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 Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This weekend we welcome back all of our P.R.E. (Parish
Religious Education) students for their first class sessions of the
new school year. I’d like to thank the dozens of our brothers and
sisters who have stepped forward to serve this year as Catechists
for our young people. Our PRE program is bigger that it has ever
been before. We are so proud of all of the good that our young
people are doing and experiencing here on Sunday mornings and on
Monday afternoons. And yet, none of that would be possible if it
weren’t for all of those who volunteer their time to pass on our
Faith. Special thanks go to those who stepped up in the last couple
of weeks to make sure that we have enough Catechists to cover all of
the classes. As I write this, there are STILL a couple more classes
that STILL need Catechists. Could you help out? Think about it.
Pray about it. Give our awesome Director of Religious Education
Connie Anderson a call if you could help out. We need you as soon
as possible.
Our high school youth group, T.R.U.T.H., is also resuming
their weekly meetings beginning tonight at 6:00 PM, or right after
5:00 PM Mass. And our junior high youth ministry program for our
seventh and eighth graders, H.O.P.E., resumes its meetings this
Wednesday evening, Sept. 12th,
at 7:00 PM. Both of these groups will meet in the youth room in the
lower level of the church. We are very proud of our older youth
also. It seems you can’t pick up a newspaper most days and not read
about one of St. Maria Goretti’s incredible high school or jr. high
students and their successes and accomplishments. Our young people
are so great that it is an honor for any adult to be involved in
helping out with these two youth groups. And yes, we’re still
looking for additional youth ministers for both youth groups. If
you could help out on either Sundays or Wednesdays, please give our
youth minister, Jeff Stankovsky, a call some time this week. As
both groups grow in number, more adults are needed for each of them.
Of course, with the beginning of the new school year, P.R.E.,
the youth groups, RCIA, and the Adult Bible Study and Bible Basics
on Sunday mornings, we are all reminded once again how important it
is for us all to keep learning about our Faith. There is so much to
know! And the more you know, the more you want to know! Our
Catholic Faith is such a beautiful, rich, inter-woven, Faith
system! Wouldn’t it be a shame to go through life with only a
surface understanding about what our Faith believes and teaches? We
should want to learn as much as we can each day. This is why it is
so important for us to keep growing in our Faith. We need to read
about our Faith. We need to take advantage of every opportunity
that we can to learn more about our Faith. We need to have
discussions and conversations with brothers and sisters from our
Faith about what we believe and how we practice it. Far too many
Catholics walk away from their Faith with little or no understanding
of what it means to be Catholic. Staying an ignorant Catholic is
the absolute best way to end up being an ex-Catholic. Learn about
your Faith! All of us need to be feeding our souls with the Truth.
It amazes me when parents send their children to a Catholic school
or to P.R.E. to feed their children’s souls, but then do absolutely
nothing to feed their own souls. What kind of message do you think
that that sends to our children? Religious Education isn’t just for
kids. It’s for all of us! Think about that the next time you drop
your kids off at school, or P.R.E., or the youth groups. You’re
getting your kids here and that’s a good thing. Parents, you did
make that promise to do that at their Baptisms. But what about
getting yourself here? What about learning something about our
Faith, yourself?
Next weekend is Catechetical Sunday in all parishes in the
United States. We will be praying for all of our Catechists next
Sunday at all of our Masses and asking God’s blessing on them as
they teach this school year. Let us keep all of our students and
our teachers in our prayers this week for another great year.
Don’t forget that John Michael Talbot will be here in less
than two weeks. We still have tickets available at the Parish
Office. The concert is Saturday evening, Sept. 22nd
in church. Bring your family, friends and your neighbors.
Have a great weekend! May you treasure each day that God gives you
to love and serve Him!
In Christ,
Fr. Kevin
Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.
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