1/1/2023

New Year’s Day is the Feast of the Motherhood of Mary. At the same time we are beginning again the secular cycle of the New Year while continuing to celebrate the Incarnation. Here are some things on the horizon as we begin the year 2023.
We are looking for a Youth Minister Joshua and Kim Lefeber are stepping down as they start their family. I want to thank them for stepping into the breach when we needed help. They have done a fine job. Along those lines, we also need to reclaim or create a space for the youth to meet. It has also been suggested that we hire someone to do development, in particular to run an alumni association and to promote wills, bequests, and gifts.
We are looking to expand our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) program with more rooms. We are delighted with the progress of the program and results that we see in our children, but the program is quickly outgrowing our resources (space and Catechists). It is a good problem to have. For example, they have taken over a meeting room in the church office and have taken over the youth room in the basement of the old rectory. Hopefully those are temporary situations!
We are looking for more people to be trained as Catechists in CGS. If you want to learn more theology, if you want to have an impact on our future, if you like working with children (3 12 years old) and want to impact their lives, then look into helping out with CGS, either as a Catechist or as a helper. CGS is a major point of emphasis in the religious formation of our youth at this time, as it seems to be bearing fruit. There is a general movement towards adapting CGS some dioceses (Omaha and Lincoln, for example). We are slightly ahead of the game, but only slightly, and we want to give our youth the best formation possible. CGS is the best.
The school has some space needs and wants which we may be able to address at the same time a covered walkway to the cafeteria or a new cafeteria contiguous with the school buildings/gym, the music room has taken over the Leitner Room, perhaps some office space. As we look to create space for CGS and the school, we will most likely need to move at least one and perhaps both playgrounds. And I would like to find a place for archives we are sixty years old as a parish in 2023, and much older when you consider we have materials from the old St. Mary and St. Patrick parishes sitting in storage.
Naturally, we cannot do all of these things this year. But we can prioritize things, look at what is feasible, and create a plan going forward for the growth of our parish. I am leaning on the expertise of you, our parishioners, and on your desire to create our future, as we decide what we can and cannot do going forward.
We will be bringing back the cup in the distribution of communion when the flu and COVID subside. This will entail some training a reminder for those who have received from the cup in the past, new training for those who have not (have entered the Church since COVID precautions were in effect).
We are looking to expand the number of people who participate in Mass as Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers, Ushers, Sacristans, musicians/singers. The Liturgy is one way of allowing more parishioners to participate in our parish, particularly in our worship. But we also have a lot of volunteers who count money, plan weddings and funerals, teach Confirmation, decorate the church, feed the hungry, etc. (please see my Bulletin Letter before Thanksgiving, 11/20, where I thanked so many of you).
In general, I find that there are a healthy group of proactive parishioners who are willing and able to step up and take responsibility for different aspects of the parish and its activities. Naturally, I would like to expand that group, if possible. If we put our efforts together, we will be able to create a stronger parish community.
I look forward to joyfully walking together with you this year towards our heavenly destiny.

Peace, Father Albert, O.S.B.