In this Sunday’s Gospel, we encounter the Visitation of Mary, where Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth greets her beautifully and Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Who was the last person you visited? How did the visit go? Did your conversation glorify God? Sometimes our visits and conversations can tend to be less life-giving and more life-draining. Today, let’s ask Mary and Elizabeth to help us glorify the Lord with our conversations and visits with our family and friends.
In light of good, wholesome visits, please come visit the St. Francis Festival August 15 from 12:00-4:00 and enter into great conversation with parish family members! It will be a great time for music, food and fun, as well as spiritually enriching moments as well. Don’t forget that there is an outdoor Mass at 4:00 with Mercy Divine leading the worship. Always remember that this place is “Always Home.” Let’s continue to pray to St. Jane Frances de Chantal, patron saint of forgotten people, that all of our people continue to come back to our community and be enriched by His Word and Sacrament.
I am also excited about school starting on Wednesday, August 18! Our teachers had a wonderful retreat this past Monday that helped them focus on the year ahead. They each received shirts that have 3 words in bold: Pray, Work, Play! What a great way to live life. They have been preparing their classrooms for the year ahead. A big thank you to Dennis Ott, who helped to remodel the new school office. Also, a great big thank you to Mrs. Doughtery, Mrs. Goshe and Mrs. Lloyd for all they do to jumpstart the school year. It takes a lot of work, but they do it for our children! In a special way, please pray for Mrs. Dougherty as she and her husband Chris prepare to welcome another beautiful child into the world. What a gift!
Lastly, don’t forget to register for PSR this year. It is in person this year and our catechists are looking forward to being with our children and handing on the faith with them. Please contact Kathy Ott to sign up as soon as possible. I am looking forward to get to know our Day School and PSR families more and more this year as I didn’t get the best opportunity to last year.
May God’s joy and peace be with you,
Fr. Jeremy
