Dear Parish Family,

  This weekend we remember the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks upon our nation. Please pray in a special way for those who died, their families who continue to deal with the trauma of loss, healing in our nation, and for our world's conversion to a respect for all human life from conception to natural death.

  I invite you to pray for our PSR and RCIA ministries as they launch this week, and warmly welcome our missionary speaker who will be at our Masses this weekend.

Parish School of Religion Welcome: First, please join me in welcoming back our Parish School of Religion (PSR) families as they begin a new year of formation. I am especially excited for our 2nd grade class who will prepare for First Reconciliation this Fall and First Communion in the Spring, as well as for our 8th grade class who will prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please pray for our PSR students, for their families who teach and reinforce the faith at home, and for our Parish Catechetical Leader, Heather Gady and her team of catechists who will form and instruct our PSR students.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: We also welcome those beginning the RCIA process. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the Church’s formation process to prepare those who are not baptized (catechumens) to receive their Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) at Easter. Those who are already baptized but need to be fully received into the Catholic Church (candidates) also receive formation and preparation for the Sacraments. Please pray for those who will gather at the RCIA Info Night this Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Hospitality Room at St. Mary Parish. Deacon Larry Boehnlein, Deacon Phil Kraynik, and members of our RCIA team will be there to welcome and provide info to those interested in being initiated into the Catholic faith. If you are thinking about becoming Catholic, or if you know someone who is seeking to become Catholic, please come to this info night yourself, or come with your friend who is not yet Catholic. We have the greatest news in the whole world concerning eternal life through Christ our Savior. Let's share that Good News boldly, and accompany those who might have never received this gracious invitation from a Catholic to join or be fully initiated into the Church. Personally, I’ve come to realize through my Catholic faith how loved and deeply desired I am by God. Sharing in the communal and liturgical life of the Church reinforces my Christian identity and gives my life the meaning God intends for it to have. It’s a blessing and a gift that God has ready for us all to receive from Him!

Society of African Missions Appeal: Please welcome Fr. Anthony Korir this weekend from the Society of African Missions. He will be speaking at our Masses this weekend, and we will be taking up a second collection to support his mission. Thank you for your generosity and prayers which will support the work of the Church and promotion of the Gospel throughout the world.

Listening Sessions: In the coming weeks, you'll be hearing about my plans to facilitate group Listening Sessions this Fall. These sessions will provide an opportunity for parishioners to come and speak to me about the vision, direction, and future needs of our parish. Please check the bulletin in the coming weeks for more information on dates and registration.