Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. After this weekend there will only be one Sunday of Ordinary Time: Christ the King. Today we hear of horrifying signs that may portend the end of the world: earthquakes and famines, wars, and persecutions. Even though these warnings were given 2000 years ago, and the world still has not ended, they can spur us on to action now. As we prepare to celebrate Mass this weekend, may we look at our lives and consider what we should change and resolve to do so now!

Next weekend, the Last Sunday in Ordinary Time, is the Feast of Christ the King. Christmas Eve still a month away from next Sunday, but one wouldn’t know it, with just listening to ads on the radio and seeing various ads on television. Some of the department stores are in “full holiday mode.” But next weekend we are asked to celebrate a very different holy day and listen to a passage from the end of Saint Luke’s Gospel: “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom,” Dismas, the traditional name given to the criminal executed with Jesus asks. With

all the hustle and bustle around us, may we keep our eyes on the kingdom of heaven.

Archdiocese for the Military Services: Last weekend we had the “triennial” national collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Thank you so much for those who gave. Your generosity will assist the Archbishop and his Auxiliary Bishops and staff in the mission of “Serving Those Who Serve.” Your donations will help make it possible for Catholic men and women, and their families, currently serving in the U. S. Military to receive the Sacraments and Pastoral Care no matter their location around the world. Your support also provides the Sacra- ments and Pastoral Care to those who are wounded, or as veterans, those being cared for in one of the 153 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Thank you for supporting the men and women, and their families, from our own parish and this Archdiocese who serve and protect this great nation, and who defend the freedoms we hold dear. There are plenty of envelopes at the entrances of Church for this special collection.

Unbound:  In November 2016 we hosted Fr Rich Tillman, a retired priest of the Archdiocese  of Saint Louis to come here and speak about UNBOUND, a very faithful and dedicated lay sponsored ministry located near Kansas City, Kansas, which serves the poor in 18 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Father Mike Donald said at the time that it was one of the most effective Mission Appeals that he had ever heard. This weekend I have invited another priest representing UNBOUND to be with us and to talk about the ministry of this Catholic Organiza- tion. Sunday, November 17th is the “World Day of the Poor,” so it is a particularly appropriate time to invite a ministry that works with the poor to be here. Fr Robert McAleer, a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, will be here. He will also be here, along with Abbot Gregory Morhman, OSB, for Confessions that Saturday afternoon. He will be the celebrant for 5:00 P.M. Masses on Saturday and Sunday and the 9:30 A.M. Mass on Sunday. However he will be preach- ing at all the Masses. I understand a number of you have donated to UNBOUND … and I hope you will receive “Father Mac” cordially when he’s here this weekend.

First Reconciliation: Traditionally offered to our second graders, this Sacrament will be celebrated tomorrow (Monday, November 18), beginning at 6:30 P.M. Fr Mike Donald and Fr George Brennan, two of our “regulars,” will be with us as will retired priests Frs Ron Chocol, Bob Leibrecht, Jim Sullivan, and Msgr. Walter Whited. Hopefully with this number of priests, and a brief Penance Service put together by a collaboration of our full time school and PSR faculty, it won’t take too long for our young people, and their parents, grandparents, and others with them, to receive the Sacrament. Congratulations to our young people who will be receiving their second Sacrament, a tremendous Sacrament of healing, even at their tender ages, and (hopefully) a teachable moment for their elders to bring for the mystery of the Forgiveness of Sins. Because of the renovation of the hall still NOT being done, and the fact that Tuesday is a school day, we will NOT have even a “punch and cookie” reception following the ceremony tomorrow night.

Advent Penance Service for our parish will be Wednesday, December 11, beginning at 7:00 P.M. This will be in conjunction with our PSR. I hope to have at least six priests available for confessions that night.

West County Interfaith Alliance will have its annual THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL at the Hindu Temple Community Center, 725 Weidman Road in Town and Country NEXT Sunday, November 24. It will be from 2 until 4. Please come for an afternoon of fellowship, food, music, and service! The goal is to pack 100 “winter break baskets” for Parkway School District’s Food Pantry. Besides the Hindu Temple and us, participating faith communities include Christ Prince of Peace Parish, Saint Anselm Parish, Good Shepherd, Trinity, and Holy Cross Lutheran Churches, Saint Martin and Saint Timothy Episcopal Churches, the Islamic Foundation of Greater Saint Louis, and the United Hebrew Congregation. If you are free next Sunday, please consider attending and helping.

The Building:  From my perspective the entire project is taking too long.  I was told recently that we might not have total clearance until after Christmas!  As you noticed last weekend, and again this week, the “northwest” entrance (“The Choir Entrance”) is FINALLY being worked on for the new covering over the entrance (so you won’t get rained or snowed on when coming outside before you can put up your umbrella). That was supposed to have started in mid-October … and finally got

started the first week of November. With the company that was supposed to have given us our folding partitions having gone out of business, the new company, because of many recent orders, probably won’t get the partitions to us until mid-late December. I was pleasantly surprised to see work being done on Saturday, November 9th! I’m quite sure that the General Contractor would like to have things done as soon as possible, too!  I know this is a broken record, but I’m quite happy to know that most of you who have seen the renovated hall have liked what you have seen, especially the new

flooring and the ceiling. (No more Christmas lights!) PLEASE pray that this gets done in a TIMELY fashion and that people who have pledged to the “RRR” Campaign for our parish will continue to make their donations also in a timely manner.

One last thing: Thanksgiving: The ONLY Mass on Thanksgiving will be at 9:00 A.M. Please bring something that you will use at home for your meal to be blessed at that Mass. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society will, of course, be collecting food and monetary gifts that day.

Faithfully yours,

Fr Joe Weber