Posted on January 14, 2018 View all news
Today is the first Sunday for our new combined parish bulletin. There may be some layout changes over the next few weeks as we tweak the new bulletin, but it is my hope that this helps with the communication between our two parishes. This will also help reduce the work it takes to produce a bulletin each week. Much work goes into the bulletin, and it is the primary means of communication. Please be sure to read through it each week, for news, upcoming events, the financial report, and to grow in the knowledge of our holy Faith.
On New Year’s Day, in my sermon, I spoke about the importance of practicing the liturgical life at home. Attending Sunday and Holy Day Mass is merely the minimum obligation, everyone is always encourage to attend daily Mass if possible, and certainly on special feast days. These feast days should then carry over into our home life, whether it is through feasting or fasting, or practicing small like traditions in the home like the Advent wreath, St. Nicholas Day, the gaining of Indulgences, or the burying of the Alleluia at the beginning of Septuagesmia or the Lenten Seasons.
Reading the bulletins enables you to stay alert of these items, to more fully practice your Catholic faith. Truly doing what we are commanded to do at the end of Mass, for the Ite, Missa Est, the Go forth, the Mass is ended. In that, we are told to take what we have received and practice it within our daily life. In doing so, Sunday and Holy Day Masses take on a more primary role within our life as the peak of our week!
I also wish to say that the bulletin comes at no cost to either parish, beyond the time it takes to produce each week. The cost comes from the advertisers on the back page. Please be sure to patronize them and tell them you saw their ad on our bulletin. In the spring, we will try to expand the amount of advertisers. If you get a phone call from Dee Printing, please consider placing an ad in the bulletin. If you own a business and would like an ad, please let us know and we will pass your information along to the printers.
I would also like to welcome Joann Dobler to the parish staff. Many of you may know Joann from the German Mass and Social Club at Old St. Mary’s. Joann will assume the role of parish secretary. Stephi Sieverding also remains on staff, though in a more specialized role by helping with weddings, special projects, finances, and helping to keep me in line! I welcome Joann to the staff and look forward to working with her.
With some of these shifts, the Old St. Mary’s parish office will for the time being be closed on Fridays. The office will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday. If anyone, or a group of people, would like to volunteer to help answer phones and with some office tasks on Friday mornings, please let me know. I wish you all a blessed week ahead!
