Dear Parishioners,
I want to thank all those who stopped by the tables to complete their pledge cards for the Annual Catholic Appeal. This is a major opportunity we have as a local church “to love not in words or in speech, but in deed and in truth” as stated by St. John last Sunday. Pledge cards that are incomplete will be mailed to your homes and so completing your pledge cards will help us reduce postage. Thank you for helping us out and for your generous donation to this annual appeal.
New names for the parish have flowed in and I appreciate the respect and seriousness with which everyone took this opportunity. Archbp. Carlson will make the final decision, but he did want to hear from us. A committee made up of Eric Lauver, Elliott Krejci, Courtney Willey, Deacon Beckmann and Jim Slama tabulated the results, did an assessment of the rationale and sent four names to me. I reviewed them and sent them to the Archbishop earlier this week.
Over 128 parishioners offered 85 names. Interestingly, they fell within a range you might expect to see. A few saints were obscure; but most were widely known. Some saints were modern (e.g., Pope St. John Paul II), while others were ancient (e.g., St. Matthew). Many were Marian (e.g., OL Fatima) and some were of mysteries of our Faith (e.g., Corpus Christi). Some wanted to combine the names of both parishes, while a good number of people from both parishes wanted to retain St. George. In order to avoid confusion, it is unlikely that Abp. Carlson will use a saint’s name that exists presently somewhere else in the Archdiocese, but he could.
We are a community on a journey and traveling has its challenges. Some see travel as a great adventure, while others are stressed out by being away from what is normal and familiar. For some, the first day of a trip is exhilarating and the last day is sad. For others, the first day is distressing and getting back home is a welcome relief. And so, beginnings and endings stir up powerful feelings in us. I like to remember the things that are constant when I travel. We are never alone, even if we don’t have companions. Christ is always with us. Fr. Lydon, Fr. Holway and I are vacationing in the Upper Pennisula this summer and Christ will be with us. Most of the time, I can find a church in which I can worship and a community with which to pray. The journey of faith that the people of St. Dominic Savio and St. George are on is stressful for some and exciting for others, but God is our constant. We have each other as companions, a place for worship and the Sacraments as sustenance on the journey.
The established order of relationships and our customary way of doing things in both parish communities is being disrupted. Some will think, “But I have never worshipped in that church?!” Others will think, “Who are all these new people coming in and moving things around?!” These experiences are going to reveal the true depth and quality of our faith, hope and charity. How deep is my faith? Do I really trust what God is up to at this moment in my life or do I want to grab control of my life and live, as most of us do, autonomously and independently of each other, making decisions that are good for me and making the life of the community second? Am I willing to die-to-self, so that this community can live? Am I hope-filled or sour about the changes that have been long in coming? Is charity how I operate or do I descend into negativity and criticism of others who do things differently from me? The quality and depth of our Christian life is going to be revealed in how we come together. We can either grow and be better or choose to get stuck and be bitter. I know what Jesus wants and believe it is possible.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for us,
Fr. Paul Rothschild