Here we go!

As we move along in the school year, I am finding that I am beginning to swim in the ocean that is everything happening in the NW-7 Family of Parishes. Whew! It is a lot and so much of it is good. Thank you to everyone for your continued support and encouragement. Some allude to complaints or gossip they are hearing that is not speaking well of what is going on in the Family of Parishes. Just know that while I find it disheartening that people are speaking poorly (and often incorrectly) about what is going on in our Family of Parishes, our priests, and even myself, I am still heartened and encouraged that so many good things are happening. People have commented that they love their priests’ love for the Eucharist and the Mass. They love that we have a desire to teach our people and that we have been making ourselves present to the communities we serve and live among.

Some have noted that they feel as though they are not getting to know their priests. However, at the same time, other people have shown appreciation for seeing us at different community events and that they can talk to us after Sunday Masses. I think this speaks to the reality that getting to know the priests and the priests getting to know the people takes time. At my first assignment, I did not feel like I knew the parishes until about a year after I arrived, and this was with only two priests. And even in my first pastorate at Holy Angels, it felt like it took around a year to get to know the parish. Since some parishes in our Family have not had a new priest for quite a while, it would be wise to remember that it probably took time to get to know the priests in the past and so it will be now.

I am also encouraged because of the generosity of the people at each of our parishes (St. Michael, Ss. Peter & Paul, Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Holy Angels). This weekend, you should find your respective parish’s financial report in this bulletin. It continues to be a humbling, inspiring thing that people have given from their income to provide for the spiritual and temporal needs of our many parishioners. I am grateful to each one of you who support your respective parish, our Family of Parishes, and the Church in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. For those families that are not currently giving, I want to encourage you to begin doing so. It takes money to run our parishes; to keep the lights on and take care of our buildings. We must provide compensation for priests, parish employees, and other contractors. We must ensure that furnishings within all four of our beautiful parishes are taken care of, and Mass items are maintained and purchased to increase our desire to give all Glory to God alone. From Old Testament times, it was required that the people of God provide for the Temple in Jerusalem and those who cared for and served in the temple. This continues today, as one of the precepts (rules) of the Catholic Church is that Catholics provide for the material needs of the Church. This means either through charitable giving or giving of one’s time or talent to aid the building of God’s kingdom.

Please note that there is a multi-day priest convocation from September 26-29 in West Virginia. This means that we will have some adjustments to the sacramental schedule in our Family of Parishes. Thankfully, Fr. Thomas Steinke, a native son of St. Michael in Fort Loramie, will be able to provide a daily Mass for us each day of convocation. The Lord provides! This will be listed in the bulletin, online, and announced at Mass. I will also detail the schedule in my bulletin article next week. I just do not want anyone to get confused about when this is happening.

Thank you to everyone who has given of their time, talent, and treasure over the past year. It has been difficult with inflation and economic uncertainty. Thus, I am very thankful for the good you all continue to do for your parishes and for your community. May God bless and keep you.

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Jarred Kohn