“Who do you say that I am?:” That important question, the most important question of our life, is Jesus asking each of us, “Who do you say that I am?” Surely, we can answer that question with our minds—Jesus is God, but Pope Francis reminds us that we can really answer that question by traveling the path that Peter traveled. He said that in order to know Jesus, “what is needed is not a study of notions but rather a life as a disciple. In journeying with Jesus we learn who he is…we come to know Jesus as disciples.” He goes on to say that “through our victories and through our weaknesses that we come to know him more deeply.” In other words, Peter got the answer right, but it was by walking with the Lord that he really got to know who Jesus was—including his abundant mercy.
Catholic faith: Speaking of St. Peter, Jesus told him that he would build his Church upon him. Peter and his successors hold the keys of the kingdom until the “king” returns. During the Masses this weekend we will hear some short testimonies of people who joined the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). If you or if you know of someone interested in joining the Catholic Church, please contact Maddie White at mwhite@holyfamilygrandblanc.org. Classes start in few weeks in a very non-pressure atmosphere.
Signup time: You may sign you child up for religious education classes in the school lobby after all the Masses this weekend.
Miracle man: More than 150 people from our parish asked for tickets to attend the beautification of Fr. Solanus Casey at Ford Field on Nov. 18. Inevitably when people called they told stories of how Fr. Solanus impacted them and their families, usually by some miraculous cure. One of our parishioners told me that he was on his death bed in the hospital as a child when his mother went to Fr. Solanus. This ‘simple’ priest simply told her that her son would be healed. The next day, to the astonishment of everyone, he sat up and asked, “what’s for breakfast?” How blessed we are to have a soon-to-be canonized saint in our state.
Mustard Seed: The statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Our Lady of Fatima has been making the rounds at parishes throughout our diocese. We also enjoyed having the statue for two days, August 14 & 15. Did you know that one of our parishioners is responsible for having the statue brought to our diocese? Mike Singer deserves a lot of credit and thanks. Mike mentioned the idea to me. We got approval from the diocese and the rest is history. Mike, thank you for your suggestion. It was much like a mustard seed that started small and spread.
Trash Bags: Last weekend we made the announcement that we are selling trash bags to raise money to buy a new sound system for our parish hall. I am grateful for Cindy Jones for spearheading this endeavor. It would be great if we reached our goal. The sound system in the parish hall is not very good. And besides, I’m hoping Fr. Dan will have purple hair by Lent! Thank you in advance for helping out with this endeavor.
Staff Alpha: This week our parish and school staff will have a two-day retreat with the Alpha program. Alpha is the program that our parish is running in September. Please pray for our staff.
School news: Lots happening in our school. We are excited that we are starting a band program this year. A few grades are full, and have waiting lists. On Wednesday, August 30, we are having an ice cream social welcome from 1 – 3 pm and then we welcome all our parents for a meeting in the evening. Super excited about the new school year.
Parish Picnic: Our annual parish picnic is in two weeks on September 10 from 1 – 4 pm in the parish hall. Really hope to see you there!
CRS: Received a report from the bishop’s weekly enews that three Catholic Relief Service members were killed serving in Afghanistan. Their lives are often “in harm’s way” as they reach out to the most vulnerable amongst us. Please pray for all those who serve in dangerous areas.
Time to Cheer: Our favorite high school and college sports teams have or are getting started. Looking forward to especially watching our parishioners participate in their seasons.
Thank you for all your support of our parish! May God bless you and your families.
In Christ’s love and service,
Msgr. Jerry
Quote of the week: A quote from St. Augustine, whose mother, St. Monica, we invoke daily for the return of our brothers and sisters to the faith. She prayed for years upon years for her son’s conversion.
“And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, yet pass over the mystery of themselves without a thought.”