Pastor's Notes - 09/16/2018

Thank You!

I want to thank Adam & Katie Piontek for heading up the Fall Festival and to all the committee chairs for their various rolls in making this year’s Festival such a success! I also want to thank all of the workers and all those who came to support this year’s Fall Festival. God surely did bless us with good weather and a great time. Praise the Lord!
 
This weekend begins the Stewardship season and our focus on time and talent. I talked to a parishioner recently about their commitment to our parish. Their family has been very involved in the parish for years, even stepping up to lead some of the big events for our parish. “I do this because I want our parish to be the best community in which to raise my children and to send them to school here.” Their children have graduated from our school, and they still are active in our parish. 
 
I have talked to people from our parish who belong to other organizations in our area and many are having the same difficulty getting volunteers to work the events that raise money for the good of the community. There does exist an attitude that I will just give more money to fulfill my obligation. 
 
Besides raising funds, events also build community in the parish. It is one thing to go Mass on the weekend, but it is nice to build that Eucharistic community outside of Mass.  One of the ways to do that is by volunteering. Whether it is by sharing your time quilting, volunteering at Encore, lending a hand on Mondays and Thursdays at the parish or helping out on the tent committee -- all perform a task, but then also offer social time together to build community. 
 
As you may or may not know, our parish had a bowling alley in Jesuit Hall at one time and in the school cafeteria at another time. They were put in to build community in the parish. It is difficult to build community in the parish now because, for so many people, the parish no longer is the center of their lives, as it was once was. All we can do is to keep offering and keep trying.
 
So, when you go over for breakfast today, you will see a number of ministries and organizations from our parish sharing information about their activities and missions. If you would like to get to know other fellow parishioners and build up our parish community, I encourage you to choose one or two to belong to!
 
Thank you for all you do!!!

Fr. Joe Wormek
Pastor