8/20/2023

There are some changes in Mass scheduling coming this fall. One has already happened – our 8 AM Mass is moving to 8:05 AM on Tuesday - Friday. The reason for this is that we normally cannot get the school children in place and ready by 8 AM, and often start late on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays when they come to Mass. So we are moving the Mass time back, and doing it for all the weekday morning Mass times for the sake of consistency. On weekends beginning in the first weekend of September, we are going to move the 10:30 AM Mass to 11 AM. That will happen on September 3rd. We are planning on doing Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Religious Education, and EPIC during the time between Masses. More on that in the coming weeks.
As many of you know, we have been discussing our need for more space, in particular for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). We have given the CGS program the old Band Room in the school, the youth space in the basement of our parish office building, and the main meeting room on the floor above in the same building. They are dedicated spaces called atria (or atriums), so we cannot use them for much else. This has been an inconvenience, but I wanted to see if the interest would continue to grow before doing anything more substantial, like build a building. Obviously the interest has continued to grow. I have seen the hand of the Holy Spirit in the growth of this program from the beginning - from the content, to providing someone to mentor our catechists, to people willing to step up and work as catechists and/or helpers (and their subsequent excitement), to those who volunteer to make the materials. Finally, there is the response of the children and their parents which has been so positive. This program and those who are working in it are making a difference!
The Pastoral Council has been busy looking at the results of surveys, assessing needs and discussing our need for space. The surveys indicated positive interest in the parish. Recently they established a Building Committee, which is looking at putting up a building with room for atria, perhaps additional space depending on other needs. I sent a letter to the Bishop requesting permission to explore the possibility of doing this project. He has recently replied in the affirmative. This does not mean that everything is set and decided. We still have to ascertain if we can afford to do a building project, where it will be, how large it will be (both in terms of space and finances), and how it fits into other projects that we would like to accomplish. We will be working with the diocese as well. So this a long term project that we are just beginning.
One of the things that makes this timely is a large bequest from Matt and Betty Baumli’s estate. It is my hope that this money will serve as seed money for any capital campaign that we may have to undertake. We are certainly grateful to Matt and Betty Baumli for their generous gift. Please pray for the repose of their souls. I would encourage others to consider the parish as “another child” in leaving part of your estates to help us out.
Even in the Busy-ness, it is a joy to be your pastor.

Peace, Father Albert, O.S.B.