Dear Parishioners,

I hope you are enjoying the Advent season, it is nearly coming to an end. We will be hosting our Night of Beauty tonight (Sunday the 21st ) at SJ. If you haven’t had a chance to get to confession during this season, then I would encourage you to do so. Here is what the Night of Beauty will consist of. First, we will have evening prayer prayed together at 5:45 PM. This is a liturgy where psalms and other prayers are prayed. We will have a handout for you. Next, we will have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for adoration, and a choir will sing some music. During this time, we will have our penance service which will begin about 6 PM. I would encourage you to come by 6 PM for the service as the priests will hear confessions only for as long as there are people in line. We will have Fr. Michael Garry, Fr. Brian Schultz, Fr. George Zeck and myself for confessions.

Just letting you know, I will be going on a trip from January 4th until the 10th . We won’t have daily Masses that week. Fr. George will be celebrating the Mass at OLF on the 10th . I will be visiting a Madonna House mission house. Madonna House is an organization of lay men women and priests who serve in different mission houses throughout the world. I have an aunt who is a member and have visited their main house in Combermere Canada several times. This house in Missouri is a retreat center. So, the visit will be part retreat, part mission as I work with their staff and take some time to reflect with God. Please pray that it is a good trip. 

I want to express my gratitude to you the parishioners of our parishes. I am greatly blessed by you and your faithfulness. I am so grateful for our staff who are so great to work with. They all are dedicated, and work for lower wages then they could get in other positions. It is truly a missionary work they do. I am also grateful for all of our volunteers, and those who give of their time in all the different ministries in our parishes. What a gift to have some many people helping with our liturgies, our outreaches and our overall mission. I am very grateful to have so many families as a part of our parish cluster. To have your children coming to Mass and being formed and receiving the sacraments here is very life giving and a sign of hope. 

I continue to be grateful for all who have supported the parishes financially. You have responded so generously to our needs, both in the daily needs as well as the diocesan appeal and the building project. It has been a great gift to me that we are financially stable. It allows us to focus on the greater mission. I really want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and express my gratitude for the gift of serving here with you. 

In Christ,

Fr. Eli