9/19/2021

I am in the midst of getting the Pastoral Council up and running. We have a number of projects in the offing, and we need to organize and prioritize what we want do or are able to do. The Pastoral Council is the body which needs to spearhead this job, most probably by developing something like a master plan for the parish. I did not foresee this need, but am delighted to see the initiative of a number of people to improve our facilities.
We have been increasing our attendance over the last few weeks, and last weekend it finally went over 600. Before COVID-19 decimated our attendance, it was averaging around 700, give or take about 60 people. In spite of the Delta virus, we seem to be increasing our numbers. It is always good to see you, and as always you are welcome to wear masks and do what you need to do to feel comfortable. The communion ministers will continue to wear masks as a precaution. If you are saying, “I am done with COVID!” then you have a lot of company, but apparently it is not done with us.
Slowly we are training more servers in the school and will have them off and on for Masses on Sundays until we can get enough to do all the Masses. When we have servers, we will want to have an Offertory Procession – someone to bring up the bread and the wine. This is an important sign at Mass because the bread and wine (and money, if brought up) represent you, the people in the pews. These gifts are placed on the altar, along with your prayers, works, joys, and sufferings that you mentally place there. They are all then offered to the Father along with the Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus Christ, transformed, and are given back to us – in the case of bread and wine, as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We are privileged to offer this sacrifice because we are all priests by baptism – my priesthood enables you to exercise your priesthood by making this offering. Together we go to God; together we offer the Sacrifice of the Mass; together we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the most sacred hour of our week.
It is always a joy to celebrate the Eucharist with you!

Father Albert, O.S.B.