Greetings in Christ! We are moving right along, sneaking up on my favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. I’m fired up for this year as I’ll be hosting my family at the rectory…Dad and I are going to deep fry two turkeys. It should be a riot!
Last Friday when I was genuflecting at Mass, my knee gave a good pop: some folks in the front heard it…yikes! It swelled right up and it became difficult to walk. I’ve had a lot of trouble with this knee since high school and do not have a functioning ACL, besides some other issues.
I tried to muscle through the weekend with variously good and bad results, but in the end I went in to my wonderful doctor on Monday and she scheduled me for an MRI at the soonest opening. MSU helped me out and got me in to one of their machines and I should be getting the results any time soon. I will keep you all updated on this as we go. I’ve had it scoped four times in the past and, if they need to do it again, I usually don’t miss much work as a result of it.
We have been posting on my personal facebook page (www.facebook.com/Joeinblack), as well as the Holy Family facebook page, some videos that we are making of me answering people’s questions about the faith. It’s going really well. We have received some great questions! If you haven’t seen the videos, please be sure to check them out and God bless our wonderful staff for doing these: I have NO idea how!
I’m continuing to learn a lot and each day I feel a little more like I understand how things are working. I cannot express to you all my thanks for your patience and prayers: it means the world to me. Two parishes and a school are quite the handful and I know it’s an adjustment for you all being served by one less priest than in the past, but I have experienced so much kindness from you all…I’m a blessed man! In terms of the future, we’ve got our big Restoring the Temple campaign and we’re praying really hard for that.
If you are wondering about ways to help, I’ve obviously got ideas there: PRAY! That’s always the first thing. Beyond praying, please consider giving to the parish if you do not currently do so. That makes a big difference! You can remember us in your wills, volunteer for any number of things and check out our school website to see if there is a way to help there that appeals to you.
Online giving is super easy and the more of us that sign up for that, the better. If you haven’t considered that, please do. I’m sure there are more ways to help, but that is what comes to mind.
So…thank you with all my heart for your generosity. I’m very, very grateful.
I thank God every day that He brought me here. I pray that I serve you well.
In Christ,
fjk