Dear friends,
It's hard to believe how fast this summer has gone! Our parish has had a full and eventful summer. At the beginning of August, we had a great Vacation Bible School program. The following week, we had an AMAZING fish fry fundraiser for our buildings and ground projects. We have also been getting the Newman Center ready to welcome the students back for the fall semester, and it's been great seeing students come into the Newman Center this week.
I can't believe that I've almost been here for two months! It's been quite the learning curve, and I'm thankful for your patience as I've been learning more about how our parish operates. I'm so grateful for the warm welcome and the support that I've received from all of you. Please continue to keep me in your prayers.
I also ask for your prayers for all the students returning to school this fall at all grade levels and their families. The school year can be a busy time, and there are a lot of challenges for our students to navigate. Even as a (relatively) young priest, it's clear to me that the challenges to living out the faith as a young person are more pronounced today than they were when I was in high school and college. This is one of the reasons that I think the Newman Center, St. Mary School, and our Faith Formation program are such important ministries of the parish. Please encourage other families that you know to take advantage of these ministries, especially if they've lost connection during COVID. In particular, if there are children, teens, or adults who have "missed" sacraments like first Reconciliation, first Communion, or Confirmation, it's not too late! Please let me know, and we can come up with a plan that makes sense in light of your family's circumstances.
Please see below this letter for some other important announcements! I especially encourage you to sign up for a time to have your photo taken for our parish directory (link to register below). Have a blessed week!
Yours in Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
Fr. Brad