Father’s Column 9/18

Posted on September 18, 2016 View all news

Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!

This upcoming week, we will be privileged to host the relics of St. Pio of Pietrelcina at both parishes. The relics will visit Old St. Mary’s on Friday, September 23. The evening will begin with a presentation in Fr. Felten Hall, followed by Mass in the Church at 7:00 p.m. with veneration of the relics and a procession. The relics will then visit Sacred Heart on Sunday, September 25. The relics will be available for veneration after each Mass, with presentations occurring in the Parish Hall after both Masses. Padre Gian Maria DiGiorgio, a Friar from the Friary where Padre Pio lived, will be accompanying the relics and preaching. Please make every effort to be with us for one or the other opportunity to venerate these relics. What a privilege for our parishes! Thank you to Veronica Iezzoni for helping arrange this for us.

Over these past few weeks, the Community has been busy moving into our new residence. This has taken considerable amount of time, while we also built our temporary chapel. Life has begun to settle a bit, but thank you to everyone for your patience and assistance. Without your prayers and support, we could not do what we do. Know that each of you are in our daily prayers. Thank you!

Lastly, I have failed over these past few weeks to congratulate, and ask for prayers for, our new seminarians from Old St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart. The new seminary year began on August 29. From Old St. Mary’s, Michael Poussard entered into First Theology. For Sacred Heart, Eddie Hoffmann, brother of Br. Henry Hoffmann, also entered into First Theology. Please keep them, and all seminarians in your prayers as they advance toward the Altar. Between both parishes, we have four seminarians, also counting Br. Brent (OSM) and Stephen Schreck (SH). What a blessing for smaller parishes to give so many priests to the Church. Much larger parishes haven’t given a single priest to the Church in their whole history. Over the past five years alone, both parishes have given five priests to the Church. Others have entered religious life, while others are in the seminary.

Please keep up the good work of raising good and holy families. Not that our families are not without their imperfections, but the prayer and faithfulness of our families is evident. May God Bless each of you in your work, and please continue to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and the religious life each day. If we continue to ask the Lord, he will answer our prayers to raise up good and holy priests and religious. Have a blessed week ahead!

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