You are a Priest Forever
Today I am looking forward to Thursday's Feast of St. John Vianney. St. John wanted to be a priest, but he struggled with schooling, especially Latin. He persevered after getting private tutoring. Eventually, he was ordained and became a parish priest in Ars, France (Cure d' Ars). Once ordained, his life became one of service to God's people. His fame as a Confessor spread, and he would spend up to 16 or 18 hours a day in the confessional reconciling people with God. St. John Mary Vianney is the Patron Saint of Parish Priests and Diocesan Priests. His incorrupt body is viewable in Ars.
This feast day brought to mind a song that I became acquainted with after the death of Father Tony Dolski. The song is You Are a Priest Forever by Brian Flynn. The family had requested this song for Father Tony's funeral. After the funeral, I learned that the song brought many priests in attendance to tears. The lyrics are rather poignant and convey the spirit of being a priest. I've used the song for the first Mass of a newly ordained priest and to celebrate the lives of priests.
This feast day is a beautiful opportunity to pray for all priests, especially those who give selflessly to serve the people of God and to pray for vocations. St. John Vianney, please pray for our priests and all of us!
Awesome Acts of August Food Drive
Join the OLOL Young Adult Ministry in kicking off our Awesome Acts of August month of service. We will be hosting a month-long food drive to benefit the De Pere Christian Outreach Food Drive. Donations can be brought to the Our Lady of Lourdes Church and placed in our north entrance.
Items that are needed:
-August 7: Soup
-August 7: Soup
-August 14: Cereal
-August 21: Peanut Butter, Jelly/Jam, and other condiments
-August 28: Manwich, Pasta, and Canned Tomato Products
**Other items are always welcome!!**
RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
RCIA is the process designed for those who have never been baptized, baptized in another faith, or baptized Catholic with little or no catechesis and who are in need of the other sacraments. The process begins the first week of October and sacraments will be received at the Easter Vigil on April 8.
If you or someone you know falls into one of these categories and would like to explore the RCIA process, there will be an informational meeting about RCIA on Wednesday, September 21, at 6 p.m. in the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Office conference room. Sessions will begin on Wednesday, October 5, and take place from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Classes are held the first three Wednesdays of most months. A more detailed schedule will be given the night of the informational meeting. If you have questions, please contact Deacon Mike Vander Bloomen at deaconmike@lourdesdepere.org or call the Parish Office at 920-336-4033.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Family
1307 Lourdes Avenue
De Pere, WI 54115
(920) 336-4033
Email: parish@lourdesdepere.org