As we shift into summer mode around the parishes, I’ve got some sundry bits of news and information to share…
Our parishes’ new fiscal year begins on July 1. Our business manager, Gretchen Winklosky, and I have been working with each parish’s Finance Council to develop a parish budget that is as accurate as possible. Early this fall I will share with you the parishes’ annual financial report for the fiscal year ending on June 30 once it is complete. As we begin the new fiscal year I encourage everyone to reflect upon your present level of financial support of our parish; if it has been some time since you last increased your offertory or if you are able to do so now, please prayerfully consider an increase in your offering. Your parish is reliant upon reliable, healthy offertory income all year long. May God bless you for your generosity!
Now that the active phase of the 2024 Diocesan Lenten Appeal is over, I just want to let you know that the projects are not forgotten. We have been in contact with the alarm company for Holy Family’s project and the door company for St. John’s project. Once we receive official estimates for the work, I hope that we can get the work underway later this summer. I will keep you posted.
I still don’t have a target date for moving my residence to the St. John rectory. There was a small delay in getting the order processed for the flooring materials, but that has now been taken care of. I am expecting that the work should be completed some time next month.
As many parishioners at St. John are aware, plans are underway to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dedication of our current church building. The celebration is planed for August 25. Please keep watching for more details very soon.
This week the Church celebrates two of its great summer solemnities: Monday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The actual date of John’s birth is not known. Nevertheless, because in Luke’s Gospel the angel Gabriel told Mary at the Annunciation that Elizabeth was already six months pregnant, tradition has placed a six-month interval between the birth of Jesus and the birth of John. Some have discerned a cosmic significance in the placement of this feast. Just as the birth of Jesus is celebrated at the winter solstice, so the birth of John is celebrated at the summer solstice. After the birth of Jesus the days get longer, but after the birth of John, the days get shorter. Thus, the universe recalls the truth of John’s saying concerning the Messiah: “He must increase; I must decrease.”
On Saturday we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. This primary celebration of these two great apostolic pillars has been observed on this date since at least the third century. These two great preachers and missionaries to the Jews (Peter) and Gentiles (Paul) suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Nero. He persecuted Christians in order to take attention away from the fire that destroyed much of Rome. Peter was crucified around the year 64 on the Vatican Hill. Tradition says he asked to be hung on the cross upside down because he was not worthy to be crucified as was Christ. Paul, because he was a Roman citizen, was not crucified, but beheaded around the year 67. Basilicas bearing their names were built over the places where they were buried.
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