Happy May 5 and Cinco de Mayo!
Some update notes.
1. VIRTUS: We are receiving an excellent response to our notice in the bulletin for those individuals who need to update their VIRTUS/Safe Environment training. Please note that your name is in the bulletin ONLY because your training needs to be updated and the audit is almost at hand. You have done nothing wrong! It was just the easiest way to reach out to such a large group of individuals.
We are attaching to this email a document for those individuals who wish to recertify online. Hopefully you have kept your username and password in a safe place for easy retrieval. If not, there is a link/phone number to the VIRTUS help desk.
If you no longer wish to volunteer in any capacity at the church or school, please notify the rectory office so we may take your name out of follow-up.
2. CROWNING OF THE MAY QUEEN: Father Birendra has written a lovely history of the "Month of May" and the Devotion to our Blessed Mother during this month. We hope you will enjoy reading the article in this weekends bulletin. And we invite you to join our St. Mark Ladies Guild on Monday, May 10, at 7:00 p.m. in the church for the Crowning of the May Queen and scriptural rosary of the Marian mysteries. Remember, too, that the Knights of Columbus are praying the Rosary every day during the month of May. The schedule is in the bulletin.
3. NO 8:00 A.M. MASS THIS SATURDAY, MAY 8: Last Saturday morning for First Holy Communion. 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning mass will resume on May 15.
4. BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS: Progress has been made on cleaning up the property. Happy Grass has been mowing, weeding, and they have started laying down mulch. The front of the church looks lovely! We are working very, very hard to get rid of the dandelions! We will NOT be defeated. The school parents are scheduled to mulch and tidy up the playground the weekend of May 15.
Every year we notify parishioners that we will meet on a Saturday morning (weather permitting), in a particular area, to rake, edge, weed, trim, etc., We have not done so the past few weekends due to First Holy Communion. Weather permitting, we would like to get some volunteers together to start weeding the area between the flagpole and the two large side doors of the school (close to the rectory) on Saturday, May 15. I will keep tabs on the weather next week and send out a reminder next week.
5. SUMMER HOURS: Father Birendra would like to start summer hours effective immediately! Yippee. Beginning this Friday, the office will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
6. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY: Father Birendra, Father Russ, Deacons Andy, Emmet, and Paul, and the entire Office Staff send their warmest wishes to all the mothers of our parish. Have a wonderful Mother's Day!
Let's hope we covered everything before we hit the send button!
Best,
Paula/Joan
P.S. Almost forgot! My (Paula) mourning doves DID have their babies. Three squabs. Two survived. One didn't. And Joan has been very lucky. Hummingbirds have been at her bird feeder. I haven't seen a single one yet.