It's been about a month since Fr. Spisak had his hip replacement surgery. I continue to talk with him each week about what's happening at the parish, letting him know we are praying for him, and he updates me on his progress. He wanted to share with you that he continues to receive occupational and physical therapy at home, and he has another review near the end of this month with his doctor. He is currently on track to be back with us in midMarch, just a little over a month. Thank you for your prayers and support for him in this time!

Pandemic Updates and Reminders
Now that the holiday surge is over with the pandemic, I wanted to share a few updates and reminders on that front. I'm grateful for the reverence and respect you all show to our Lord and to one another at Mass. Remember that we continue to use mitigation measures out of prudence, love and respect for our neighbor. The Mass obligation continues to be lifted under certain conditions. Our diocese reminds us that "those who are ill, have significant health risk factors or care for someone who is immune-compromised or ill, as well as those who have significant fear or anxiety about contracting the coronavirus in a large group of persons are not obliged to attend Mass". This dispensation from the Mass obligation would also apply to those of us in quarantine. I invite those who cannot come to Mass in-person at this time to access the St. Mary Sunday 8:00 am livestream and recorded Mass available at https://stmarychardon.org.

Masks are still strongly encouraged. Bishop Malesic kindly asked us a few months ago to wear masks while gathering for Mass and events at the parish. Masks and hand sanitizer are readily available at the church entrance. You may also consider bringing your own mask and hand sanitizer when you come for Mass or events to use as needed.

Reception of Communion: ministers of communion will continue to sanitize their hands and wear a mask during distribution. We will continue to have the table with sanitizer between the priest and deacon line. It will be at the discretion of the clergy whether or not to use the sanitizer. If you would prefer for the clergy you receive from to sanitize his hands before giving you communion, simply ask us when you approach for communion and we will be happy to assist you. The presider and deacon may receive from the chalice. It will be at the discretion of the presider to offer the chalice to the deacon. Please know that the priest and deacon receive from opposite sides of the cup.

Parish Listening Session Themes Introduction
I am excited to report to you the themes of our Parish Listening Sessions. You may remember that in the month of November we held sessions on two different dates with the intention of accommodating people’s schedules. I offered these sessions because, as your recently appointed administrator of the parish, I was eager to hear your thoughts about parish life from your experiences of the past, and also to know what is on your minds and hearts as hopes for the parish in the years to come. While these sessions were not mandatory for me to hold, I readily agree with guidance offered by the Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests that states, “Priests must willingly listen to the laity, consider their wants in a fraternal spirit, recognize their experience and competence in the different areas of human activity, so that together with them they will be able to recognize the signs of the times” (9). My aim is that as we move forward together as a parish family, this united fraternal spirit with Jesus Christ as our Master will indeed mark all of our efforts.

Over 40 people of varying ages attended these sessions and provided valuable input. The questions I asked were the following:

• From your perspective, what is important to know about the history of our parish?
• Why should I be excited and energized as your pastor?
• In an ideal world, what would your dream be for our future? What would you like to see happening at St. Patrick Parish that would help you and your family/friends to be more involved?

After compiling all of the responses, four main themes rose to the top as being primary on people’s minds. Over the next many months I will report back to you more detail on each of the themes. For today’s report, I simply want to share those themes with you, along with subthemes identified in each. These themes and sub-themes provide context for the conversations we will have going forward for our pastoral planning efforts:

• Community (Welcome, History, Communication): It is not surprising to me that people frequently commented on their interest of life together as a Christian community here at the parish. Comments identified as areas of focus the priority of welcoming others, the pride felt in the history of our rural community, and the desire to communicate the goodness of our parish.
• Participation (Collaboration, Leadership, Outreach): Our faith is one that requires conscious and active participation, so this theme is a cherished one in our Catholic way of life. Comments about wanting strong leadership, a great desire for outreach to those less fortunate, and the value of collaboration were highlighted as being important for effective parish activity.
• Faith Formation (Youth Formation, Adult Education, Spiritual Growth): Friendship with and in Jesus Christ leads us to thirst to know Him better. That kind of knowledge will require activity in our efforts of adult education, as well as our efforts in reaching all the youth in their various walks of life. Along with that formation there is a hope that spiritual growth will result from renewed efforts to encounter the God who loves us.
• Worship (Traditions, Eucharist-centered): With Jesus Christ as our Shepherd and Savior, considerations about worship are a priority for many. Because of our rich Catholic heritage, various traditions were mentioned as being of great value, while holding up the Eucharist as the very center of our lives.

When I consider these themes and bring them to my prayer for our parish, I am motivated about what lies ahead for us as a parish community. Expressed in these is a great opportunity for building upon the wonderful foundation that exists at St. Patrick Parish and furthering the Kingdom of God. Stay tuned for more details on what I heard regarding each of these themes – and eventually considering where this leads us in our work ahead as disciples of Jesus Christ.