First of all, I want to thank everyone who has pledged to Our Campaign for the Church Alive, the capital campaign that Bishop Zubik promoted a couple of years ago. The campaign is still running since the pledges are still being paid. So although I was not here for the pledge period, when we were asking for money, I am here as the money comes in. If you have given, thank you for that gift. If you are still paying off your pledge, thank you and please keep up the good work. And with that, the next couple of items in my column are some of the ways St. Malachy benefits from your generosity.
You will notice that there is work happening on the hill outside Father Weirauch Hall. Thanks to the campaign, we are well on the way to realizing a long-standing wish for the parish. We will soon have a handicap walkway into our parish hall. It is a project that has to be done in parts, but it should be ready in time for the Parish Nationality Festival in October.
This week we also began work on repairing the fascia of the church. As beautiful as our church is, I couldn’t help but notice the flaws in the fascia when I was preparing to move in last year. This work should keep the roof safe and, with a good painting, make the building look even more inviting.
On a different note, I will be away from Monday through Friday this week for my annual retreat. Canon law requires every priest to make a retreat each year. But as the old saying goes, “It’s not just the law, it’s a good idea.” We all need to take time to get back to what matters and to remind ourselves that there is nothing more important than our faith as a relationship with Christ. I like to make my annual retreat during the summer, when school is out and the activities slow down a bit. Perhaps that would be a good suggestion for everyone, to take some time during this summer (even if it is just a few minutes here and there) for prayer and reflection. As I am doing this week, I always enjoy going back to the seminary where I studied for the priesthood, Mount St. Mary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. So please be aware that I will not be available during this coming week.
And speaking of school being out, don’t forget that our annual Vacation Bible School will take place the following week, June 22-26. This will be a great time for students, from age three through fifth grade, to grow closer to God through a week of fun and games. It will also be our “last hurrah” for our retiring Catechetical Administrator, Joanne Swank. Thanks again for everything, Joanne.
Father H
