What About...?

The finalized priest assignments have been announced, and with four priests, we can look towards what life in our new Family will look like. There are many things to determine and “fififififigure out.” What will the Mass schedule look like? What will the Confession schedule look like? Where are the priests going to live? How are shared costs going to be handled? When will we become “one” parish? How will my parish/ministry/devotion/family/etc. be affected? These are all good questions and will each be addressed in due time. But I think we need to consider the lens through which we will look at these questions and concerns.

One aspect of the way in which we approach planning and decision making moving forward is that we need to look at the good of the entire Parish Family and not just our particular parish. Looking at the big picture from the perspective of faith and trusting prayer will help to make what must happen in our Family of Parishes clear. One goal of Beacons of Light is to improve the health of priests. Often, a priest can feel that he must choose between the demands of parish life, prayer, family/friends and sleep. I would like to encourage you all to understand that as adjustments are made to parish life, we want to, fififififirst and foremost, bring about the salvation of souls and sanctify all of you. However, we cannot do this without fififififirst sanctifying ourselves. This requires us, as priests, to take adequate time for prayer and to recreate in healthy ways. So, please, know that we are doing our best, and yes, there may be disappointments, frustrations and miscommunications, but we love you and want to get each of you to heaven.

May we be willing to accept the opportunities that may present themselves to our Family of Parishes. May we respond with a “Nunc Coepi! Now!” The Lord has prepared everything for us, and if we trust in Him, He will do great things in our midst.
As we begin the season of Lent, remember that we are doing our Lenten Series on the Mass. You can find dates in the Bulletin. We will have a Day of Recollection for Women on Saturday, March 12, and a Day of Recollection for Men on Saturday, March 19. Our St. Joseph Brinner is after the 4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass on Saturday, March 19.

We will have Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. with the grade school, and on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. The Stations of the Cross are a wonderful way for us to contemplate our Lord’s Sufferings, and how He loves us so much that ,while we are still sinners, He died for us. We can contemplate how blessed we are, and by praying the Stations, we can grow in gratitude for what God has done for us who have been baptized into His Death and Resurrection.

Thank you to all for the many ways in which you are generous to Holy Angels and to several worthy causes. You all display what it means to give in faith and trust in the Lord’s goodness. Know that I am grateful for each of you!

Peace in Christ,

Fr. Jarred Kohn