Did you know that Pope Francis on December 8, 2020 (the 150th Anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as the patron of the Catholic Church by blessed Pius IX), declared the beginning of a "Year of St. Joseph?" As we have begun the month of March that celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19) it is appropriate to dedicate a pastor's column to St. Joseph. In his apostolic letter "Patris Corde" (with a Father's Heart), Pope Francis describes St. Joseph as a beloved father, an accepting father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows. Of the many ways Pope Francis speaks about St. Joseph as our role model and sure intercessor, I like the following: "Joseph's spiritual path is not one that explains, but "accepts" which does not mean that he is "resigned." Instead he is "courageously and firmly proactive" because with the "Holy Sprit's gift of fortitude," and full of hope, he is able "to accept" life as it is, with all its contradictions, frustrations, and disappointments. How blessed we would be (or maybe are) when we seek St. Joseph's help to be, "as he was" in our own lives.
I invite and encourage all of us to participate in a 9 day Novena to St. Joseph from March 10-18. Two possibilities can be found at www.divinemercy.org/articles/nineday-joseph or www.josephsite.com/wordpress/nine-days-novena. Participating in a Novena to St. Joseph will not only ask St. Joseph's intercession for us, our family and the Church, and help us grow in appreciation of who he was (for Jesus and Mary) and is (for us), it will also prepare us for the main Feast of St. Joseph that will happen on Friday, March 19. I'm proud and happy to say that I chose St. Joseph as my Confirmation name and hope we will all grow in appreciation of this special saint in this year that is dedicated to him.
I invite and encourage all of us to participate in a 9 day Novena to St. Joseph from March 10-18. Two possibilities can be found at www.divinemercy.org/articles/nineday-joseph or www.josephsite.com/wordpress/nine-days-novena. Participating in a Novena to St. Joseph will not only ask St. Joseph's intercession for us, our family and the Church, and help us grow in appreciation of who he was (for Jesus and Mary) and is (for us), it will also prepare us for the main Feast of St. Joseph that will happen on Friday, March 19. I'm proud and happy to say that I chose St. Joseph as my Confirmation name and hope we will all grow in appreciation of this special saint in this year that is dedicated to him.
When I arrived at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church over 10 years ago, this parish (and its pastor, Msgr. Malone) were blessed to have 5 permanent deacons active in various ways in this wonderful parish. Religious education offerings for adults were among those ministries headed up by some of our deacons. Besides RCIA, which prepares people to enter into Catholic Church through sacraments of initiation, there were scripture studies offered and other programs encouraged and offered by the diocese including the "Why Catholic" small group studies which went on for many months. Fast forward to the present and we are down to one deacon, Larry Lipsmeyer who is officially retired, but continues to be involved in some aspects of parish life and ministry (for which I and others are very grateful)!
I believe it is time (or maybe past time) to put out feelers to see if we have anyone in the parish who has some background and is interested in heading up religious education for adults in our parish. Many parishes are blessed to have lay persons as heads of their overall religious education programs. At the present time Margaret Keearns oversees our religious education for children and teenagers (also known as R.E.Y.). We need a lay adult to head up our religious education offerings for adults. This would start out and perhaps always be a part-time position with monetary stipend being offered to this person. They would have an office to work from and would obviously be working closely with me and our education commission on adult religious education offerings for our parishioners as well as a program to welcome and prepare people who are interested in becoming Catholic.
While some degree in religious education or ministry would be desireable, at this point we are open to someone who has a love for their Catholic faith, and a desire to help others grow their knowledge of the faith, while growing in this area themselves. Administrative and people skills will be apreciated for anyone who might want to take this position. Please pray that we have people step forward who could take this ministry on here at Sacred Heart Church. I am truly grateful for all those who have been leaders of our adult religious education offerings of the past and those who are leading groups now (like our "Walking With Purpose" ladies groups). While I invite all our parishioners to grow in their faith individually through offerings found on our parish subscription to FORMED.org, I know there is a hungering spirit for groups to gather and grow (especially after the current pandemic is over). I want someone who can give time to make this happen to an even greater extent than now here at Sacred Heart Church. (Please pray as well if you would, that the Lord through our bishop, will send this parish a deacon sometime in the future)!
I believe it is time (or maybe past time) to put out feelers to see if we have anyone in the parish who has some background and is interested in heading up religious education for adults in our parish. Many parishes are blessed to have lay persons as heads of their overall religious education programs. At the present time Margaret Keearns oversees our religious education for children and teenagers (also known as R.E.Y.). We need a lay adult to head up our religious education offerings for adults. This would start out and perhaps always be a part-time position with monetary stipend being offered to this person. They would have an office to work from and would obviously be working closely with me and our education commission on adult religious education offerings for our parishioners as well as a program to welcome and prepare people who are interested in becoming Catholic.
While some degree in religious education or ministry would be desireable, at this point we are open to someone who has a love for their Catholic faith, and a desire to help others grow their knowledge of the faith, while growing in this area themselves. Administrative and people skills will be apreciated for anyone who might want to take this position. Please pray that we have people step forward who could take this ministry on here at Sacred Heart Church. I am truly grateful for all those who have been leaders of our adult religious education offerings of the past and those who are leading groups now (like our "Walking With Purpose" ladies groups). While I invite all our parishioners to grow in their faith individually through offerings found on our parish subscription to FORMED.org, I know there is a hungering spirit for groups to gather and grow (especially after the current pandemic is over). I want someone who can give time to make this happen to an even greater extent than now here at Sacred Heart Church. (Please pray as well if you would, that the Lord through our bishop, will send this parish a deacon sometime in the future)!
Dear Families,
The season of Lent gives us a wonderful opportunity to reflect and make room in our hearts to welcome the stranger. Through our prayer, we encounter Jesus, who is present in the face of every member of our human family. When we fast, we encounter the obstacles that prevent us from fully loving God and our neighbor. When we give alms, we share what we have with others. During Lent, our commuity will participate in CRS Rice Bowl, a faith-in-action program that invites us to reflect on the challenges of global hunger-and our Gospel call to care for our global human family.
Matthew's Gospel invites us to remember that we are responsible for helping all our sisters and brothers, even those who are strangers to us. When we do this, we care for Christ. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus tells us that, "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Through our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving, we can respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers, including the millions of men, women and children around the world who experience chronic hunger.
CRS Rice Bowl provides many resources for daily reflection throughout Lent. Consider these suggestions in your family's Lenten plan:
* Use your CRS Rice Bowl and Lenten Calendar each day to guide your prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
* Read the Stories of Hope and daily reflections to inspire your Lenten journey.
* Use the CRS Rice Bowl recipes to prepare simple, meatless meals on the Fridays of Lent to eat in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.
* Visit www.crsricebowl.org to watch videos of the people and communities you support through your Lenten gifts to CRS Rice Bowl.
CRS Rice Bowls will be collected at the end of Lent, so stay tuned to learn more. Thank you for participating in CRS Rice Bowl with your family.
The season of Lent gives us a wonderful opportunity to reflect and make room in our hearts to welcome the stranger. Through our prayer, we encounter Jesus, who is present in the face of every member of our human family. When we fast, we encounter the obstacles that prevent us from fully loving God and our neighbor. When we give alms, we share what we have with others. During Lent, our commuity will participate in CRS Rice Bowl, a faith-in-action program that invites us to reflect on the challenges of global hunger-and our Gospel call to care for our global human family.
Matthew's Gospel invites us to remember that we are responsible for helping all our sisters and brothers, even those who are strangers to us. When we do this, we care for Christ. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus tells us that, "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Through our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving, we can respond to the needs of our sisters and brothers, including the millions of men, women and children around the world who experience chronic hunger.
CRS Rice Bowl provides many resources for daily reflection throughout Lent. Consider these suggestions in your family's Lenten plan:
* Use your CRS Rice Bowl and Lenten Calendar each day to guide your prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
* Read the Stories of Hope and daily reflections to inspire your Lenten journey.
* Use the CRS Rice Bowl recipes to prepare simple, meatless meals on the Fridays of Lent to eat in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.
* Visit www.crsricebowl.org to watch videos of the people and communities you support through your Lenten gifts to CRS Rice Bowl.
CRS Rice Bowls will be collected at the end of Lent, so stay tuned to learn more. Thank you for participating in CRS Rice Bowl with your family.