Dear Fellow Parishioners,Ā Now that spring is largely behind us, Iād like to share a few thoughts on two feasts that fall in June: the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (the 3rd Friday after Pentecost) and the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist (June 24th). The Feast of the Most […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Iād like to follow up with a few odds and ends regarding the parish premises. The repair and painting project on the hall and garage are nearly complete. During the preparation work, we discovered repairs that needed to be made, including part of the roof of the Parish Hall, the roof and […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Both of our parish schools ā SVHS and SVES ā hold graduation ceremonies in our church. The beautiful, reverent and somewhat formal setting lends an appropriate air of solemnity to these milestone events. That doesnāt stop some groups of supporters from expressing their special enthusiasm for a favorite son or daughter as […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, This time of year is for milestones and goodbyes, with new challenges on the horizon: First Communions, Confirmations, graduations. Some graduations will lead to another local school, a college or university further from home, career training, or a new job. Graduations have a valedictory quality, hence the āvaledictorianā who delivers the farewell […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, This weekend we celebrate Motherās Day. While there are many images of loving (not to mention powerful) mothers in the Old Testament, there is also the Fourth Commandment: āHonor thy father and thy mother.ā At the most basic level, that commandment is a call to respect an inescapable fact: Our relationship with […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, At this time of year, I sign hundreds of documents: Baptismal certificates for those receiving other sacraments, First Communion and Confirmation certificates, diplomas from two schools, contracts for teachers and staff from two schools, you name it, all in addition to the usual checks, letters and Mass cards that need to be […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, First of all, I would like to thank the many people who worked so hard to make our celebrations on Palm Sunday, Holy Week, the Triduum, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday both inspiring and memorable. This was the first Holy Week and Easter that we returned to the full pre-COVID form […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, After Lent, Holy Week and Easter, we are now at the end of Easter Week, or the octave of Easter. Itās called the āoctaveā because this Sunday is the eighth day after Easter, counting inclusively as they did in the ancient world. Those of us who are a little older can remember […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, By the time you read this, it will be the Easter Vigil or Easter morning. Over the last four days of Lent (Holy Monday through Holy Thursday) and the Triduum (Holy Thursday evening to the Easter Vigil) our cold, wet winter and early spring will begin to give way to warmer days […]
Dear Fellow Parishioners, Nearly all of you have noticed the netting and scaffolding around the parish hall, which is being repainted. Since the parish hall is the parish building most exposed to sunlight on all sides, it is in most need of maintenance. The real work of the project is in the preparation, and most […]