Dear Parishioners:                    

Last Sunday, I read the New York Times weekly column by Tish Harrison Warren, a priest in the Anglican Church in North America, entitled "Why We Shouldn't Lose Faith in Organized Religion." In it, she interviewed Eboo Patel, an American Muslim and founder and president of Interfaith America, which promotes cooperation across religious differences. I found the column and his comments very uplifting and interesting. He said:

"Particularly in the areas of America where people have higher levels of education...It is considered sophisticated and educated to know only the bad stuff about religion. Of course, that's ironic because to only know the bad stuff is to not actually be educated. So that is discouraging.

    I'll tell you what I find encouraging. Catholic sisters just keep on doing what Catholic sisters do, which is taking care of poor people. Our society relies on religious communities to take care of people, to do addiction counseling, to do job training, to do hunger and homelessness work, to do refugee resettlement. We just don't often tell the story of them doing that work. And I think that that's a big problem. " 

Here's some good news to report at OLM. This weekend we welcome the Superior of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters, Mother Aida, who is visiting from the Philippines. While here, she will visit the Franciscan Convent at OLM and the FAS Convent at St. Philip Church in Greenville. Mother Aida is also meeting with Bishop Henning this week.   Please pray for her.       

On Wednesday, Mother and the FAS Sisters from Rhode Island depart for Peoria, Illinois, for their Annual Retreat. Please pray for their safe travel as they will be driving to Peoria. And pray their time of retreat is fruitful.   Sister Lourdes and Sister Emma return to OLM during the first week of August. However, they are not returning alone. Mother Aida informed me that Sr. Jane Molitas, FAS, has been assigned to serve at OLM.

Sister Jane comes to us from Nebraska, where she has served at the Seminary of St. Gregory the Great over the last few years. Some of you may remember her from her time at the old Scalabrini Villa Nursing Home several years ago. She joins Sister Lourdes and Sister Emma, living at the Franciscan Convent here at OLM, and working with them at OLM Church and School.

We are very grateful to Mother Aida for this good news and her generosity in assigning Sister Jane to OLM. Sister Jane just celebrated her 25th Anniversary of Religious Profession in June. She is a humble, joyful, and holy sister. Welcome to OLM, Sister Jane! Please pray for more vocations to the consecrated life.

 In the name of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, thank you for your warm welcome to Sister Barbara and Sister Veronica last weekend.  Their witness to the work of the FMM Missions serving the poor and needy across the globe is good news. I also thank you for your generous financial support of the Missions. It, too, is good news!

If you could not donate last week, please forward a check payable to OLM with "Mission Co-op" in the memo line. Please put it in the weekly collection basket, deposit it in the safe in the vestibule, or mail it to the Parish Office. Your donations go directly to supporting the Missions.  Thank you for your support.

More good news! OLM exceeded our Catholic Charity Appeal goal of $190,000, raising over $275,000! Your generous support and great charity made it possible. I offer my deep gratitude on behalf of the poor and needy who benefit from the Appeal. We are grateful to the 480 parishioners who donated so generously.

I  thank Jerry and Kim O'Connell and Mike and Lee Mita, Chairs of the Appeal at OLM, for their help in surpassing our parish goal. Over $7 million was raised in parishes across the Diocese.  This funds the good works and charitable agencies of our local Church across the state. This is good news too!

 That's only some of the good news about our parish and Church. And while we sometimes hear about the good news,  too often, the media and many in our society largely concentrate on the bad news about religion and the Catholic Church. Mr. Patel is right! Let's enjoy the good news and spread it with joy! Do good. Be well. God Bless. Go, Sox!???