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 Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It’s hard to believe that we come to the end of another
month. Next weekend, it will be November. Our liturgical year is
winding down, as we celebrate today the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary
Time. Our next two Sundays are celebrations of special feasts.
Next weekend, on Nov. 2nd,
we celebrate All Soul’s Day on Sunday. This doesn’t happen very
often. All Saint’s Day, Nov. 1st,
which is usually a Holy Day of Obligation, is NOT this year, because
the Feast Day falls on Saturday, next to a Sunday. We will still
have Mass for the Feast Day next Saturday, at 8:00 AM and that will
be our only Mass. Once again, the obligation is removed this year.
Then, in two weeks, the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time will
also drop, in favor of the celebration of the Feast of the
Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is another
annual Feast that we don’t get to celebrate on Sunday very often.
It will be a very different November as we close out the liturgical
year and prepare for Advent. Interestingly enough, Advent begins on
Nov. 30th
this year.
Next weekend, we are also going to have our annual Ministry
Fair. Those of you who have been around for a while, might be
thinking “Hey, don’t we do that on the Feast of Pentecost?” And
you would be right. For the past several years, even before we were
an independent parish, we’ve been celebrating the Feast of Pentecost
and the Birthday of the Church with a Ministry Fair that has called
all of us to get involved and sign up for one of our great
ministries here at St. Maria Goretti. After we had some really low
attendance figures for our Ministry Fair this past year, the Parish
Council, also considering when we need the most new volunteers,
decided to move the Ministry Fair to fall, to better meet the needs
of our community. Next year’s Ministry Fair will be earlier, in
September. This year, because of our late start in making the
switch, the Ministry Fair will take place on All Soul’s Day, next
weekend. What better way to celebrate that you are still ALIVE than
by getting more involved in your Parish! Wanna do something to help
your Soul? Then sign up for a new ministry and get involved at next
weekend’s Ministry Fair! I could keep justifying this all day, but
you get my point. In addition, the Ministry Fair will be held in
the Church Narthex, that is the gathering area of the new church
itself, immediately following all of our Masses next weekend. We’re
saving you that long and tedious walk over to the gym this year, so
that you have no excuse for not signing up for something.
I know these are busy days. We all have a lot of things
going on. And yet ALL OF US have a special responsibility to get
involved in one of our ministries here at St. Maria Goretti. It’s
NOT just about showing up for Mass once a week. And it’s NOT just
about putting in an envelope when they pass the basket around. Your
Parish needs you and your abilities! Everybody can do something.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a lector at Mass. Maybe you’d
like to help with our Sport’s Ministry program or our Boy or Girl
Scout’s program. Maybe you love coffee and donuts and would just
love to help out on Sunday mornings with that ministry. We’ve got
something for every one! And every one, every member of the Parish
should be doing something. How can you help out? What are your
gifts and talents? What would build up your soul and at the same
time build up our community? Pray about this, this week. We’re
going to get the opportunity to sign up after all Masses next
weekend. I’d also like to remind all ministry chairs of their
responsibility to have folks at the tables after all four Masses
next weekend. I also heard a rumor that Fr. Dale and I would be
offering our “no homily” deal next weekend, IF you promise to stop
by the Ministry Fair. But that could change if the folks at 4:30 PM
Mass don’t quit leaving early. You get the point, don’t you? We
really want you to stop by the Ministry Fair next weekend and sign
up for something!
Hey, ladies, don’t forget that the Altar Rosary Society’s
Souper Supper is this Tuesday evening. It’s going to be a blast.
Come and bring a friend! Get your whole Christ Renews Team to come
together. And a reminder to our 6th,
7th,
and 8th
graders that the designs for the T-shirt contest are due in today.
There is a lot going on. Let’s do our best to keep it all straight!
Have a great week! Let’s take back Halloween this week, by
dressing up like saints and angels instead of demons and witches.
You’d be surprised at what a great teaching moment it is with your
kids!
In Christ,
Fr. Kevin
If you want to know a person’s faults, go to those who love him.
They will not tell you but they know.
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