From the Pastor
July/16/2010
E. Paul Weber, faithful sacristan, church opener and reader for our early morning weekday Masses for many years, was called home to the Lord while I was on retreat. It’s something of an understatement to say that we will miss him and his service to our parish. To me, he embodied the spirit of volunteerism that characterizes a true Catholic and Christian believer – service to God and His Church because he loved God and his church, without looking for something in return. That is what is often referred to as true stewardship, since we are all stewards of God’s gifts to us.
Paul always wanted to be close to Jesus, and we pray that he has found that abiding closeness now. May his family (both by blood and by faith) always be inspired by his example of loving service. May he enjoy God’s presence as a final reward of a job well-done on earth!
Beginning this Tuesday, the bridge over the Intracoastal is closed until December 13th. This will create a challenge for some of our parishioners and visitors to get to church. Fortunately, the alternative bridges at Atlantic Avenue and Woolbright Rd. are still available. It may take a little extra time and planning, but we still look forward to having you join us for Sunday worship and our parish activities between now and then.
Catholic News Service this past Tuesday featured a national article they picked up from our diocesan editor for the Florida Catholic newspaper, parishioner Linda Reeves. She wrote about the story of another parishioner, Jack Foley, and his efforts to help the people of the Gulf coast region to clean up after the environmental disaster brought on by the BP oil spill. Previously, Jack had worked in our parish office here, and is still involved with the responsibility of guiding our Sunday Mass ushering when he is in town. Congratulations to both of these parishioners!
The annual trek to our parish mission in Guatemala is underway as you read this. Our Knights of Columbus from this parish are joined by Knights from Royal Palm Beach and distinguished guest Knights (Florida Knights State officers, including the past State Deputy, his son and his brother, as well as our State Treasurer).
We’ll be working at the library in the Father Tom Moran Education Center, building tables and seats for the students, and finishing off the library that your generous financial support in that special collection last March helped to build. The State Council gave us a generous grant this year for the trip. There is a fine article about our efforts in the July edition of the Coastal Star newspaper by C.B Hanif; I think you’ll enjoy the write-up, complete with some pictures of last year’s trip.
The annual installation of new officers of the K of C in our parish took place last week, and I wish to congratulate the new officers (as previously listed in this bulletin). I also extend my gratitude to our parish Knights who contributed a generous grant of $2,000 to those of us who are travelling to our Guatemalan mission to help us cover the expenses of the trip. This is part of their charity work, and is the result of their successful fund-raising efforts during the year. God bless Chris Grant, their Grand Knight again this year, and the men who tirelessly
work to help the good of this parish and promote the good of the Catholic Church. Would that more men could join them as Knights in their fabulous efforts at building up Christ’s Body – the Church!
Speaking of installations, there’s a new roof recently installed on our convent, and our men are putting the finishing touches on the rest of the adjoining area to make the house a more suitable home for our Sisters. They express their thanks, as I do, for your generous support of our parish improvement efforts. Many more projects are to be done, but we take them on, one-by-one, with the help of some very special people.
We are well into our 70th year as a parish, and next April, we’ll have a special Mass to mark the closing of this anniversary year. It’s hard to believe that we’ve come so far in these years, including the nearly five that I’ve been here. We have a way to go, including continually trying to work to support our flagship school. Did you realize that it costs an average of nearly $8,500 to educate one of our students? Tuition does not cover all of this, so we’re into fundraising and gift-giving in order to keep it going. Your participation in those activities and your support of our parish through the Sunday collection envelopes each week helps us lower the additional costs that would accrue if we had to make the school self-sufficient, as some dioceses do.
Several people asked about the “removal” of the banner marking the “Year for Priests” that was displayed for the past year in our sanctuary. Well, the year is over, so the purpose for the banner is completed. We’re most grateful to parishioner Joe Santarella, who provided us with that gift which adorned our altar area. Joe also is one of our faithful lectors at weekend Masses. May God continue to bless those who offer their volunteer services without expecting rewards. I can assure you that their rewards are “out of this world.”
Very Rev. Canon Tom
Paul always wanted to be close to Jesus, and we pray that he has found that abiding closeness now. May his family (both by blood and by faith) always be inspired by his example of loving service. May he enjoy God’s presence as a final reward of a job well-done on earth!
Beginning this Tuesday, the bridge over the Intracoastal is closed until December 13th. This will create a challenge for some of our parishioners and visitors to get to church. Fortunately, the alternative bridges at Atlantic Avenue and Woolbright Rd. are still available. It may take a little extra time and planning, but we still look forward to having you join us for Sunday worship and our parish activities between now and then.
Catholic News Service this past Tuesday featured a national article they picked up from our diocesan editor for the Florida Catholic newspaper, parishioner Linda Reeves. She wrote about the story of another parishioner, Jack Foley, and his efforts to help the people of the Gulf coast region to clean up after the environmental disaster brought on by the BP oil spill. Previously, Jack had worked in our parish office here, and is still involved with the responsibility of guiding our Sunday Mass ushering when he is in town. Congratulations to both of these parishioners!
The annual trek to our parish mission in Guatemala is underway as you read this. Our Knights of Columbus from this parish are joined by Knights from Royal Palm Beach and distinguished guest Knights (Florida Knights State officers, including the past State Deputy, his son and his brother, as well as our State Treasurer).
We’ll be working at the library in the Father Tom Moran Education Center, building tables and seats for the students, and finishing off the library that your generous financial support in that special collection last March helped to build. The State Council gave us a generous grant this year for the trip. There is a fine article about our efforts in the July edition of the Coastal Star newspaper by C.B Hanif; I think you’ll enjoy the write-up, complete with some pictures of last year’s trip.
The annual installation of new officers of the K of C in our parish took place last week, and I wish to congratulate the new officers (as previously listed in this bulletin). I also extend my gratitude to our parish Knights who contributed a generous grant of $2,000 to those of us who are travelling to our Guatemalan mission to help us cover the expenses of the trip. This is part of their charity work, and is the result of their successful fund-raising efforts during the year. God bless Chris Grant, their Grand Knight again this year, and the men who tirelessly
work to help the good of this parish and promote the good of the Catholic Church. Would that more men could join them as Knights in their fabulous efforts at building up Christ’s Body – the Church!
Speaking of installations, there’s a new roof recently installed on our convent, and our men are putting the finishing touches on the rest of the adjoining area to make the house a more suitable home for our Sisters. They express their thanks, as I do, for your generous support of our parish improvement efforts. Many more projects are to be done, but we take them on, one-by-one, with the help of some very special people.
We are well into our 70th year as a parish, and next April, we’ll have a special Mass to mark the closing of this anniversary year. It’s hard to believe that we’ve come so far in these years, including the nearly five that I’ve been here. We have a way to go, including continually trying to work to support our flagship school. Did you realize that it costs an average of nearly $8,500 to educate one of our students? Tuition does not cover all of this, so we’re into fundraising and gift-giving in order to keep it going. Your participation in those activities and your support of our parish through the Sunday collection envelopes each week helps us lower the additional costs that would accrue if we had to make the school self-sufficient, as some dioceses do.
Several people asked about the “removal” of the banner marking the “Year for Priests” that was displayed for the past year in our sanctuary. Well, the year is over, so the purpose for the banner is completed. We’re most grateful to parishioner Joe Santarella, who provided us with that gift which adorned our altar area. Joe also is one of our faithful lectors at weekend Masses. May God continue to bless those who offer their volunteer services without expecting rewards. I can assure you that their rewards are “out of this world.”
Very Rev. Canon Tom