Dear Friends,
Thank you all for your prayers for myself, Bishop Guglielmone and my brother priests during our retreat last week. We had a restful and productive week of Spiritual growth and renewal.
My weekly emails contain a great deal of information that is of importance for the life of our parish. In the past, most of this information was shared at Mass, in announcements by the lector before Mass began, and by myself in additional announcements just before the final blessing. Typically, these announcements added five to ten minutes to our time in Church and, frankly, were an intrusion on our worship. During my second year as your pastor I made the decision to stop the announcements before Mass in an effort to limit this intrusion. During the Covid shut down this past year I made the further decision to stop making announcements entirely unless required by the Bishop or in extreme circumstances. I also decided that the weekly Birthday and Wedding Anniversary acknowledgements would be done once a month and that those celebrating a birthday or anniversary would simply stand in the pews rather than come forward to be acknowledged individually. I believe these changes have contributed to a deeper sense of reverence during our Sunday worship and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
These changes do place a "slight" burden on all of you. Rather than relying on announcements at Mass to inform yourself of what is going on at our parish and our many activities and opportunities for Spiritual growth and renewal; you now need to read about all these opportunities in our bulletin, Constant Contact emails (Pastor's Letter and Weekly Reminder), and on our parish web page. I pray you will do so. We have a vibrant and active parish. With just a little bit of effort you can inform yourself as to the many opportunities we have to enliven your faith and participate fully in the life of the Church.
In my email I try to highlight important events that happen in our parish or diocese on a yearly basis. The Weekly Reminder email highlights weekly or monthly events. All of these events are listed on our web site and in our parish calendar.
So, with all that said, here are the highlighted reminders for this week:
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of the Month. I will offer a blessing for all married couples celebrating their anniversary of receiving the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony after all the Masses. Please stand when requested to do so at the end of Mass.
The All Saints Day Festival is planned for 30 October from 6:00 to 8:00PM in place of our Annual Parish Picnic and Fall Festival. This event will be catered, shorter in duration, but just as fun and exciting. See the flyer below and plan on attending! As this is a catered event you must sign up to attend! So, SIGN UP TODAY!!!
Some brief, but important news and reminders:
The 8:00AM Hospitality Hour has returned, weather permitting. This ministry will be held outside after Mass. The 10:30AM Hospitality Hour will not be held this weekend.
The Boy Scouts Annual Pumpkin Patch is ongoing until the end of October. Please be sure to support our Parish Troop and buy your pumpkins from the patch in front of the Church. Thank you!
The Women's Club will have a bassinet and poster in the Narthex of the church to collect baby items for Birthright. Birthright of Columbia is a non-profit organization that provides caring, non-judgmental support to girls and women facing an unplanned pregnancy. New, or gently used, baby items are needed including baby clothes, diapers, wipes, blankets, bibs, bottles and similar items, but not items such as furniture or car seats. Thank you for your generosity!
The Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids Campaign collection bin has been moved to the Volkommer Bell Tower. So far 150 coats have been collected to help needy students! Additional areas to leave donated coats are located in the entrance way of the Family Life Center and in the hallway outside of St. Andrew Hall. Please be generous with either new or lightly used coats for children/teens. Thank you!
Friendly Voices, our parish phone tree and neighborhood ministry, will be on the plaza in front of the church 6 and 7 November to share information about this important parish initiative. Please see their flyer HERE and plan on stopping at their table to learn more and sign-up to be a part of this ministry.
We are having a 40 Hour Devotion in the Adoration Chapel the weekend of 28-30 October. To sign-up and for more information see: ADORATION
We are having a Christ the King Procession, celebratory meal and veneration of Holy Relics on 31 October. Sign up for the meal is required. Veneration is free to the public. Sign-up HERE to eat!
Veneration of Holy Relics : Family Life Center (FLC)
In honor of Christ the King and the eve of the Feast of All Saints, we are honored to have a local, lay Catholic who has generously offered us a presentation and veneration from his domestic shrine of over 500 Holy Relics; All may come to see, venerate, and pray before Relics of the True Cross & Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lady's Hair & Clothing, along with Relics of Apostles & other Saints, in the Family Life Center after the procession. Date: 10/31/2021 (Sun.) Time: 3:30pm - 5:30pm EDT. Location: OLL Family Life Center
Our Bicentennial Campaign projects are slowing down during the Fall to allow Faith Formation, meetings, and other Fall activities to resume. Planning continues for several projects such as new HVAC for the Family Life Center, new campus signage, a Columbarium for the parish cemetery and a fountain for the front of the church. Please continue to be patient with our progress. A great deal of planning and work must be done before any visible progress takes place! Be assured, we are working on all these projects.
It is never too late to make a donation to the Bicentennial Campaign as we receive 100% of all new donations! visit DONATE NOW!
Our Summer Mass Schedule has ended and the 5:00PM LIFE TEEN MASS has returned! Please join us!!!
Peace and all good,
Fr. Dennis
