Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
South Parking Lot
As I write this the plan is to have the south church parking lot sealed and the lines re-striped.  So hopefully as you read this you will have already noticed the difference.  This time we went a bolder yellow color rather than white so even in the snowy months people can see better where to park.  This project also includes repairing damage in the gym parking lot.  Thank you to parishioner Denis Randall who volunteered his time to help get the project done. 
 
Fr. Bob Pfeiffer and Fr. Sam Cicollini
This coming weekend I will be out of town for my annual Canada trip, so Frs. Pfeiffer and Cicollini will be covering Masses during this time.  I appreciate their help, and they enjoy coming here to experience the love this community shows to God and to each other. 
 
Adding a Mass on Thursdays ... Kind of
Last week I mentioned how we are welcoming a homeschool co-op to use some of our space on Thursdays. As of right now up to ninety children grades k-12 are enrolled.  It is called “The Way” homeschool co-cop.  They exist as their own entity, so this is not a parish sponsored program (although parishioners can participate).  We have a facilities use agreement with them that specifies how they use our space. 
At the same time, this group is not a mere tenant.  They will have a positive impact on the life of the parish.  As part of their formation they have requested to have daily Mass.  Our regular Mass on Thursday is 7am, which is too early for their co-op day. So I will be offering an additional daily Mass on Thursdays at 11:30am starting September 5. 
Now there is a slight complication.  If a funeral needed to be scheduled on a Thursday, then the 11:30 Mass would be canceled due to time restrictions and the fact that under canon law a priest is not to celebrate more than two masses on a weekday.  While the impetus for this Mass came from this group it is not exclusive to them.  This will be a parish Mass every Thursday, unless a funeral is scheduled.  People may call in and offer stipends for intentions connected with this Mass. However, know that if the Mass needs to be canceled due to a funeral, then the intention will also have to be moved.  I know this is something new for us, and maybe a little out of the ordinary, but let’s give it a try and see how it works.  Any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.
 
Sincerely in Christ,
 
Fr. Pfr