When a previous pastor's column asked for feedback from parishioners as to why they attend weekday Mass, whether it be once a week or more, I was pleased to receive, almost immediately, more than a few reflections. Today, I want to share my own experiences of weekday Mass and how it touched my life in such a positive way. Daily Mass was a staple throughout my 6 years at St John's Catholic School in Hot Springs. Whether in the morning, or before lunch, it was a regular part of our school day and we were reminded how blessed we were to be able to receive Jesus in Word and Sacrament every day! These Masses included acapella singing by the students of the 4 songs of Mass, and I was honored and happy (though a little nervous at first) as a sixth grader, to be one of the ones who started the songs during Mass. My weekday Mass attendance and participation stopped when I started in the public schools in junior high and high school, though my brothers and I would regularly be altar servers on Saturday morning Mass at St Mary's Church in Hot Springs. My college years included an occasional weekday Mass in those four years at secular college (U.C.A.) in Conway. Of course, daily Mass started again for me in my seminary days and has continued throughout my priesthood. While priests are no longer "obliged" to celebrate Mass daily, I have done so whether publicly or with my mother on my day off in her home almost every day in my priesthood. While I see daily Mass as "lower key" than a weekend Mass with far fewer people in attendance and a shorter length (including a much shorter homily), the basic elements are there for me to encounter the Lord in the most unique and personal way which is the best way for me to start my day. I also want to share with you all the blessings for myself and my brothers and sisters of having a mother who was a great example to us of the blessings of participating in daily Mass. It is something she did not only in her young life, but throughout her adult life except when motherly duties of babies and young children made that impractical until the last of her nine children started school. Even when she started working outside the home part-time and then full-time as a nurse doing the night shift, she would attend morning Mass before going home and going to bed. Fortunately, those Masses were short enough that she rarely dozed off during Mass, though it did happen when she had an especially busy night. (Please don't tell her I told on her about the dozing!). Seeing the impact weekday Mass had on my Mom with her patience with her 9 children and her faith and trust in the Lord in good times and in trying times. I'm happy to share with you that most of my siblings have been and are weekday Mass participants when they can practically do so and the blessings that come for them and their families are many. I realize how my growing up years and the example of my mom led to my siblings and me making weekday Mass a part of our lives. I look forward to sharing other parishioner's inspirations and blessing that have touched their lives through participation in daily Mass.

I'm excited to tell you that we are planning to expand our bereavement ministry beyond the wonderful ways that we are already caring for those in our parish who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. Before going on further, I want to speak about grief, especially when it involves the passing of a loved one. A rabbi, Earl Grollman, was quoted as saying "Grief is the other side of the coin of love." It happens because we love and because we care. Grief is the normal, natural and necessary response to a significant loss. Understandably, the more significant the loss, the more acute is the grief. It happens in and through a set of behaviors and fellings that are normal reactions to major loss and change. Our Christian hope of Resurrection and eternal life for ourselves and our loved ones should make our grief different from those who have no faith (Thessalonians 4:13-14), which DOESN'T mean that we "shouldn't" grieve. (see statement above.) While someone may indeed grieve "alone", I believe there is plenty of research that says that the healthiest way of going through the grieving process is by welcoming the help and support of resources, especially caring people. Hoping and praying that some, if not many, of our parishioners who are grieving the loss of a loved one will be open to help and support during such a challenging time in their life. 

We (Dcn Gary Christoff and myself) are recruiting parishioners with compassionate and caring hearts to go through some training and then offer themselves as a comfrot and support to families (or, in the case of many in the parish, individuals) who are in the process of grief over the loss of a loved one. Those who offer themselves in this ministry will surely grow in their own spiritual lives and give concrete witness to Christ's love and compassion for these dear people. 

To find out more specifics about this ministry, please call Deacon Gary at 573-645-6814 and/or look forward to an information session about this ministry coming soon. Please note, for those in the grieving process now, there is an upcoming group grief support workshop on 5 Mondays in a row (October 3 - October 31) here at Sacred Heart Church led by Deacon Christoff. Call him or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A few weeks ago I had a Pastor's column regarding our stewardship of time, talents and treasure. While re-reading, I regretted mentioning why some aren't giving much to the church and other needs within and outside of the church. I now wish that I had emphasized more those who are giving, who thank God, are many in number. I pray that these cheerful givers can be an inspiration to others of this joy of giving of what we are blessed with in time, talent and treasure.

When I first thought about our VIP's (Very Important Parishioners) for the month of September, Mike and Ruth Kerwin, the first thing that came to mind was the Eucharist. That is because I came to know them early on in my tenure as pastor here as participants at weekday Masses (In addition to the 8:00 a.m. Mass every Sunday), as people who took ministry roles at our Masses as lector (Mike) as Altar Servers (Mike and Ruth) as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Mass and to our shut-ins (Mike and Ruth) and in time as Eucharistic Adorers, and Mike as the coordinator of our Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Ministry for a number of years. I truly believe that their devotion to Mass and to the "Real Presence" of Jesus in Holy Communion was and is the catalyst for the many activities and ministries in the parish and outside the parish, that they have taken on over the years and, with most of them, for more than a few years. Let me start with the ministries and activities they both continue to do or have done. They include Love Lunch at Jackson House (7+ years), Samaritan Ministries homeless shelter for men dinners (13+ years), St. Francis House Homeless Shelter for Veterans in Little Rock (9+ years), weekly volunteers at Jackson House Gift Shop (14+ years), Meals on Wheels, Mass Ministries (see above) for 17+ years, collection counters (15+ years), Knights of Columbus Family of the Year (twice), and supporting one another in the ministries/activities that they individually take on. Mike has not only been an active member of the Knights of Columbus and Men's Club, but has taken on leadership roles in both (as past Grand Knight, Faithful Navigator (4th degree) and president of the Men's Club. He has taken on coordinating roles not only in Eucharistic Adoration, but also in Adult Religious Education offerings (as a facilitator) and in coordinating the schedule of people for the Samaritan Ministries' monthly dinners as a member of the Men's Club. Ruth has been a CASA volunteer for 10+ years and is active in LOSH and in our religious education offerings. Since I'm running out of space, let me tell you that there is more that they have done and are doing, all of which I know were inspired by the Eucharisitic Lord. I know they have inspired more than a few to get more involved in their faith in worship and in service to the parish and the larger community.While some come to the Village and to our wonderful parish and say "I've already been there and done that" when asked to be involved beyond being a "pew Catholic" in ministries and activities, I would be willing to say that these retirees (Mike and Ruth) testify by their devotion to the Eucharistic Lord and by their works that there is no retiring from doing the Lord's work and giving thanks and praise to the Lord. I can't thank the Lord enough and pray that this parish and the wider community be blessed with more disciples of the Lord who take their faith seriously and actively like the Kerwin's (even if it's not as much as they've done and do!)