Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. During the summer it is tempting to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labors. With summer upon us, who can blame us for congratulating ourselves for the work we have done and taking a well-deserved break or vacation? By the way the world defines success is not the way God would. What, in the end, matters to God? As we come together this weekend we will reflect on what really matters in the world.

Next weekend will be the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In whom do you trust? Abraham and Sarah were and elderly, childless couple living in a foreign land, but Abraham trusted God’s promise that one day he would have descendants “as numerous as the stars.” How could he believe this? The Letter to the Hebrews says it was because “the one who had made the promise was trustwor- thy.” In a challenging and uncertain world, next week will be asked to put our trust in our loving God.

Last weekend the Archbishop asked the priests to preach at all the Masses, basically about “the list” that was issued on Friday and the aftermath. We distributed over 600 … closer to 650 … copies of Bishop Robert Barron’s new little book (only 105 pages) entitled Letter to a Suffering Church. There are still a good number (over 300) left. I want to be sure that you took one to read and pray … and, as the Bishops says at the end of the book, “FIGHT.” Thank you for the kind remarks offered to me, Fr Brennan, and Fr Ramatowski after our homilies last weekend. It will take at least a generation for this to heal, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, please God, let us be healed.

Bishop Barron reminds us that this whole affair is diabolical … which it is. He also reminded us to pray more now than ever before. So, I want to offer you the Prayer written by Pope Leo XIII to Saint Michael, that things might get better. St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

 Construction Noise, Daily Masses, Confessions, the Assumption, and Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament: Beginning this week, Monday, August 5, and until further notice, hopefully it will be done by the 26th of August, we will be moving the morning Weekday Masses from Church to the gym. (The Saturday morning 8:00 A.M. Mass will be in Church.) The noise level from the con- struction will be too much for a prayerful celebration of Mass, since the contractor wants to begin work at 6:00 A.M. I have an agreement with the contractor that if there is a funeral they will suspend work during the Funeral. In addition ALL the Masses for the HOLYDAY OF OBLIGATION, THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, AUGUST 14-15, WILL BE IN

CHURCH. Again, as mentioned previously, Wednesday, August 14, we will have a Vigil Mass at 5:00 P.M. Thursday, August 15, we will have our “normal” Holyday schedule: 6:30 A.M., 8:15 A.M., which will be an all school Mass on the first day of school, 12:10 P.M., and 7:00 P.M. We will also have our regular Wednesday afternoon confessions (3:30-4:30) in church. Regarding Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament this coming Wednesday, August 7th, we will begin Adoration when either Father Schumacher or I go over to Church for Confessions at 3:30 P.M. So, no Exposition / Adoration August 7th until 3:30 P.M. Wednesday August 14th, because of the Holyday Vigil Mass at 5:00 P.M., we will begin Adoration AFTER the Vigil Mass … so those who normally come from 6:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. on Wednesdays, we will need you that evening.

We will try to get an e-mail out to all who are normally scheduled on Wednesdays during the day. Since we don’t have a HARD date for completion of the “noisy” demolition and construction, we hope that, August 29th, things will be “back to normal,” as far as the noise level in the Church Hall. I hope that all makes sense (it does to me!). Thank you for your patience with the building of the new elevator and the renovation of the Msgr. Schneider Hall and serving kitchen. Again, to repeat, the 6:30 A.M. and 8:15 A.M. Masses, Monday – Friday, beginning this coming week, August 5 – 9, and until further notice, except for the Assumption, August 15th, will be in the gym.

The Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) is coming to an end. Our parish is within “striking distance” of reaching our “challenge goal,” (we are a little over 90% of our goal) and new participants (we have 32 new donors this year; our goal is 46). Thank you ALL for your generosity. Please contact the Parish Office if you haven’t been contacted by the ACA Office or our committee. Thank you.

PLANNING AHEAD: Next Sunday, August 11, at the 11:30 A.M. Mass, we will welcome all of the school families back to school. Our youth choir will be participating at the Mass. Our lectors will be chosen from the school families. At the end of the Mass there will be a “back pack and school supply” blessing. Following the Mass we will have the “back to school” open house and ice cream social. PLEASE note that this is for ALL the children of our parish, not just the full time day school. All are welcome.

With the beginning of school, I would like to remind everyone (again), that we pray the Rosary each Wednesday morning at 7:45 A.M. specifically for the School, the Students, Faculty, and Staff. All are welcome, especially our parents. Please also remember we have Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament each Wednesday from 8:45 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. (with exceptions because of construction, as noted above). Also we have an additional time for Confessions from 3:30 to 4:30 on Wednesday afternoons.

 May we “await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Faithfully yours,

Fr Joe Weber