Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

        Greetings and welcome to St. Maria Goretti!  Today we are celebrating the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Today is also the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr.  Today at the end of our Masses, in keeping with our Catholic tradition, we will be blessing throats.  Due to the Baptisms following our 4:30 PM and 10:00 AM Masses, the blessing with be given to everybody all together.  At our 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Masses, we will offer the individual blessing of throats, with the newly blessed candles from yesterday’s celebration of Candlemas Day, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  These are great and awesome days, as prepare this week to head into Lent.  I’ll write more on that later.

         We have a couple of very important items that I need to address this week in this letter.  The first is our Nursery Co-op that is offered during some of our Sunday Masses to help parents with very young children.  A lot of work and effort has gone into this effort over the years, to make it as safe and helpful as it possibly can be.  Almost all of this work and effort has fallen on the shoulders of Mick and Ann Trompen.  For several years now, they have labored not only on Sundays, but many, many hours during the week organizing and putting together a safe and fun place for our “smallest angels” to be together when they’re just not getting too much out of Mass and my homilies.  Mick and Ann are two of my most favorite saints at St. Maria Goretti.  Of course, our Nursery Co-op has had the added effect of helping all of the rest of us hear and participate more in the Mass, precisely because our “smallest angels” ARE in the Nursery Co-op.  Notice I keep using that word “Nursery Co-op”.   We do not have “Nursery Service”.  We have a “Nursery Co-op”.  Our Nursery during Mass was founded on the idea that everybody who uses the Nursery would also help to staff and maintain the Nursery.  Everybody was supposed to take their turn and be responsible.  Somewhere along the line, we’ve lost some of these ideals.  Assigned parents are not showing up.  At Masses on several of the past weekends, we’ve not been able to open the Nursery precisely because the parents assigned have not shown up.  Then of course, the parents that have been faithful and done their part, can’t use the Nursery because it is closed.  The Co-op works very, very well when everybody does their part and is responsible.  The Co-op fails when we don’t take it seriously.  And while I don’t have children, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a Parish of our size and with as many young children as we have, really needs a nursery during Mass!  Guys, we can do so much better!  We must do better.  I’m asking every one to work together and to help us to keep our Nursery Co-op.  We have made this so much more difficult on a few good people.  And the Co-op was also supposed to get us out of the “servant” mode.

When everybody is taking a turn, we were all brothers and sisters helping out.  Now I hear that some are dropping their children off and picking them up, treating the volunteers like they were their personal servants or babysitters.  There’s no need for this.  We’re working together towards the same goal.  If you want a personal nanny or babysitter for your child, and you don’t want to help out with the Co-op, then hire one at home.  But please do NOT mistreat your brothers and sisters who are just trying to help out in the Co-op.  And yeah, I’m sorry that I had to write that too.

         Also, it is time once again for one of my reminders about parking along the circular drive up by the buildings.  All of this area is considered a “fire zone” and is not meant for parking.  We are having a particular problem on Sunday mornings and Monday afternoons during PRE.  During these important drop-off times, it is more important than ever NOT to park in those zones.  With so many young children going in and out of all of our buildings, we must be very careful or else somebody is going to get hit by a car.   Please remember to always use caution and slow down on the drive.  And please remember that the drive is a counter-clockwise loop, just like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway!  Please don’t go Formula One on us and drive the wrong way on the loop.  Even when you think that no one is coming, it is not a good idea.  These are simple things and yet when we all pay attention to them, we all get along better and no one gets hurt.

        Ash Wednesday is THIS Wednesday, February 6^th.  Masses are at 8:00 AM with the school community and at 5:30 PM.  I remind you that Ash Wednesday is a day of Fasting and Abstinence from meat, as we show God our love and gratitude through our penance.  All adult members of the Church, those age 18 through age 60, who are in good health, should fast.  Fasting is defined as no more than one full meal and two other much smaller meals, “sufficient to maintain strength”.  All Catholics in good health from age 14 on up are asked to abstain from all meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent.  Catholic parents have a special responsibility to teach their younger children who are NOT bound by the laws of Fast and Abstinence, an authentic sense of Penance.  The Stations of the Cross will be prayed each Friday evening at 7:00 PM in the main sanctuary, beginning this Friday evening.  It is hoped that as many as possible might be able to join us for this beautiful Catholic tradition.  When’s the last time you prayed the Stations of the Cross?  Come and join us on Friday night.

      This is going to be one of the best Lents ever!  Fr. Stan Fortuna is coming Feb. 23^rd through the 28^th for our Lenten Mission.  Plan now to attend.

In Christ,

Fr. Kevin

The essential fact of Christianity is that God thought all men worth the sacrifice of His Son. 

        I am so very much looking forward to next Saturday night’s “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?” Dinner.  I hope we see you there!  Have a great week!

In Christ,

Fr. Kevin

If you make money your god, it will plague you like the Devil.