4/24/2022

I hope that you all had a glorious Easter. It was an exhausting but beautiful weekend in spite of the cold weather. Thanks to all who made the church (Arts and Environment) and the music (Abby Dropinski, musicians & choir – nice to hear the choir once again) so beautiful, the ceremonies run smoothly (Tom Spire and Megan Johansen) and all those who contributed by reading, serving, and preparing, and all you who came.
This is the Second Sunday of Easter, also called Divine Mercy Sunday. That is because of the gospel which is the classic text for the establishment of the sacrament of Reconciliation. As I explained last week, Conception Abbey is exposing the Blessed Sacrament, singing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, reading from St. Faustina’s diary, and providing the opportunity to go to confession. I encourage you to attend if possible, especially if you have never been to the Abbey – come and sit and pray in our basilica, enjoy the art, the music, the beauty. As you know, I am a monk from there and some day will be buried across the road in the cemetery. Much of who I am, what I know, and how I approach the Lord was learned there as a monk over the last 50+ years.
This past Wednesday the Pastoral Council met for the first time in a few years (Due to deadlines for the bulletin, I am writing this before the meeting.) With the Dynamic Parish initiative, COVID, and general busy-ness, I allowed the Pastoral Council to die out. That was a mistake, so I am re-establishing it again. The ex-officio members are the Pastor, the Business Manager Angela Byers, and the Principal Karma Coleman. The other members and the groups they represent are the following:

Groups Represented - Representatives

Knights of Columbus (or spouse) - Rick Smail
School Advisory Board - Traci Snyder
PTO - Ashley Greeley

Maintenance - Mark Wiederholt

Implementation Team/Evangelization - Russ Schuster
Finance Committee - Charles Mayfield

Representatives will report to his/her group and keep them informed so that we can move forward together as a parish. We will also include something in the Bulletin about the agenda and decisions the group makes. If you have suggestions or concerns, please let one of the representatives or myself know.

In Our Risen Lord, Father Albert, O.S.B.