A couple of get-togethers: Really enjoyed both the 60th anniversary school dinner and our parish picnic. At the 60th anniversary gathering we had a crowd of about 90 people. It was a low-key event, but was really a nice atmosphere as we celebrated the blessings of our school. At the parish picnic it was nice to see the children enjoying all the games. People also played bingo for an hour with seminarian Alberto calling out the numbers. I’m sure playing bingo made Fr. Bush smile!
World Youth Day: The Catholic youth world has been gathering in Krakow, Poland, to be with Pope Francis for World Youth Day. I’ve been to a couple of World Youth Days. They are pretty exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. A lot of young people have a special encounter with the Lord during these days. I also think one of the most incredible things about World Youth Days is that while hundreds of thousands of young people get together there isn’t ever any crime or unrest. I say that as a testimony to the peace and good that the Church bears in a world conflicted with arguing and discord.
Priest Feast Day: This Thursday, August 4, is the feast day of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests. St. John Vianney was a simple, humble priest who spent nearly all of his priesthood at a small parish in Ars, France, near Lyon. The priests from our diocese are invited to celebrate the priesthood by gathering for evening prayer and dinner at Holy Spirit Parish in Hamburg.
24 hours with the Lord: One of the amazing things about St. John Vianney is that he was known for hearing confessions up to 16 hours a day! That’s incredible! People came from all over France to see him. Speaking of confessions, many of you remarked how much you enjoyed the whole 24 hours with the Lord experience with adoration and confessions for 24 hours. To close the year of Mercy, Fr. Gary and I are doing that again. Mark your calendar for November 11 – 12.
Priest killed in France: Many of you heard of the tragic death of a priest from France and the brutality done to a religious sister and others in Normandy on July 26. The priest was killed by terrorists who slit his throat with a knife. The enemy wants to destroy peace. This horrific killing reminds me of the true story of a priest during the French Revolution. A man boasted of killing more than 30 priests by slitting their throats. After the Revolution sub-sided, he lay on his death bed. A priest visited this man. The man from his bed said that if he could get out of his bed he would slit the priest’s throat. The priest calmly rolled down the sweater from his neck, showed him the scar of his throat being slit by that man, and said, “You already did. But I was saved so I could save you.” The man wept, confessed his sins to the priest and died a short time later.
Fatima: This Saturday, August 6, we are having our regularly scheduled Mass at 8 a.m. In addition, the regional Our Lady of Fatima group will be here. Former associate priest Fr. Roy Horning is the chaplain of this group and will be here as well. After the 8 a.m. Mass we will hear confessions. Who is Our Lady of Fatima? Our Blessed Mother appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. Our Lady asked the children to do penance, prayer and have a devotion to her Immaculate Heart for the conversion of the world from sin, darkness and violence. The Fatima message is so important for our day and time.
Capital Campaign: Next weekend there will be an insert in our bulletin regarding the capital campaign. It will show the key findings based on the surveys and town hall meetings at our parish—regarding both the diocesan campaign and our combined parish campaign to make some capital improvements to our parish. Overall, the results are very positive.
Fiscal Year: We are putting together a fiscal year summary (2015 – 2016) and hope to get that out to you soon as well.
This summer has been almost ideal weather wise— although the farmers (and the trees) desire more rain. I hope you are able to enjoy the sunshine and family time. May God bless you always.
In Christ’s love and peace,
Msgr. Jerry
Some quotes from St. John Vianney:
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”
“We are each of us like a small mirror in which God searches for His reflection.”
“Remain humble, remain simple. The more you are so, the more good you will do.”