Dear Parishioners:
We had a wonderful celebration of Graduation for the 8th Grade of Our Lady of Mercy School. It began on Sunday with the Mass in honor of the graduates and then an Awards Luncheon. On Monday night the graduates received their diplomas at the beautiful Graduation Ceremony. Congratulations!! Also last weekend I along with Fr. Connors, Seminarian Silva and Bishop Evans attended the OLM School Production of the Lion King. It was a fabulous play and the school children were fantastic. The children had only a few weeks to prepare for the play but nonetheless it was a great production and yet another reason why our parish school is so special.
School ended last Tuesday for OLM School and ends this Monday for EG Public Schools! Summer begins on June 21st and now we hope and pray for good weather, sunny days and a healthy and happy summer for all. If you are traveling this summer be sure to pick up the church bulletin when you go to Mass out of state. When you get home to OLM simply put it in the collection basket. I always love to see where people went and what other parishes across the country are doing.
For me the summer usually means more time for books on the beach. What are you reading this summer? I know that Fr. Connors and I will be
reading the new encyclical from Pope Francis on the beach! Released this past week from the Vatican the encyclical letter is entitled "Laudato Si': On the Care of Our Common Home.” It is about something called "integral ecology." This idea tells us that the way we relate with one another and how we relate to the environment are intimately connected. Integral ecology means that "natural ecology"—the environment, our natural resources, the precious gift of Creation—is decidedly linked to "human ecology"—how we respect life, treat one another, regard the poor, structure our economic decisions and policy, mold and shape our society. I know It should prove to be a very interesting read.
However, it isn’t only encyclicals that I read at the beach. I also like to read Alan Furst spy novels! He writes historical fiction about espionage in the period just prior to the Second Word War. They are quick and great reads for the beach or a plane ride! I suppose my interest in such historical fiction about World War II comes from my late Father who loved both to read
books and was also a World War II combat veteran. It is from him I got the desire to read such novels. So perhaps you might share a book with your child this Father’s Day!Today is Father’s Day and we honor and give thanks for all Fathers for their love and support but also for the great gift of Fatherhood. We offer our prayers and Masses Sunday for all our Fathers both living and deceased. We ask God to bestow upon all Fathers his blessings, guidance and protection. Happy Fathers Day to all our OLM Fathers!
Speaking of Fathers, next Saturday Bishop Tobin is to ordain three young men as priests. The new Fathers are Joshua Barrow, Nicholas Fleming and Ryan Simas and are to be ordained
priests at the Cathedral at 10am on Saturday, June 27th. The bishop offers these profound words as part of the ceremony: “Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.” Please pray for these new priests as they begin their priestly ministry. Father Connors and I were also both ordained in late June. Fr. Connors celebrates three years as a priest on Tuesday, June 23rd and I mark my 20th year of priesthood on Wednesday, June 24th. I humbly ask for your prayers for the both of us and our priestly ministry at OLM. May Christ, the Eternal High Priest, continue to guide us to understand what we do, imitate what we celebrate, and conform our lives to the great mystery of His Cross. Summer is here !! Jesus says: “Come away by yourselves and rest a while.” Enjoy it before it ends! God Bless. Happy Father’s Day!