8/17/2023

This weekend there will be a missionary here to celebrate Mass and speak to us: Fr. Carlos Ferrero, IVE (Institute of the Divine Word). Instead of the scheduled second collection for Latin America Missions, we will take up a collection for missions of Fr. Ferrero’s order (IVE) this weekend. We will take up the Latin America Mission collection next week – though you can put your envelope for the Latin America Mission collection in if it is identified and we will take care of it. Please welcome Fr. Ferrero.
The new schedule moving Mass from 10:30 Mass to 11 AM has gotten off to a good start. As a reminder, the purpose was primarily to allow us time to move Wednesday evening religious education to Sunday morning. Initially that has been a success. Last year the number of middle school youth coming to EPIC rarely exceeded twenty, and over fifty have signed up, hopefully with more to come. Last year the number of children taking CGS was about seven, and twenty-five came last week. Last year we had trouble getting anyone to come for the high school group, and nine students came last Sunday. Please pray that this continues and grows. Only time will tell, but it is off to a great start. I want to thank you for supporting our programs, and also for your patience in adjusting to the new schedule in Mass times and the inconveniences it has caused. I also want to thank Cathy Handlos for her zeal in getting the CGS program organized, Jenny Jordan for her work with EPIC, and Mike and Jaime Casteel for taking on the high school youth group. Please pray that we can form our youth well in our faith.
Naturally, it is our hope that all these youth and their families will come to Mass either before or after the religious education program. The Mass is the “source and summit” of the practice of our faith. We derive strength from the Mass to live our faith during the week, and we come back to Mass to offer the week’s experiences to the Father and be renewed once again. It is a “Holy Rhythm,” which causes us to grow closer and closer to God through coming to Mass. As time goes on, we may even have programs during the youth programs for parents who would like to meet and learn more about our faith or discuss issues which they all face as parents. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.
At the writing of this letter, REBOOT! has not yet happened Wednesday night nor has an analysis of our space utilization by Martha Kauffman from the diocese (Friday). The latter is coming to assess our need for more space for CGS. Bishop Johnston has given the parish the OK to explore our need to create more space, and this is the next step. More on that in the future. It has been a full week!
It is a joy to be your pastor!

Father Albert, O.S.B