Dear Friends:
The Easter season is flying by as we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Easter today. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus command us to “love one another.” This can be tough to do because it is hard to define the word “love.” What does Jesus mean by “love?” I don’t he thinks is expecting that we are going to like everyone around us, but we should treat them, for example. with respect as a person created in the image and likeness of God. Or maybe he means doing things towards others so that it is a sacrifice of some kind. The scriptures refer to “love” often. But they don’t always mean the same thing. As Jesus loves us with deep, unending love, we should find ways to do the same to others.
Many thanks to those who have made their pledges and gifts to the 2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. As I mentioned before, our goal is to see if we can reach the goal by Pentecost Sunday, June 5. That may be a tall order, but we reached the goal so quickly last year, we hope we might be able to do the same this year. Of course, we need everyone to at least repeat their gift from last year, and we need parishioners who haven’t given before to join the rest of us in making a sacrificial donation. Also, remember that if you are giving your gift online, be sure to indicate in the appropriate place that you are from St. Joseph Parish, St. Joseph. Envelopes will remain available in the church until the goal is reached. Many thanks for your support.
As a reminder once again, Pentecost Sunday is also “red geranium Sunday” for our parish. Remember to purchase red geraniums and bring them to church on the weekend of June 5. Remember, the red ones always sell out the quickest, so don’t forget to buy one soon! In the days following Pentecost, the geraniums will be planted around our parish.
Next Saturday, we look forward to celebrating First Communion. This is always a great Mass as we witness our young people receive Holy Communion for the first time. They are truly an inspiration for us because they can remind us of how we could elevate our enthusiasm and love for Jesus present in the Eucharist. Please pray for these young people as they approach the table of the Lord for the first time.
Remember that we have started to designate tuition assistance for students who require it. This process is ongoing so it is not too late to enroll and apply. Of course, the sooner the better before monies are all distributed over the next few weeks. Please contact the school for more information. It’s an exciting time in our school. We’ve seen new families enrolling over the past few weeks. Please remember to keep our school in your thoughts and prayers as we make exciting changes and strengthen many of the good things we already have. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake, Pray for us!
Next week, Fr. Arul will begin a five-week trip to India. Please keep him in your prayers as he makes his final preparations. He is very excited to go home and visit his family and friends. We will certainly miss him over this extended period. This will be a busy week of preparation for him, and we wish him well as he prepares for his extended visit home.
Have a great week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Every year, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” This year’s Gospel starts this way: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Of course, we are the “sheep” of Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. Think of some places where we hear the shepherd’s voice. We hear him in Sacred Scripture, in our prayer, in church, in nature, and many others. A simple reflection this week could be to consider when and where Jesus may be speaking to us. We should remember that often, the Good Shepherd speaks in a whisper. We need to listen carefully to the voice of Jesus in our midst.
Many thanks to those who have already sent in their pledge or gift to the 2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Last weekend we “officially” kicked off our campaign. This weekend is when we get into full swing. If you are like me, my mailing from the diocese came this past Monday with my pledge card and information about the Appeal. If you have given before, you will see on the pledge/donation card the sacrificial gift that you made last year. We are putting envelopes in the pews and seats both downtown and the south. These envelopes will remain there until we reach the goal.
Our goal is to finish the campaign by Pentecost Sunday, June 5, if possible. So, if you have given before, please make your pledge/gift before then, as I will do. Perhaps we could all consider raising our gift a little bit this year since the goal is a little higher. And, please, if you have not given before, our parish and our diocese need everyone’s help to reach and exceed our goal that helps so many people and programs. Remember, every dollar that we fall short of the goal must come from parish savings, but every dollar reached over the goal comes back to the parish. As always, many thanks for your donation!
Speaking of June 5, please remember to bring to mass a red geranium for our gardens, as we did last year. Pentecost is a little later this year, and the red geraniums are always the ones that sell out first. So, if you can pick one up now, maybe care for it until bringing it to Mass the weekend of June 5.
Over these past few weeks, we have filled a lot of empty and new positions in our parish and school. At the school, we hired a new elementary school principal for the 2022-2023 school year, a new business manager, a new theology and Latin teacher, a new school counselor and we recently hired a new Director of Enrollment Management in the school; a position that was created because of our plan for the future of the school. As of now, every position is filled in our school for the 2022-2023 school year, which is a great sign because it usually takes until the summer to get new folks hired. It’s an exciting time!
Speaking of our school, remember that tuition assistance is available to those who need it. We have had some parishioners come forth with special gifts to help with tuition. If you’d like to join them in making a special gift, let us know. These special monies are distributed at my discretion to students who attend our parish.
Finally, at the parish, we hired a new Director of Religious Education. After communicating with Fr. Adams at SS. John and Bernard, we have decided to have each parish coordinate its own religious education program this year, and not combine them as in previous years. More information on that is forthcoming. We’ve also recently identified a new coordinator of the RCIA (now OCIA – Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for the 2022-2023 cycle. That means if you or someone you know is considering becoming Catholic, now is a great time to begin thinking about becoming part of the process.
Have another good Easter week and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
As we continue our Easter celebration on this Third Sunday of Easter, we hear the story of how the Risen Jesus revealed himself again; this time at the Sea of Tiberius. John recognized Jesus and exclaimed, “It is the Lord!” At first, the disciples did not recognize him. But through the miraculous catch of fish, their eyes were opened to see Jesus once again, risen from the dead. One of the things that I think about when hearing this passage is how there are times that Jesus is right there in our midst, but we fail to see him. We shouldn’t expect a miracle to happen to know Jesus is there. This week, let’s take the time to look around and “see” where Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is near to us!
Today our parish begins the 2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. This year’s goal for our parish is $192,917, which is up from 2021. That’s good news… because it is reflective of our parish’s growth and the active participation of so many of our parishioners. Last year we reached and exceeded our goal, which is always what we hope to do. Every dollar that we raise above the goal is returned directly to the parish. Obviously, that is a big help to us as we continue to strive forward and try to do whatever the Lord is calling us to do. One of the great blessings last year was that we reached our goal quickly, which is helpful in so many ways. This year, I am hoping that we all try to make our pledge or gift by Pentecost Sunday, June 5. The monies raised by the Annual Appeal help so many people and programs throughout the Diocese. It is also a good reminder to us that we are part of a diocesan church and not just a local church. So, please, consider repeating or perhaps slightly increasing your gift from last year, as I will do myself. If you have not given before, this is the year to make it happen! Of course, I’ll keep you updated as the Appeal proceeds.
After Mass this weekend, we all have the opportunity to sign a petition that many of you have probably heard about, the Let MI Kids Learn proposal. The Catholic Church teaches that parents are the primary educators of their children. As such, the government has a responsibility to support the decisions of parents in the education of their children. The Let MI Kids Learn proposal will assist as many as one million families across Michigan with students educated in traditional public schools, public charter schools, home schools, and non-public schools including Catholic and other faith-based schools. The proposal does not take money away from any student but, in fact, new money will be coming into the system, encouraged by tax credits, to fund these potential new education policies. The proposal is modeled after ones in other states. In no instance has funding to public schools suffered from such policies being enacted. I highly encourage all of us to sign this petition, because it can provide money to school kids who need it and they don’t have access to it. We pray for its success!
Our apologies to those who attended the 12:00 PM Mass last Sunday. We did not have any ushers and, as a result, the collection was not taken up! (Just what the pastor wants to hear). I hope those who were there would consider putting last week’s envelope into the basket this weekend to help us keep on track. Thanks for understanding. It is a reminder for us that we need more volunteers… especially as ushers and altar servers!
Finally, we pray for our young people who will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this Wednesday night at Saint Augustine Cathedral. I had a chance to interview our Confirmation candidates one on one and was pleased to see their enthusiasm for receiving this important Sacrament. I look forward to being with them as they are confirmed. Please keep them in your prayers!
Have a good week and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Happy Easter… once again!
Our Easter joy continues today as we celebrate the last day of the Octave of Easter. Each day this past week was as if it was still Easter Day. Tomorrow, we continue our Easter celebration as the Easter season lasts until Pentecost Sunday on June 5. Perhaps you have noticed that the Easter season lasts for 50 days. Of course, Lent lasts 40 days. These days remind us of the joy of the resurrection of the Lord, and what it means for us. In the readings during the Easter season, look carefully for the appearances of the Risen Lord, and what that meant to those who saw him. Blessed are those who have not seen the Risen Lord… but still believe!
Today, of course, we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. Notice that when the Apostles and Our Lady first saw the Risen Lord, he gave them two gifts: the gift of peace and the gift of mercy. If we are feeling down because of our sinfulness, we should always remember that Divine Mercy is always there for us!
I want to extend a special word of thanks to all those who made our Easter celebrations so great. Most of all, though, I want to thank all those who celebrated our Easter Triduum liturgies with us. It was so great to see our church packed with people at most of our liturgies. In the end, we thank God for bringing us together once again, while we cautiously emerge from the pandemic.
I mentioned that the Easter season ends on June 5. So, Easter was late this year. Last year, we started a new “tradition” of making Pentecost “Red Geranium Sunday.” Since Easter was late, that means Pentecost is late. And by the time June 5 comes, the red geraniums are often sold out. So, when you are buying your Spring flowers, or if you see some red geraniums available, please consider picking one or two up and keeping them alive and healthy until Pentecost. This was very successful last year, and the looks of the grounds sure benefited.
Speaking of flowers, did you notice that many of the Easter flowers… including the lilies… are perennials? While we had some cut flowers, I prefer to buy perennials so that they can be replanted around the parish. Even the lilies will grow back over time, and they will blossom twice a year. Be assured, then, that we used the Easter memorial donations wisely.
Finally, next week we will begin the 2022 Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Our Appeal was very successful last year, and I am praying that we are equally successful this year… and to reach our goal as rapidly as we did last year. You should have received… or will be receiving… information in the mail from the diocese about the Appeal. Please consider now repeating or even increasing your gift from last year, as the goal has increased. I’ll share more about this next week.
Haven a great week, and Praised be Jesus Christ, Risen from the Dead!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
He is Risen! He is truly Risen as he said! Alleluia!
On this Easter Day, we give thanks to God for His son, risen from the dead, who through rising has delivered us from evil to the promise of eternal life. One of the parts of the Easter story that I enjoy most is recalling Peter and John’s reaction upon hearing the news that Jesus was missing from the tomb. They were told that Jesus had risen, and Peter and John raced to the empty tomb. If we believe that Jesus is risen… or even if we simply desire to believe it… then we, too, should race to find Jesus. He’s right there. He is risen! Alleluia!
While our Easter greetings begin with our parishioners and your families, we extend two other special words of welcome today. First, we welcome those who are visiting from other parishes, other Christian denominations, or even other faiths. You are always most welcome here. Second, we welcome those who do not attend Mass regularly. Being here today is a sign of God speaking to your hearts and souls. While we may have other reasons, too, let’s remember that Jesus Christ, risen from the dead is here for you!
This year, as we cautiously emerge from the restrictions and guidelines during the COVID pandemic, I see this as an opportunity for true renewal in our parish. My letter to registered parishioners that I recently mailed refers to this. This Spring and Fall we must renew our Catholic faith and our involvement in Church activities and opportunities. We must be disciples of the New Evangelization. In a way, we have a chance to have a “fresh start” in a way we haven’t seen in a very long time. All of us… parishioners, visitors, and “returning Catholics” should take this opportunity!
Additionally, some who are reading this column this Easter weekend may be considering becoming Catholic. Some have not yet been baptized, and some would like to be received into the Catholic Church. If you (or people you know) are interested, please feel free to reach out to me. I’m happy to say that our RCIA program will return in the Fall as it was before COVID. In fact, RCIA (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is now referred to as OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) and has a renewed focus. We have been planning for our new OCIA directors and began developing the classes and content. If you think God might be calling you, please let me know. There’s no commitment by contacting me. I simply invite you to give it some prayerful thought.
In your prayers, let’s remember our catechumen and two candidates… now new Catholics… who were received at the Easter Vigil. Even during the pandemic, we were able to find ways to provide the “education” needed as a substitute for the RCIA process.
Finally, we should remember that the Easter celebration now continues for 50 days. This week we mark the “Octave of Easter,” which means the eight days following Easter. These days are especially important because we celebrate them as if it is Easter day each day. In our Catholic School, we mark Monday as “Easter Monday,” with no school, so that we can extend the celebration of Easter, notice that Easter is not like any other day, and take a day to rest, celebrate, and have fun.
May we all be renewed this week in our faith, and may we be open to the joyful invitation of the Risen Lord.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!
Did you know that one way to translate “Hosanna” is to say, “Help us!” Who else but Jesus could we turn to? After all, Jesus suffered in every way as we do… and more. And what did he do when he was treated the way he was? In the First Reading, Isaiah prophesied: “… I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help…” Among the many things we can bring into this Holy Week, perhaps that could be a good focus this year. When we are persecuted, hurt, or injured by our own sins or by the words of others, have faith in the Lord who taught us how to endure the pains we sometimes suffer.
Of course, this is the holiest week of the year. Holy Week is a chance for us to examine our priorities and see if we can take a significant part of our time and dedicate it solely to the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I’d like to encourage all of us to make the celebrations of Holy Week a high priority. In a special way, I appeal to parents who can demonstrate to their children how important faith is, and how it takes priority. By attending the sacred events of Holy Week… including Holy Thursday and Good Friday… parents have a chance to show their kids that faith is paramount. Additionally, I call upon parents to think about bringing their children to the Good Friday liturgy. Don’t let this be just another day off for young people. We must show them why! And that goes for all of us. If we are willing to take a day off for Spring Break vacations, couldn’t we also take a day off to remember the death of Jesus, who died for each of us? Again, for all of us, Holy Week is a big opportunity. We should pray that everyone takes advantage of it. Perhaps we could also invite others to join us. Whatever it takes, please make this week a priority!
Why else do I think it is important for us to celebrate these liturgies? Because we haven’t been able to for a few years. Remember? Last year we were limited in many of the ways we celebrated these special liturgies. The year before we couldn’t even celebrate them with everyone there. Now we can celebrate them again! In fact, the bishop has now lifted all restrictions that were in place, except for the distribution of the Precious Blood. I don’t think that will happen for a long time. The bishop also encourages the pastors to consider what is best for the body of the people and implement things accordingly. Of course, we will continue maintaining proper hygienic disciplines, including cleaning the pews, using hand sanitizers, etc. Those attending Mass can choose whether to wear masks, keeping in mind their own situation and charity towards others.
This week, I sent a letter to all our registered parishioners regarding some of the things we should consider as we emerge… cautiously… from this terrible pandemic, we must now renew our faith by active participation in the Mass, parish activities, etc. If you haven’t received the letter, you should be receiving it soon.
Have a Holy Week and see you at the masses and liturgies of this week. Then we can have a very joyful celebration of Easter next week. Remember, we can’t run to the empty tomb until we have first been willing to go to the cross first.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
As we grow nearer to the end of Lent, we may find ourselves evaluating how our journey has been. Have we kept up our Lenten “commitments?” Have we engaged in acts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving? There’s a line in today’s First Reading that I really enjoy. There we read, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” As a confessor, I have noticed how often people cannot forgive themselves for the things they have done wrong in the past. I will often challenge these people and ask if their biggest problem is that they cannot trust the mercy and love of God? That might be the bigger problem. Today as we continue our path through Lent, let’s be sure we aren’t digging too deep into our past, and focus on what we need to focus on now. We might find great blessings in that!
Of course, next weekend we celebrate Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. As we look ahead to our calendars, I’d invite everyone to consider making the liturgies of Holy Week a top priority. These beautiful, meaningful liturgies of Holy Week inspire us in our faith life and our relationship with Jesus. May I offer a suggestion? Think about inviting someone to join you for the Holy Week and Easter celebrations. Maybe there is a family member who has fallen away from the Church that you could invite. Or perhaps there is a parishioner that you know who can’t drive. Or maybe even your next-door neighbor! Jesus just might be calling you to bring people closer to him. Holy Week is a great time to do this.
Have a good week, and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
It seems like the Lenten season is flying by during these always-busy days. On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, our Gospel is very familiar to us. We hear the story of the Prodigal Son. Of course, this parable is loaded with ways in which we learn about the love and mercy of God. Often, we may feel like we are the Prodigal Son; having wandered away from God. One of the many things I like to reflect on is how the father doesn’t wait for the son to come to him, perhaps groveling for his sinfulness. Instead, we hear, “While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” The father “ran to his son.” He was looking for his son. He went to bring him home. That’s what God the Father does for us. He doesn’t simply wait for us to return to Him, he runs out to meet us as we return. That says a lot about the mercy and love of God!
Just a reminder that this Tuesday night in our church is our annual Tri-Parish Penance Service for Lent. The service itself is brief and followed by individual confessions with one of the priests who will be available. Of course, this is not the only chance to make a good confession before Easter. Consult the bulletin for other times that we celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Fridays and Saturdays. Just a reminder that we are not scheduling confessions during Holy Week this year.
Last weekend, I had the privilege of celebrating the weekend Masses at our South church and blessing the tabernacle which has now been permanently installed. After 50 years of prayer and worship in that building, the Blessed Sacrament is now finally the center of the church. Just a gentle reminder that since Jesus is now present body, soul, and divinity in the church, that should change the way we enter and exit the church, as well as our prayer in between.
This weekend and during the early part of this week I will be participating in the various funeral rites and celebrations for Fr. Larry Farrell, pastor of St. Monica Parish in Kalamazoo. I have known Fr. Farrell since I was a boy, and I attended school with one of his sons. Father Farrell was once married, and his wife died in 1995. A few years later, he discerned that God was calling him to the priesthood. Prior to his death, last week Fr. Farrell asked if I would coordinate his funeral arrangements with his family and deliver the homily at his funeral. I was very honored and grateful to be asked. Please remember to keep Fr. Farrell and his three children in your prayers.
You will undoubtedly recall that last year we held our parish picnic at Shadowland Pavilion. At the Mass before the picnic, Bishop Bradley installed me as pastor of the parish. Time sure seems to fly by! This year, though, we thought that since the South church celebrates its 50th anniversary, we would hold a special Sunday outdoor Mass, followed by a picnic. We haven’t chosen the date yet, but look for that coming soon!
Have a good week and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
Our Lenten journey is in full swing now as we celebrate the Third Sunday of Lent. How are we doing so far? At this point, we should take a moment to do some self-evaluation. Have we been keeping up with our Lenten “promises?” Have we practiced any special works of charity towards others? How about carrying out the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving? The Third Sunday of Lent is a good day to give ourselves a report card on our journey. If we are keeping up on our recognition of Lent, take some time to thank God for it! If we are falling short, don’t fret, there is still time to go!
I want to thank those who attended my presentation on Monday about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There was a terrific turnout of just under 100 people. As promised, we started right at 6:30 PM and ended two minutes early at 7:58 PM. I promised we would stick to our timeframe! Anyway, the turnout showed us that people are ready to get back out again and learn and practice their faith. While I don’t plan another presentation during Lent, I’ll be sure to have at least one more during the Spring.
Because there were so many people, we think that it might not take long for the Rose Center to be a little too small in terms of comfortable seating and being able to see the presentation, the screen, etc. easily. In thinking about it, I thought that we will try the next presentation at our South church. So, stay tuned, that will be our plan when the next presentation comes up.
Speaking of our South church, I am honored this weekend to bless the tabernacle which has now been permanently installed. I know that many people have wanted a tabernacle there for a very long time. We are grateful to Bishop Bradley for granting my request to have a tabernacle in the church. With that, though, needs to come to a greater sense of reverence and respect in the church. Casual, loud conversation is not appropriate in the church, especially now that the Blessed Sacrament is reserved there. Plus, we should remember that there are people before and after Mass who wish to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Let’s be especially attentive to all of this.
Also, regarding the South church, the question came up whether we would celebrate weddings or funerals there if requested. We’d be happy to do so. In fact, we have one wedding scheduled there later this year. The rules for weddings and funerals are the same as the downtown church. Things like no eulogies at funerals (they are most appropriate at the funeral home, the graveside, or at a luncheon), under normal circumstances there is no visitation at the church, music must be approved by the music director, etc. For weddings, we still have a wedding coordinator, music approved by the music director, and more.
Just a reminder to mark your calendar for a week from Tuesday... on March 29... at 7:00 PM for our annual tri-parish Lenten Penance Service. The service will be held in our downtown church. Speaking of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we do not have confessions scheduled during the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday) due to the various liturgical celebrations and for making preparations, decorating, etc. So, please take advantage of the times we always have scheduled for confessions, or the opportunity at the Lenten Penance Service.
This week is Spring Break for many people. In the past, Spring Break has always been the first full week of April. But I’m delighted that Spring Break is this week because it doesn’t coincide with Holy Week. That will make it even more possible for people to attend the sacred celebrations of the Easter Triduum. I hope that everyone who is going on Spring Break has a safe journey, and that is it remembered that it is still Lent, and there is no “vacation” from our “vocation” as Catholic Christians.
Have a good week; and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John
Dear Friends:
This Second Sunday of Lent is sometimes called “Transfiguration Sunday.” Although we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6, we hear the story of the Transfiguration on this Sunday. The reason is not too difficult to understand. One reason is for James, John, and Peter to get a glimpse of Jesus’ divinity. Soon, these same disciples of Jesus will witness the suffering and death of their mentor, teacher, and friend. We can only imagine the reaction of the disciples when they see Jesus beaten, spit upon, bleeding, crucified, and suffering in every way. Part of the reason for the Transfiguration is so that when the disciples see Jesus suffer, they will remember when they saw Jesus’ divinity. That should give them hope, courage, and strength when they experience Jesus’ suffering.
So, too, we can find hope in the Transfiguration of the Lord. When we see suffering and death around us, we can turn to the Lord and know that, in the end, the Risen Christ will always win. When we suffer, we can “use” the Transfiguration as a reminder just as the disciples did. We can remember that, in the end, Jesus will conquer the suffering we undertake. That’s hard to accept sometimes. But that doesn’t change the reality.
As I mentioned before, I’d like to invite everyone for a presentation on the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be held tomorrow, March 14, at 6:30 pm, in the Rose Center. This is the second chance I’ve had to offer a presentation. You’ll recall that I gave one presentation on the Year of St. Joseph not long after I arrived. Then, because of COVID, it became complicated. So tomorrow we are trying to see if people are ready to come out and restart more activities at the parish. My presentations never last more than 1.5 hours, with a 10-minute break in there somewhere. Many times, the presentation ends sooner. I always begin at 6:30 pm sharp and even if I am in mid-sentence, I always end at 8:00 pm, if we haven’t finished already. So, I hope many of you will be able to attend. This presentation is educational; not spiritual. I’ve learned that many want to learn more about our Catholic faith, which I hope my presentations do.
Along those lines, please remember that we will hold our annual Lenten Penance Service at St. Joseph’s (downtown) on March 29, at 7:00 pm.
Next, for those who would like to hear more about our plan for the future of Our Lady of the Lake School, please refer to our parish website for more information. At various times I will upload updates and information that will clarify our transition. I’ll also provide information as needed. Remember, everything doesn’t happen overnight. But in the short term, we will see this exciting transition happen. I extend a special word of thanks to those who have extended themselves to show their support and encouragement for this exciting and hope-filled plan.
Calling all altar servers… past and new! We are in great need of altar servers. In the coming weeks, I hope to be “recruiting” servers and inviting servers who stopped serving when COVID hit. Please consider encouraging your young people to serve at Mass. We really need help in this special ministry.
Have a good Lenten week; and Praised be Jesus Christ!
Fr. John