I am blessed in so many ways, including the opportunity to get to know people who are present both in Mass and outside of Mass in the various activities and ministries that are offered here at Sacred Heart Church. Our V.I.P. (Very Important Parishioner) for the month of October, Cathy Raney is one of those. In addition to being a regular daily and weekend Mass participant (including lector duties when scheduled) she comes early to participate with a few others and myself in morning prayer (starting around 8:35). She and I and others would be happy to have more people join us. Cathy and any of the others will sit with you and show you how to follow along on the "Shorter Book of Christian Prayer". I appreciate and benefit from Cathy's participation in the "Seven Sisters Ministry" as she is the "spiritual sister" who offers Holy Hour for me every Thursday (and has done so since May of 2021! Cathy is a strong member of our Eucharistic Adoration team of adorers. She has stepped up to now take more than one Holy Hour a week and appreciates the ongoing blessings and peace it brings to her life! She joins me in inviting those of you who are not involved in this ministry to consider doing so and those who are currently doing it to add an hour or hours to your commitment and life "in the Lord." Look to the right of this column to find hours that need adorers. Cathy has taken the lead to get some members of her guild (St. Monica's Guild) to take turns covering a particular hour each week. She's someone who thinks beyond what she is doing to encourage and welcome others to join her! Not surprisingly, Cathy stepped up at some point to help out with our liturgical ministry scheduler online, and eventually took it over. She is diligent in seeing that liturgical ministry positions are covered. She was recently responsible forinitiating an I-pad sign in for liturgical ministers who are scheduled to serve at one of our Masses. Cathy is on the liturgy commission and took over as chairperson for the commission from Renee Steinpreis. Through her participation in St. Monica's Guild and the Ladies of the Sacred Heart in general she has "enjoyed" volunteering at the Loan Closet, Jackson House, and delivering food baskets for needy families at holiday times. She is a regular at Linda Broome's 10:00 a.m. exercise class and would encourage more of you to join her and others who try to stay in shape through this and other exercise programs. Cathy is blessed to have the support and love of her husband, Ken and is a proud mother, who counts it a blessing that her son Bryce is now a Capuchin Monk. (Look for Bryce's picture on the "Religious" poster along the administration hallway wing of our building). Cathy has attended and grown through her participation in the religious study opportunities that our parish is blessed to offer (and once again would encourage all of you to do the same). To say Cathy is "fully invested" in the ministries and activities of our parish and community is obviously clear from what I've shared with you and it's just as clear (especially to me) that she deeply loves our Lord, Jesus Christ, his Church and her parish! God bless you, Cathy.