The Fall always seems to have that sense of beginning, change and opportunity to learn all wrapped up in one. This weekend I am in Chicago with classmates from college (30+ years ago). Life has changed for all of us.
I give a big “Thank You” to Fr. Tim Oudenhoven and the Marian Messengers for their time here at the parish and our schools. Mary always helps us come closer to her Son Jesus.
Just Recently I learned of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Bronislava. I look forward to learning more about their efforts to serve those who are less fortunate. I encourage you to do the same. For over a hundred plus years they have been in our country serving those in need.
This week the Deanery is having its meeting with the Bishop present. That will be a good opportunity to highlight our local parishes to him as he gets to know the diocese.
As you note the wedding banns in the bulletin, please pray for this couple as they prepare to celebrate this sacrament. I share the following article “To Live with Joy” from Columbia magazine May 2024 by Andrew and Sarah Swafford. “In working with college students over the years, we have noticed that a significant number of young people —including Catholics committed to living out their faith— are skeptical about marriage, especially the idea that a joyful marriage is possible. Many have watched their families fall apart, and they’ve taken note. Even if their parents stayed together, they often have a sense that Catholic marriage is inevitably marked by conflict, tension and a lack of warmth. While our society tends to reduce love to a simple emotion or mere feeling, it seems that some people have overcorrected: They think of love solely as an act of the will, neglecting the importance of emotion within marriage and family life.
Love and sacramental marriage do require an act of the will. As St. John Paul II wrote, true love ‘wills the good without limits’ for the other. Marriage is very sacrificial. But spouses must also cultivate an affective, or emotional, connection with the other. This is the key to a warm and joyful marriage. Studies have shown it is central to raising children, especially if we wish to pass our faith on to the next generation. As parents, we give an unspoken witness. If we commit to doing the little things to build emotional unity, our children will notice – and will remember that joy as they discern their own vocations.”
Keep our young people in your prayers and remember your own daily witness.