of the church where the pews are still open every other row, plus limited seating in each pew.  That helps maintain appropriate social distancing guidelines.  For everyone else, we have returned to seating as usual.  Second, we will not need to use our planned “sign up” for masses.  Since we have more available seating, we should be fine to accommodate everyone according to their need. 

Now some very special news!  You may recall that Bishop Bradley was planning to be at our parish on June 27 to celebrate a special Mass for the Year of Saint Joseph, that would include my “liturgical” installation as pastor.  I think it is safe to say that we have even more to celebrate as we see COVID guidelines restrictions being lifted.  So, instead of the Bishop coming on June 27, he will preside at the Sunday 10:00 AM Mass on July 11 at Shadowland Pavilion, to be followed by a Saint Joseph Parish Picnic!  I’m told there has not been a Saint Joseph Parish Picnic for some time, and this setting will work great come rain or shine.  (But, please God, don’t let it rain that day!). So, please mark your calendars for that special day when we can all celebrate together.  (By the way, we will not celebrate a 12:00-Noon Mass on that day.) More information will be forthcoming.

I am delighted to say that we have reached our goal for the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal!  I knew that our parish would reach and exceed our goal.  As a result, provided that everyone keeps up on their pledges, our goal has been reached.  We will, however, still reach out to those who gave last year and who have not given this year, because every dollar we reach above the goal is returned to the parish.  In any case, my deepest thanks to those who were generous and made gifts to this important annual appeal.

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!

Fr. John

Dear Friends:

Today, we celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter and we are growing closer to the end of the Easter Season, but we still have a few weeks to go.  This week, I was struck by a line in today’s Gospel, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.”  Jesus wants us to be part of his joy. He wants to remain in us.  The Risen Jesus wants us to share in his risen life.  And these things result in one thing: joy.  Sometimes, I think joy is a decision, more than something that just happens within you.  Think about it.  Even amid many hardships, we can choose to see the good that God does around us and, as a result, we can be joyful regardless of the circumstances.  Are we not feeling very joyful today?  Maybe it is because we are not choosing to be joyful… despite what Jesus wants for us.
Have you picked up some red geraniums yet?  Remember two weeks from today, when we celebrate Pentecost, we are asking parishioners to bring to Mass a red geranium (or a few if you’d like!)  These flowers will be planted around the church grounds (at both locations).  Planting these geraniums together is a great visual reminder of how we can be one with each other.  So don’t forget!
One of the happy results of more and more people getting their COVID vaccine shots (which I hope we are all doing) is we are quickly seeing a rise in Mass attendance.  Of course, this also presents some challenges.  Currently, the diocesan guidelines are that we can have 50% of capacity in the church, provided we still maintain safe social distancing.  It’s hard for us to do both, but we are trying.  The 10:00 AM Sunday Mass is growing the fastest.  The last thing, I want to do is to turn people away because we have reached capacity.  On the other hand, we should remember that our parish celebrates seven masses every weekend.  Two of them, of course, are celebrated outdoors where we don’t have limited seating.  Two ways we can help one another out is thinking about changing the Mass time you prefer to attend.  A second one is to remember to make room for other parishioners where there are seats available that are at a safe distance.  Regardless, we must continue to wear our masks, especially inside the church.  Please give all of this some thought and thanks.
Speaking of thanks, many thanks to those who have made positive responses to the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  In just a couple of weeks, we are off to a strong start.  But this is where it gets more difficult.  By now, many who understand the need to give have done so.  Some know, they need to give, but they haven’t done so.  Then some might be holding back, hoping that “the other guy” will take care of it.  Like the red geraniums, we all need to participate.  Would you please consider making a sacrificial pledge or gift this week?
Tuesday night is special for our second graders this week.  They will be celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time, and in preparation for their First Communion.  (Speaking of which, there are two First Communion Masses next weekend.  That means nine masses for your priests… ten if you include the Saturday morning Mass).  As our young people approach these sacraments for the first time, please remember to keep them in prayer.  They are an inspiration to us such that we see the joy in their eyes… and maybe a little trepidation… in their eyes, and remind us how important these sacraments are for all of us!
Finally, I look forward to attending a special celebration on Wednesday evening for Bishop Bradley, as he is celebrating his 50^th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood (the actual date was last weekend).  As he celebrates the gift of priesthood, let’s remember to pray for him as our chief shepherd!
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John

Dear Friends,
Our Easter celebration continues today, as we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter.  It’s good for us to be reminded that the Easter season is not over.  In fact, we celebrated 40 days of Lent, and it was easy for us to remember.  But we tend to forget that the joy of Easter is celebrated for 50 days!  So as the weather turns warmer… up and down lately… remember to keep in mind the joy and springtime of Easter!
In the second reading, we heard Saint John tells us, “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.”  In other words, we can say all kinds of things about how we are Christians, but if we aren’t living it seriously, it really, doesn’t mean much.  I invite us to look back at the week.  See if our actions didn’t reflect our faith.  If we are honest, I’m willing to bet that some of our words or actions didn’t “love in deed.”  We could try harder this week!
A few weeks ago in this column, I mentioned that I have a tradition of calling Pentecost Sunday “Red Geranium Sunday” as well.  Pentecost falls on May 23 this year, which is three weeks away.  I encourage our parishioners to buy a red (not pink) geranium and bring it to Mass or drop it off sometime the week before Pentecost.  We could do this at either location… downtown or south.  Then, the following week, all of those geraniums are planted around the grounds.  It not only gives God’s house a fresh look but planting them together reminds us of unity with one another.  It has been my experience that the red geraniums sell the fastest.  So, if you are buying flowers for your garden, perhaps consider buying a red geranium or two for the church.
Many thanks to those who have given a positive response to participating in the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  People are “stepping up to the plate” as I had hoped we would.  But we have a long way to go to reach our goal of $182,181.00.  Please join me in making a generous gift to the Appeal.  I would never ask you to do something that I won’t do myself, so let’s all make our pledges and gifts together.  Remember, our gifts must be over and above what we give consistently every weekend.
I look forward to meeting with both our parish council and our finance council (in separate meetings) this week.  This week, Fr. Arul and I continue meeting with all of our Confirmation candidates and having brief one-on-one meetings with them.  He and I will also be “role-playing” confessions to help prepare our young people for their first confessions.  I also look forward to conducting some observations in our theology classes in our middle school and high school.  As Pastor of our parish, and as Canonical Pastor of the Lake Michigan Catholic Schools, I take some time to sit in our theology classes and enjoy listening to the teachers and observe the reaction of the students.  So, it’s another busy and blessed week!
It’s been great to see people returning to Mass.  Last weekend, I especially enjoyed the 10:00 AM Mass on Sunday, because it’s the first time I have gotten a glance at how many young families and children that we have here.  As I said, after that Mass, I miss two special traditions that I have.  First… at all of the masses that I celebrate on the weekend, I like to shake the hand, “high five,” or “fist bump” our young people, as I recess out of the church.  That’s reserved for kids only!  And at one Mass… here it will be the 10:00 AM, I like to call the children forward and ask them a question of some kind, and give each a blessing.  COVID has prevented me from doing that, but I sure look forward to it in the future!
I want to extend a special word to those who attend the outdoor masses at St. Joseph South.  We intend to continue these masses for some time.  But, could I ask you to sit a little closer to the altar?  I believe in social distancing, but everyone is so far away!  Just a friendly thought from your pastor!
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John

Dear Friends:

Our Easter celebration continues with what is “unofficially” called “Good Shepherd Sunday.”  One of the things today that I reflect on is the gift of the priesthood.  In particular, on what it means to be a pastor.  Despite my weaknesses, mistakes, and sinfulness, I have been entrusted with this important office.  Last week, I reached the “milestone” of serving and leading this parish and our schools for 150 days.  For me, anyway, I am reminded of how short a time I have been here.  I’ve celebrated about 20 Sunday masses with you.  Those days included the Christmas season, Holy Week, and the Easter Season.  So, all and all, we haven’t been together very long.  And, of course, there is COVID.  I look at the words of Jesus in the gospel: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me…”. COVID has made it hard to “get to know one another.”  But, over time, we will get there.  Today, also reminds me of the responsibilities the Church entrusts to me.  Specifically, the Church says that the pastor is sent by the bishop to “teach, sanctify, and govern.”  On this “Good Shepherd Sunday,” I humbly ask for your prayers and your support in these challenging days.

This week, the priests of the Diocese of Kalamazoo will gather with Bishop Bradley for our annual convocation.  As such, I will celebrate the Monday morning Mass but then head for the convocation.  There will be no Tuesday or Wednesday Masses since no priest will be available to celebrate them.  Our convocation is a time for learning, but also for gathering together as one body (this year, either in person or online). 

Last weekend, we “kicked off” the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  This weekend and next, I will celebrate the masses downtown and at St. Joseph South to give my perspective on the importance of the Appeal.  Our goal this year is $182,891.00.  Looking back at the numbers, I can see that the parish is very capable of reaching this goal.  I’ll be honest, and say, that I am concerned this year that we won’t, if the gifts are comparable to the Sunday collections.  As you know, we are behind in Sunday collections, which I assume is because of the rule that we still need to limit indoor capacity to 25% of capacity.  Of course, the outdoor Mass at St. Joseph South helps that a lot.  But remember, our gifts to the Annual Appeal are always over and above what we give each week in the Sunday collection.  It is my intention, that our participation in the Appeal will continue until we reach our goal. 

As you know, last week I took some days off in order to recharge a bit.  Although I must admit, more than half the time, I was answering emails, taking part in zoom meetings, etc.  But a new atmosphere was most welcomed.  Many thanks to Fr. Arul and Fr. Tran for their “extra” work during those days.

In many ways, we begin our season of Confirmation and First Communion this week.  For example, on Saturday we will have a special time for our young Confirmation students to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for their Confirmation.  In the coming days, Fr. Arul and I will be preparing our young people for their first confession by doing role-plays for them.  He and I will also be interviewing our Confirmation candidates on what they have learned and to ensure they are ready to receive this great Sacrament.  So, these are busy days, and we should keep all of our young people in mind as they prepare to take these important next steps in their spiritual journey as Catholic Christians.

Please remember that registration for our Lake Michigan Catholic Schools continues.  There is tuition assistance available for those who are in need.  In these early days of my pastorate, I have been impressed by our schools, and I am starting to see a direction we can go to make them even stronger. 

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!

Fr. John
 

Dear Friends:

As we continue our Easter season celebration, our Gospel reminds us of another appearance of the Risen Jesus to his disciples.  In reviewing it, I was thinking about where we hear Jesus ask, “Why are you troubled?  And why do questions arise in your hearts?”  In our troubled world today, it is easy and understandable to be troubled.  We wonder why we see so many challenges… COVID, racial unrest, political issues, etc.  So, it’s easy to have “questions arise in our hearts.”  Yet, we have to remember and believe in Jesus, Risen from the dead.  If we pray and think about how he conquered sin and death, we really can find peace in our hearts.  We need to remember to turn to the resurrection as our confidence and strength.  He is risen, and that means a lot!

Today, our parish begins the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  As we start this important campaign, I want to offer two thoughts.

First, and most importantly, this annual campaign is very important to us and our diocese.  Like other dioceses in the country, this is the major source of financial support for so many of the initiatives, efforts, and ministries of the diocese.  In fact, all of us benefit from this appeal.  Sometimes it isn’t immediately obvious to us.  There are many things where our parish receives support so that we can accurately and properly carry out some of our ministries.  By now, you should have received at least one mailing from the diocese that lists those things that the money supports. 

Second, there is a financial reality for our parish.  This year, our goal is $182,891.00. Happily, if everyone repeats their 2020 pledge and gift, and we have some new donors, we will reach the goal.  The goal has been lowered for us, three years in a row.  But, that’s not necessarily good news.  In part, it reflects what I would consider a dramatic drop in Sunday collections over the past couple of years.  While I know COVID had something to do with it, the reality is that we need our parishioners to return to Mass as guidelines are lifted.  At the same time, we need our parishioners who have given regularly in the past, to continue to do, so even if COVID has kept them from giving.  For example, last week’s collection was very disappointing.  We collected only $11,372.00.
That’s one of the worst collections since the fiscal year began, and the fourth-lowest since I became pastor about 20 weeks ago.  (I hope that’s no reflection on me!)  Our 2020 Easter collection was about $34,000 and there were no masses, and this year’s collection was only about $19,000 and there were masses!  So, something is array… I’m just not sure what yet.  So, we have some work to do.  I’m praying that, as I said above, the resurrection will be our confidence and strength!

Please give all of this some prayerful thought, and thank you in advance for your positive response, which I hope we can count on.

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!

Fr. John

Dear Friends:

The joy of Easter continues this week as we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday.  This past week and concluding today, we have celebrated the “Octave” of Easter… eight days of Easter joy.  Each day was as if each day was still Easter Day.  And the joy of the Easter season continues through Pentecost Sunday, May 23!  So, we have lots of time to continue to celebrate Easter.  (By the way, as you are buying flowers for your gardens and lawns, please consider picking up an extra red geranium or two.  Every year, I have asked parishioners to bring red geraniums to Mass on Pentecost.  We then take those geraniums and plant them around the grounds.  It’s sort of a sign of our unity together).

But today, though, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday.  This special day was “given” to us by Pope Saint John Paul II, marking the moment that the Risen Lord appeared to his disciples in the upper room and “mercy” to them. Along with that, we see one of the foundations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Today at our downtown church we will hear confessions from 1:15 PM to 3:00 PM.  During this time, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar, and the rosary prayed at 2:00 PM.  At 3:00 PM, we mark an “hour of divine mercy” with special prayers and songs.  Finally, at 3:45 PM, we mark the end of this special time with Benediction.  This time is a special “collaborative” effort and we are happy to host this unique time of prayer.

In the Diocese of Kalamazoo, today also marks the official beginning of the 2021 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.  At our parish, our “unofficial” beginning will be next weekend.  Many thanks to those who have already given donations in advance.  Reaching our goal will be particularly important this year.

Speaking of finances, we were very disappointed in the collection on Easter Sunday.  In fact, it was only one-half of what the collections were in previous years (excluding last year when COVID caused a huge hit on collections).  Obviously, this is of great concern to us, especially during the same time as the Annual Appeal.  Clearly, we will have to spend more time talking about parish finances.  Please give this some careful thought and prayer.

However, some projects are budgeted that cannot wait.  You will see that we are doing some tuckpointing on our buildings.  I’m told this has been put off for some time.  Eventually, we will need to look at a new roof for the church itself.  (In my confessional, for example, a small section of the ceiling fell in because of water damage).  So, I’m concerned, but I pray and trust our parishioners will rise to the occasion.  Maybe all of these issues are good ways to use part of stimulus checks or tax returns!

I want to extend a sincere word of thanks to those who made our Triduum celebrations so very special.  From the decorations to the music to volunteers, etc., I think our liturgies were beautiful.  Happily, we have been seeing more and more people return to Mass, although at Easter we reached our “limit” in allowed capacity.  Holding Mass outdoors at our South location has helped with that.  Please know we are doing everything we can to follow the guidelines that we have been given by the Diocese.  I don’t want to see people turned away at the door, so we continue to find ways to make sure our pews can be as filled as possible while remaining within guidelines.

While there are some who returned from “Spring Break” today, I will begin a few days away tomorrow.  You can well imagine how the Easter celebrations beg for a few days away to follow!  I often spend much of those days checking email, returning phone calls, and participating in online meetings.  Still, it is nice to get away!

Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!

Fr. John

Dear Friends:
He is Risen!  He is truly Risen as he said!
As I do every year, I want to offer special Easter greetings to all of our parishioners.  I also welcome your family members who may have been able to join you for Easter.  I also welcome those who may be visiting us from other parishes and places.  We are in the midst of “Spring Break,” so there may be those who are here who are enjoying our wonderful lakeside community.  And I especially welcome those who may not come to Mass regularly.  Please know that you are always most welcome here.  This past year has been a time that so many people haven’t been able to come to Mass.  Maybe this year, as restrictions are lifted, both those who regularly attend Mass and those who don’t come to Mass regularly will remember that our parish is your home, and we look forward to seeing you each week!
This year, we celebrate the “Year of Saint Joseph,” our patron.  While the official beginning of this special year was on December 8, we began ours just recently on March 19 (the Feast of Saint Joseph).  What a terrific time to renew our love for our parish, and dedicate ourselves to the patron of the Church.  Last week, we learned that Bishop Bradley will be celebrating Masses at the parishes in our diocese that are dedicated to Saint Joseph.  His priority will be to visit those places where the pastor has yet to be “officially” installed.  That includes us… so we look forward to the diocese setting that happy day.
Easter joy also makes me think more about our Catholic Schools.  We are so privileged to have a Lake Michigan Catholic Schools system.  School registration is ongoing.  One of the many blessings of our schools is that we have had face-to-face learning in our classrooms, while our good counterparts remain virtual.  That has been very beneficial to our kids and families.  Since I arrived in late November, I have seen so much that our schools offer.  And the head of our school system, I hope our families are giving serious consideration to sending their kids to our schools.  I’m happy to announce that, while limited, some private donors have come forward, and offered me money, to offer small amounts of tuition assistance to our families.  These dollars have been unsolicited, which shows the dedication some have for our Catholic schools.  Of course, I welcome other private donors who may like to make donations to the parish that are restricted, at my discretion, for tuition assistance.  These dollars are reserved for new students to our system, or those who are returning to our schools after they left a year or more ago.  I also have special requirements (such as attendance and GPA) to receive these monies.  The dollars are very limited, but if you are interested please let me know.  There are many other ways to help finance student tuition, and the benefits far outweigh the sacrifice!
I am very grateful to a group of parishioners (our stewardship team) who has been reaching out to our parishioners via personal phone calls to let them know how our parish is here for them.  At first, they are reaching out to our older parishioners… especially those who may be sick or homebound.  Some have been “homebound” because of COVID.  In any case, it is a great example of how our parish is alive and well, and we hope to see it grow and thrive!
Again, on behalf of Fr. Arul, Fr. Tran, and our deacons, I wish all of you a very blessed and happy Easter!
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John

Dear Friends:
Today, we join the Universal Church by crying out, “Hosanna, hosanna,” just as they did when Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem.  Many don’t realize that the word “hosanna” can be translated as “help us!”  So, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people were acclaiming Jesus as King and begging him for his help.  Sometimes, we forget to do that.  We tend to take the entire world on ourselves and forget that Jesus, who suffered and died for us, can help us along the way.  Today, let’s be sure we remember to always sing “hosanna” to the King of Kings; recognizing that we cannot do it without his help!
Of course, today, we begin the holiest week of the year.  This year our “Holy Week” is particularly joyful because we can be together again; albeit with some limitations.  Remember last year… we were restricted to ten people in the church for all of the masses and liturgies of Holy Week and Easter Sunday.  This week, while following the required guidelines, we can welcome more people through the doors of our churches.  Happily, we resume our outdoor masses this weekend at Saint Joseph South (weather permitting, of course).  This helps us a lot because many more people can attend Mass.  We are still restricted to maintaining a maximum number of people in the churches.  We are getting close to reaching that maximum number, but we haven’t hit that number yet.  We’ve added a few seats in the church so that more people can come in… while still maintaining “social distance.”  Happily, more and more people have been getting their vaccine shots, so that is making us more comfortable in coming to Mass. 
At Christmas, we planned for “overflow seating” in the Rose Center if more people came to Mass than capacity would allow.  We didn’t need those extra seats.  While the weather is better in the Spring, we didn’t plan on overflow seating for Easter.  Now, the circumstances are different… we have outdoor Masses at St. Joseph South, and we are now able to “Livestream” the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass.  This year, we will be live-streaming the Holy Thursday Mass, the Good Friday liturgy, and the 10:00 AM Mass on Easter Sunday.  That should be plenty to accommodate all of the people who want to be part of celebrating the sacred days of the Easter Triduum.
One of the changes we will see this Holy Week is, how the Eucharist will be adored on Holy Thursday night.  Because of limited seating (and even if there wasn’t), we will repose the Blessed Sacrament in a tabernacle and placed, near the statue of Saint Joseph.  This year, adoration will continue until midnight, when I will lead a very brief prayer.  I have done this for many years, and I find it a very special and sacred time.  I’d encourage anyone who would like to spend some time with the Lord to join me in adoration until midnight on Thursday evening.
Did you know that the most sacred Mass of the entire year is the Easter Vigil?  Sadly, it is also one of the least attended.  Maybe this year more people may consider coming to enjoy this sacred celebration.  We will also welcome one person, Keene Taylor, into the Church, and I will also confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on him.  We are blessed because many parishes do not have anyone to baptize or receive into the Church this year (due to COVID).  But we will welcome one man as part of our common Catholic faith.
Would you like your Easter dinner foods blessed?  We will hold the annual special blessing of Easter food on Saturday at 11:00 AM on the steps of the rectory.  This is always a special way to prepare for Easter, and all are welcome/ No restrictions, except wear your masks!
Have a blessed Holy Week, and let’s keep one another in prayer.
Praised be Jesus Christ1
Fr. John