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July 4, 2022This week we welcome young people from around the country to do some volunteer work for us at the parish. Before COVID, we had welcomed a few groups to do some work for us and it always is an opportunity to meet young people who are faith filled and looking to help in parishes and other places in the city. They will do some cleaning and throwing out of broken and no longer usable things we have in the basement of both churches. The young people will be here for four days, and we welcome them.
Next Sunday, I will be at a week-long conference with the staff. The conference is being presented by the Divine Renovation organization that started in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now is an international community of parishes that are trying to revitalize their mission to evangelize and preach the Gospel. Please pray for the staff and those who are attending, that the Lord will give us this time to learn, grow and be energized to continue the good work he has been doing through us. I urge all parishioners to pick up a copy of the book and read it. (Divine Renovation, James Mallon author) It gives a wonderful sense of what the issues and challenges are to modern parishes and practical suggestion on how to prepare the parish for the future.
The Sunday Masses will be covered by a missionary priest serving in New York. He will travel here and stay for the masses and then return to NY.
The weekly masses will be covered by a priest from the Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. He is Monsignor Augustine D Towoni. I hope if there are any parishioners who would be willing to take him to dinner, you could be in contact with him. Monsignor is here to preach missions in three parishes but has offered to help in this parish as a thanksgiving for some of the work that has gone in his diocese. There have been several schools built and five wells dug for villages in the north central region of this very poor country. I have had the opportunity to visit and see first-hand people using these wells and the schools filled with kids who are being educated as result of relationships with priests and people here in this archdiocese. Education and water are two basic parts of our society. WE support them through taxes, but there are places in the world where this infrastructure is not available. It is the fulfillment of the Gospel to help the poor and in this instance, the most basic needs of the poor are being met. Welcome to both fathers; Rev. Sean McGillicuddy and Monsignor Towoni.
This is also a very busy month for weddings and we welcome and congratulate all those who are coming to our parish to celebrate their love and begin their marriages at our church and city.
Peace,
Father Murray
Building news. During the time of Covid closure, we were blessed to be able to paint the churches, update the lighting and restore the floors and bells. Two places we have not looked at are the ceiling of the chapel and the painting of Mary in the sanctuary at Immaculate. This week, as I write this, we are expecting a restorationist to come and give us an estimate of the cost to restore painting. (I slept through this class at the seminary and so will have to wait for the expert’s assessment and advice.
