Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Just as we were still giving thanks for all of the blessings and graces bestowed on our Parish family at last weekend’s Men’s Christ Renews His Parish and Men’s Cursillo weekend, this weekend we host Women’s Christ Renews His Parish Team #11. These renewal efforts are so important to all of us. Let us keep all of the Ladies involved this weekend in our prayers and hearts. Thanks to all who work so hard to ensure that these renewal programs continue at our Parish.

Last week, we published a note from our own seminarian, Josh Bennett. In it, Josh included his address at the seminary. I’d like to once again say how proud all of us are of this young man. Josh’s faith, his courage, and his willingness to serve should inspire all of us. I know that they do me. It is an extraordinary thing for a Parish family to have a seminarian studying for the Diocese. It is a sign of life within the Parish. It is a sign that what we began here ten years ago is working. It is a sign that the Faith is being passed on. We should all be proud of Josh because he represents all of us. Good parishes produce good priests. It is so important for us to give back to the Diocese that has provided priests, deacons, and seminarians for us, up to this point. There is a bishop in Kansas that tells his parishes that if they want priests assigned to them in the future, then they need to be sending seminarians now. Hopefully, Josh is just the first of many seminarians, deacons, priests, sisters and other lay ministers that St. Maria Goretti will give to the larger Church. Josh is a reminder that all of us must continue to pray for vocations to the Church. Our prayers work. In case you missed it last week, Josh’s address is…

Josh Bennett
Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary
16300 Old Emmitsburg Road
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all dropped Josh a note or a card now and then, to support him in what he is doing? Also, Josh’ birthday just happens to be coming up also. Josh will be 25 on November 8 th. Why not pick up an extra birthday card the next time you are card shopping, to send to our seminarian. That parish support is so important when you are studying away from home. Above all, let us keep Josh in our prayers every day.

You hopefully noticed last weekend that we have begun using a new format for our bulletin. With so many things going on, it has become time to expand the bulletin by a couple of additional pages. Hopefully, this new format will help us to communicate better all of the good things going on at St. Maria Goretti. I am most excited about the new feature, “The Family of the Week”. With the Parish growing so rapidly, “The Family of the Week” feature will help us to get know each other better. Our Parish Directory is now nearly two years old. Plans are being made now to shoot a new directory next summer. Until then, it is hoped that this new feature in the bulletin will help us to get to know one another better, especially the newest among us. Of course, for this to happen, we need to all read the re-designed bulletin each week. It is a good habit to get into. You will also notice that we also now have additional advertising space to help us pay for those new additional pages. If you own a business, I’d like to encourage you to consider advertising in our bulletin. It is a good way to get the word out about what your business offers. And I would ask all parishioners to please help us to support the businesses that do advertise in our bulletin. They make it possibly for us to publish the bulletin each week, free of charge. That communication within the Parish is absolutely essential to being a strong community.

Next weekend, representatives from a coalition of Catholic families in Israel, will be here at St. Maria Goretti offering their beautiful olive wood products for sale. We did this a couple of years ago. These are hard times for Catholic Christians in the Holy Land. There is much persecution, and the tourism that many of them rely on to support their families, has declined greatly, due to violence in the Middle East. Bishop Higi has asked that we host these families and consider helping to support them, by purchasing their carved wood products from the Holy Land. These make excellent Christmas gifts. Why not stop by the Parish Hall after Masses next weekend and check out their offerings. It’s for a good cause.

Have a great week! Enjoy fall and all it has to offer!

In Christ,

Fr. Kevin

Ever stop to think and forget to start again?