Readers from St. Richard will remember that my weekly email to the parish was called the Conway Communique, and came out (eventually) every Friday morning. It had a little meditation in it and then just a quick rundown of what was happening that weekend.
I wasn’t able to keep that going once I left, but now that I’m in charge again, it’s back…on a new day…with a generic name. (For now. I might fix one or both of those.)
Anyway, I reckon I might as well get back into posting them to the blog as well, so here we go…
“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior? … Hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian.”
With these words and other similar sentiments, Saint Polycarp, whom the Church commemorates today, went to his martyrdom in the year 155 AD. Yet as compelling as the account of his martyrdom is (and it’s a powerful story), it’s not what he’s most famous for. The fact that he was a disciple of and ordained to the priesthood by the Apostle John is also an intriguing piece of his story, but even that isn’t important. What really matters is what Polycarp taught – and still teaches. As he wrote in his Letter to the Philippians: “Stand fast, therefore, in these things [the virtues], and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your [dealings] with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good, defer it not.”
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Just a few updates to bring to your attention:
- I apologize for the lack of bulletins this past weekend. It seems FedEx was dealing with some major operational disruptions that delayed delivery. That being said, the bulletins did eventually arrive…at about 11:00 on Monday.
We are in the process of terminating our relationship with the current bulletin company and moving to one that seems better able to manage their operations.
- As previously announced, this weekend we will finally be able to roll back some of the COVID restrictions that have been in place. Regardless, we still encourage masks, and we will continue to have a section of seating where masks are required.
- This weekend we officially kick off the 2022 Parish Share Campaign. By now you’ve received the official mailing from the Diocese and have had a chance to start to pray on how you can support our parish. Our assessment this year is the manageable sum of $193,967.
- Anointing of the Sick will be celebrated after the 11:00 and 11:30 AM Masses this weekend.
- Volunteers are needed to work the parish fish fry. Be sure to visit http://cdsfishfry.org/volunteer
- Lent begins next weekend. Check out our website, Facebook page, and (hopefully) bulletin for a rundown of all the events we have planned.
Have a great rest of your week! See you Sunday!
Fr. Mike
Oremus pro invicem!
Venite prandete 