Pastor's Column
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM FR. BOB
December 18, 2005
Friends,
This is not easy to tell you. After many months of reflection and discussion
with my Paulist superiors I have decided to take a leave of absence. I will
be
leaving my position with the parish after Christmas. I have been a priest
for
almost 22 years but now I need time off and time away to discern my future
in the Paulists and the priesthood. It is not easy to make this move but it
seems best to do for now.
My plans are to move back north to Chicago. It is closer to family and
friends. I plan to continue some studies in biomedical ethics at Loyola U.
Medical School and work in that area in a law firm, hospital, or non-profit
institution.
My temporary replacement will be Paulist Fr. Mike Kallock, known to
long-term members. I know you will like him and he will be of vital
assistance to Fr. Eric.
I will be around for the next few weeks and happy to talk with any of you.
I thank you for the friendship and support you have given me during my
time here. Pray for me as I will be praying for all of you.
Peace.
Fr. Bob Cary
Nursery Grand Re-Opening January 22!
December 11, 2005
It is a pleasure to announce that the John XXIII Nursery will be reopened on January 22, 2006! The nursery will be staffed at the 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Masses by trained students and parishioners throughout the year! The nursery will serve children from the ages of one to five.
It is also a joy to introduce to you our newest staff member Deborah Daniels who has been hired as Nursery Coordinator for the parish. It will be her role to train, schedule, and supervise all volunteers in the nursery. She will assure that our nursery meets the safety, security, and sanitary needs we all expect for our children. She will work with parents to assure their children’s special needs are addressed as much as possible. Deborah and her husband Mark are graduate students at U.T. and parishioners at John XXIII. Deborah is also the Assistant Dorm Director at Andy Holt Apartments. She has tremendous enthusiasm and terrific qualifications for this new role!
I want to ensure all parents that Deborah and all persons volunteering in the nursery will meet the Diocesan requirements for ministering to children. They will attend the VIRTUS Safe Environment workshop, review the Diocesan Policy on Conduct, and be subjected to a background check before they will be allowed to work in the nursery.
If you would like to serve as a volunteer or would like to assist Deborah in getting the nursery up to speed for the grand re-opening, you can reach her by calling the John XXIII office or by email: ddanie49@utk.edu. One critical need at the moment is finding a carpenter who can create a half door to the nursery.
Town Hall Meeting Report
December 4, 2005
On a wind swept Monday evening, about 40 parishioners gathered to reflect on the Paulist decision regarding Knoxville. There were many questions: What does it mean to have only one full time priest at John XXIII? What would a full-time missionary or senior priest do? How can we prove that two priests are needed here full time? Can a full time lay minister replace a priest? This is a sampling of the questions asked. It became clear to me Monday that while I have been totally consumed by this issue, it is still unfocused for many of you and there are areas that I have neglected to consider.
The parish council and I will attempt to clear up any confusion over the next month. We have charged ourselves with analyzing this directive from the Paulist Fathers, so that we may offer a firm basis for an appeal. In early January, a report will be available that will help us understand the impact of this decision. At that point, the council will have materials that will assist parishioners in writing informed letters to the leadership of the Paulists, further seeking a just resolution to our concerns.
In the meantime, we are hoping Bishop Kurtz will communicate his concerns with Fr. John Duffy when they meet next week for Immaculate Conception’s 150th Anniversary. Additionally, representatives from both parish councils expect to meet with Fr. Duffy to do the same. The hope is that this coordinated approach will positively influence the leadership of the Paulist Fathers by July 2007, the scheduled implementation date.
Thanks to all of you for your continued support and involvement in the life
of the John XXIII. If you have any questions or concerns, please let one of
the parish council representatives or myself know.
Advent Begins! Already?
November 27, 2005
As we well know, America rushes into the Christmas Season even before we’ve had a chance to buy the Thanksgiving turkey, let alone carve it. However, the Catholic Church does one better! This weekend with the First Sunday of Advent we celebrate the New Year in the Church. No one has thought of that yet!
At any rate, Advent is a time of joyful preparation and anticipation of the great feast of Christmas. Surely you are already involved in some aspects of preparing for Christmas. We are reminded that we need also prepare our hearts for the incarnation of Christ--To begin anew to bring Christ to life in our thoughts, words, and actions. I invite you take some time for yourself during Advent to prepare your hearts for the birth of Jesus. Make some retreat time: find some good spiritual reading, attend a daily mass or penance service, reach out to the needy in prayer and in deed. A reflective advent always leads to a more satisfying and joyous Christmas! This is the earliest Advent can begin, so take advantage of the extra time!
Advent resources are available in the lobby and in the library. We will have a penance service on Monday, Dec. 5th at 7:30 p.m. Also, there are opportunities to serve the needy in our area. Our Advent giving tree has names of needy children and mentally handicapped adults. Parishioners Sandra McEntire and Jeff Corthell are once again coordinating the Elf Program that matches “elves” with parents struggling to give their children a happy Christmas. They need more elves! The deadline is coming up. Look for the fliers in the lobby.
May this New Year in the life of our faith community be filled with new life
and joy!
Please Welcome Them!
November 20, 2005
This Sunday at the 11:15 a.m. Mass, we have the pleasure of officially welcoming eight new people into our Church community. They have been participating in the R.C.I.A. program since September and have chosen to continue their journey towards full communion in the Catholic Church. They are Erin Alexander, John Bousfield, Michael Leppert, Scott Frith, Ginger Hall, Charles Primm, Lucy Sieger, Esther Tirado, and Crystal Walker. These people have come from many different walks of life and have begun to feel at home in the Catholic Church.
We give thanks to God for them for a number of reasons. First of all, they enrich us with their presence. All eight of these people are baptized Christians and many of them have a wealth of experience in the Christian faith, which they will no doubt share with us. Secondly, their journey towards the Catholic Christian faith is a sign of new life among us. It is a reminder that these folks have encountered the presence of the Lord in our midst. Whether we knew it or not, the Spirit was moving very powerfully among us, calling these individuals to join us. Sometimes we take for granted the faith passed on to us as infants. As these adults express their faith in today’s Rite of Welcome, may their witness enliven and renew that same faith which has been entrusted to us.
After this introductory ritual, they will continue to discern in a more intentional
way their call to become members of our church. In January, we hope others
will join them on their path. At the beginning of Lent, if they are ready,
they will announce their intentions to become a Catholic at the Easter Vigil
and begin a period of intense preparation and prayer. At all the points on
their journey, they ask for our prayers and support.
The Future at John XXIII
November 13, 2005
I am sure I am speaking for Fr Bob when I say thanks for your concern and support of our ministry here at John XXIII. We are heartened by your joy in hearing that the Paulists are staying in Knoxville. It means, at least to me, that our pastoral ministry has had a positive impact in your lives. Thanks be to God!
Now that we know what the proposed future looks like, we need to address it in a proactive fashion. The first thing on my agenda is to ensure that Knoxville has an adequate number of Paulist priests available to care properly for the pastoral needs of Immaculate Conception and here. We are gathering the support of the Bishop, the priests of the Diocese, and former Paulists who have served in Knoxville, to relate their experiences to Fr. John Duffy, president of the Paulists. Some will do that when he is in town Dec. 8th for I.C.’s 150th Anniversary celebration. You all may wish to do the same collectively or individually.
However that situation is resolved, and we may not know the outcome for a year and a half, we should plan as if there were only going to be one full time priest assigned to John XXIII. How might the staff be changed? Do we have to examine our schedule of Masses and other services? What can we afford to do? The parish council invites you to join them on Monday, November 28th at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the impact of the Paulist decision and address some of these questions. I hope you can join us! Your input is so vitally important.
While change is always stressful, if we address these issues well, I am confident
we will emerge finding our parish energized by the Spirit so we can move into
the future.
What do you want first? The Good News or the Bad News?
November 6, 2005
Perhaps that’s how Paulist President John Duffy should have prefaced his call on Monday. If you haven’t heard yet, the good news is that the Paulist committment to Knoxville and East Tennessee is affirmed! We will continue to minister here at John XXIII and Immaculate Conception. How could there be bad news, you ask? Let me quote you the salient excerpt from a letter Fr. Duffy has addressed to us:
"The Paulist Action Plan recommits to the Paulist presence in Eastern
Tennessee. As a result of the Extraordinary General Council meeting, Paulists
will: 1) Reduce each parish staff to one full-time Paulist effective July
1, 2007; 2) Recommend each parish hire a full-time lay pastoral minister if
needed; 3) Recommend placement of one full-time Paulist missionary for outreach
and to offer appropriate support in both parishes; and 4) Invite a Senior
Paulist to live in Knoxville and assist in both parishes."
Having been blessed by so many wonderful associate pastors, this will be a
difficult adjustment to make. I believe we can find creative solutions and
perhaps be a positive model as a parish which empowers the laity for mission
and ministry in the Church. We have a year and a half to make the necessary
changes. To help with that planning process, your input is invaluable. We
will have an open meeting of the Parish Council on Monday, November 28th (time
to be announced) to brainstorm our future together! More information on that
gathering will be forthcoming.
I am deeply concerned about Immaculate Conception’s loss of an associate
pastor. Fr. Joe (of I.C.) and I are appealing this decision to the Paulist
Fathers as the Sacramental demands at I.C. are more intense than here. Also,
the associate pastor of I.C. could better assist us here from time to time,
especially when a missionary priest is away for an extended period or so we
don’t overwhelm a resident senior Paulist. I’ll let you know how
that lobbying effort goes.
Please pray for our Paulist Congregations in Tucson, Clemson, Santa Barbara,
and Boulder. The Paulists will withdraw from these cities in July. This will
be a very sad and difficult weekend for them.
Big Announcement October 31
October 30, 2005
This past week, eleven Paulist Fathers gathered in an extraordinary General Council meeting “to convene and embrace the challenges and opportunities” which are before the Community at this moment in time. From this meeting, new directions emerged which will force us to withdraw from some of our commitments to meet these new mission challenges. This will bring to a close a year of consultation and discernment about our future mission focuses. It will also begin a new chapter-- preparing for the future.
The decisions made last Friday will be announced tomorrow, October 31. I will receive a call in the morning from Paulist President John Duffy indicating whether the Paulist Fathers will remain in Knoxville. If we do stay here, we may very well be asked to explore further ministry in the region. By noon, all of the superiors will be notified as well as Bishops in whose Diocese we are leaving. By days end, I will distribute the information to you via e-mail. If you aren’t on our list, please go to our website: www.john23rd.org where the information will be posted.
While we remain optimistic about our future in Knoxville, in no way do I want to be presumptuous. If there is grave news, I will call an extraordinary meeting of the parish council, finance council, and parish staff on Thursday, November 3, during which we will discuss the best way to process the information with the whole parish on the weekend. Even if we remain, there will be tremendous shock and hurt in our extended Paulist family of which we are a part. I ask your prayers for all the Paulists and Paulist-served congregations across the U.S. and Canada, especially those directly impacted, that this transition period may be accompanied with much healing, grace, and hope.
Capital Improvements on the Way!
October 23, 2005
I am pleased to announce that we have signed a letter of intent with Denark Construction for the purchase and installation of the handicapped lift and other accessibility improvements, the first GIFT funded project to be green lighted! It may also be one of the largest capital improvements to our Church to date, and one that is long overdue. I am sure that this project will assist a great number of parishioners who find themselves permanently or temporarily unable to negotiate the stairs to the restrooms or the library.
To fit the lift into the middle of the stairwell, we will need to cut the upper stairwell back one foot. Since the concrete cutting people will be here, in addition to that alteration, they will also cut the curbs on the front sidewalk to the driveway, and the side door of the Paulus Room to the driveway. This will again facilitate easier access to the building, as many people find it difficult to make that step up. It will also help with big deliveries to the building. Finally, we will add a power assisted mechanism to the doorway which leads to Melrose Place (across from Hess Hall). This will be a great benefit to those in wheelchairs who come alone.
The cost of this entire project is $47,000.00, about 10% of the GIFT funds that will remain at John XXIII. It will take 10-12 weeks for the manufacturer to ship the equipment. God willing by the beginning of the Spring Semester we will be good to go. In the meantime, we continue to draw up plans for the renovation of the lounge, restrooms, classrooms and study spaces on the second floor and the new office area below. I am hopeful the next phase will be able to begin by April, if not earlier.
Thank you, again, for your faithfulness to the Capital Campaign! You will
be able to see the fruits of your generosity very soon.
The Nursery
October 16, 2005
I want to say a little more about our new plans for Sunday morning nursery at John XXIII. For many years, we relied on students to serve as babysitters at the 9am and 11:15 a.m. Mass. In exchange for their help, they received some compensation. With the advent of the Church’s Charter for the Protection of Children, all those who minister to our children and youth in any way are required to fulfill additional requirements and training classes. It became difficult to certify all of our babysitters and that ministry fell by the wayside.
However, thanks to the voices crying out from the congregation (particularly at the morning Masses) the parish council has identified this outreach to our youngest members of our parish as a top priority. A nursery would allow parents of toddlers to fully participate at Mass while their child was being cared for by individuals who are well qualified.
It was decided we needed to hire one or two individuals who could not only be wonderful babysitters, but could also act as manager of the nursery, coordinating other volunteers who wanted to help. Our nursery would operate year round on Sunday mornings, during Mass, and possibly at special parish events like the Mardi Gras Party. It would serve children from ages one to five. Put the word out that we are looking to hire two people who would share the position of Nursery Coordinator. They would need to have adequate experience and good references. A degree in early childhood education would be wonderful but not required. We will pay a just wage!
Finally, please notice the announcement about special area in the women’s restroom lounge for mothers to nurse their infants. Special thanks to parish council member DeAnna Croisdale who coordinated this.
Paulist Strategic Planning: An Opportunity for Growth
October 9, 2005
In 1900, Fr. John Marks Handly, C.S.P., whose uncle was the former Governor of Tennessee, convinced Paulist Superior George Deshon, C.S.P. to purchase his Uncle’s mansion in Winchester to further Paulist efforts at evangelizing the South. From 1900-1953 Paulists moved throughout the region, often the first Catholic Priests the locals had ever encountered. They helped established Catholic Churches in such towns as Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, South Pittsburg, McMinnville and Winchester. Long time Catholics in Knoxville remember the Paulist Mission trailer when it came to town. Parishioner John Croes has interesting memories of Paulist Jim Harrington, C.S.P. who would visit his household. After we left Winchester, we established a base in Memphis in 1953, and came to Knoxville in 1973. In over 100 years we have served all parts of this state.
At this moment in time, the Paulists are evaluating all of its ministerial commitments to determine where we are most needed in North America. In the same spirit of Fr. Handly, I have been urging the Paulist Fathers that Knoxville would be a wonderful base to continue our outreach to the Southeast. While some argue that there is no need for Paulist missionaries in this heavily Christian part of the country, I think many of us would agree that Catholics are still horribly misunderstood by our Protestant brothers and sisters and that there is a need for our Catholic voice to be stronger. RCIA programs at both Paulist parishes in town are the strongest in the community. There are also many Ecumenical endeavors we are engaged in here. This is truly a place for Paulists to be.
I have proposed that the Paulists assign additional priests and seminarians to Knoxville to create a modern version of Winchester. Costs are reasonable here, transportation is readily available, and the people are downright friendly. It’s a great place to live and minister and Paulists are often called upon for needs within our Diocese. I am urging the Paulist leadership to allocate funds so we might expand our residence to accommodate extra Paulists to do missionary work, be engaged in seminary training, or retire and help out part time.
While there are no guarantees, I am optimistic that we will remain in Knoxville and Tennessee for many years to come. As far as I am concerned, our parishes in Knoxville are a great treasure in the Paulist community that should be built upon. So, instead of spending our energy on what we might lose, I’d rather put all of our energy into how our parish and the Paulists continue to build on the tremendous legacy we’ve inherited!
Paulist Strategic Planning
October 2, 2005
As you know, for the past year, the Paulist Fathers have been engaged in a strategic planning process. You may recall that last November all the Paulists were called to a conference in Albuquerque. That process will reach fruition by the end of this month. Father John Duffy, President of the Paulists, has issued a letter to all the members of our congregation. Here is an important excerpt of that letter which is available in the lobby:
Since the Albuquerque Summit, we have been developing strategies to address the realities confronting us. During this time, we solicited input from our Paulist brothers and also from lay collaborators. The result of this input helped set in place a set of criteria to evaluate our current ministry locations and to assist the General Council in implementing the directives of the Albuquerque Summit. The criteria are available to you through the local Paulists and Pastoral Councils.
During the last week of October [The Paulist General Council] will come together for a week-long meeting to examine what impact the vision from the Albuquerque Summit, as well as the criteria, will have on our present ministries. In setting a course for the future, the General Council also realizes that there will be a cost to the Paulists for implementing this plan. We will have to decide where we want to focus our resources and where we need to withdraw. All of this will be done in a spirit of prayerful discernment and with the goal of moving our community and our ministries toward the vision and goals created during our strategic planning process.
We ask for your prayers and support over this next month, as we face and make these important decisions. We hope that the outcome of our process will be to strengthen the ministry of the Paulists and all those who work with us. We trust that the Holy Spirit will be acting within us at every stage of the way. If we are genuinely open; if we speak with courage and listen with a holy attentiveness, we can be sure the Spirit of Jesus will use our efforts for the coming of the Kingdom.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. John F. Duffy, C.S.P.
President
Please keep the Paulist Fathers in your prayers during this very important time in the life of our community.
Fr. Eric.
All Our Children
September 25, 2005
We have been working hard to meet the needs of the children and youth at John XXIII. I am pleased to report that our Youth Ministry is back! Parishioners DeAnna Croisdale and Ann Kvatch have volunteered to re-launch this effort with great assistance from other parishioners and college students. Youth Ministry is open to middle and high school students. There are some great events coming up, so please encourage your teenage sons and daughters to check it out.
Sunday school has resumed. I want to thank Donna Dudek, the teachers, and assistant teachers who are building on the faith formation begun by our parents. If you haven’t yet registered your children for Sunday school, I encourage you to do so soon. Even for kids in Catholic schools, our program is a wonderful way to compliment their faith formation and create a deeper fellowship among the children in our parish.
This fall we have asked all parents whose children participate in these programs to complete a simple training on safety with their children and return a signed document that they’ve done so. This was required by the Diocese to comply with guidelines to protect our children. To ensure that your children get the information they need, teachers and youth ministers will review the information with them. You will be informed before this happens so your child can opt-out.
Finally, at the suggestion of the parish council, we will be looking to hire
a permanent, qualified babysitter with good references in our nursery for
the 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Masses. As we have a growing number of new
parents in our midst, we thought this would be a good resource to offer. If
you know of anyone who might fit the bill, please let us know!
Fr. Richard McBrien on Campus
September 18, 2005
On Thursday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m., Notre Dame Theologian Rev. Richard McBrien will speak for free at the University Center. He is being hosted by the Notre Dame Club and the Dept. of Religion. Fr. McBrien, a priest in good standing, is a well known member of the Notre Dame Theology faculty and has written many books on the church, the papacy, and the saints. You may have also seen him on ABC-TV providing commentary and analysis during recent papal events.
Initially, we were going to co-sponsor this event, but after conversations with Bishop Kurtz, I withdrew our sponsorship on an official level. According to a statement released from the Chancery last week, Bishop Kurtz stated: “I do not believe Father McBrien to be the best person to represent the teaching of the Church; and so have indicated that I do not wish the resources of our diocese and its parishes to be used to promote or host this particular event.” He published this statement after the lecture was inadvertently listed in the latest East Tennessee Catholic.
It is the Bishop’s prerogative to make this call as chief teacher of our diocese. The leadership of the Notre Dame Club and others disagree. What may be at the heart of this is that McBrien often speaks his mind openly and freely about today’s church. Often, it is his scholarly analysis that can be controversial, not his theological positions, although others would vehemently disagree with me.
Should you go? That is your decision to make. My advice is this: if you go,
go with a critical mind and ask questions. The university is the perfect place
to explore ideas; that is why many of you are here. For those who attend,
I suggest we gather here at John XXIII the week after his talk at 7:00 p.m.
to discuss McBrien’s lecture. Will there be treats? Absolutely!
In the Wake of the Storm
September 11, 2005
On the 4th anniversary of September 11, our country is yet again healing from another catastrophic calamity. The destruction of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans is so massive, it is almost unimaginable. An even in the midst of loss, there are moments of great trust in God. A number of families and individuals from the affected areas were at Mass with us. Their faith and perseverance in the midst of their loss was a constant theme. In fact, one individual, a psychologist, was very clear she wanted to offer her services to aid fellow survivors.
I was also heartened by the amazing response by our parish. We collected over $9,000 for hurricane relief. Countless others wanted to volunteer at the shelters or open their home to evacuees. Thank you all! At this time, the Red Cross has all the volunteers they need and the University of Tennessee believes it can house up to 500 students. This will be a long term endeavor, however, and our help may be needed at a later point. Let us stay vigilant for those who need assistance, especially after the recovery efforts becomes a news item on the back page.
What can we do? Now more than ever, I advocate participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network. By supporting homeless families, we can work together to reverse the cycle of poverty in our country and send a signal that all people have worth and dignity. One of the most shocking moments from last week were the images of the poor, the elderly, and children seemingly left behind in New Orleans—a cruel, stark reminder of what it means to “have-not” in America. If this isn’t a message to heed the countless passages in Scripture where Jesus lifts up the poor, I don’t know what is.
In the wake of 9/11, the key phrase was “United, We Stand.” In
the wake of Katrina, I believe we are called to focus on those words as we
serve the survivors of the storm and plan for any future catastrophe, but
even more so as we seek to eradicate poverty and the racial divide that still
exists in our country.
GIFT CAMPAIGN UPDATE
September 4, 2005
When last we spoke about the capital campaign at John XXIII, I think we were all in awe of the amazing response of the entire parish. To have over $632,000 pledged is astounding! You will note on the back cover of the bulletin how we are doing in terms of money received. With three months into the three year giving period we are ahead of schedule. Thank you so much for your generosity and attentiveness.
Where are we with the implementation of our capital initiatives? The Parish Council identified handicapped access as a primary need and we had hoped to have the handicapped lift in the lobby installed by now. We discovered that we will have to do some additional retrofitting of the staircase to accommodate the lift which will take extra time to arrange. Hopefully by October, that project will commence.
The new parish council convened on Monday evening and we determined that
we need to develop an implementation plan for the other capital campaign goals.
This process will also help us shape a five year ministry plan so our parish
mission may continue to grow.
My hope is that by the end of this school year, we will have completed most
of the capital improvement projects to the building, namely relocating the
offices downstairs and renovating the second floor, so we can focus our energies
and resources on ministry!
Above all else, we want to proceed in a deliberate fashion, so that we may
be good stewards of your generous gifts and do things right!
The Ministry of Invitation
August 28, 2005
One of the hallmarks of John XXIII is our welcoming spirit. It’s hard to get in or out of the Paulus Room without a hello from someone. No doubt our exuberance comes from the spirit of fellowship and joy we find in the Eucharist. Hopefully, for those who are new and far from home, this is a great gift.
Perhaps a bigger challenge is to take the Spirit of God out into the world, to the places we work, study, and play. Through our baptism we are called to be missionaries, to go and be Good News for others. As God invites us to be closer to Him, we are called to invite others to share the joy of the Lord that we have experienced.
There are many of ways you can do that:
-The first step is to share your own faith story. How does being a Catholic
Christian enrich your life? Starting here is respectful of the other person.
You have a gift you want to share and are not putting them on the spot.
-Invite someone you know who doesn’t have a church home to come with
you to Mass and/or a John XXIIII fellowship event.
-Encourage folks who have fallen away from the active practice of the faith
to give the Church another try and check out our Landings Program, which is
a safe environment to talk.
-If a friend or co-worker has a misconception about Catholicism, invite them
to come, pray and dialogue with us.
Finally, and most critically right now, tell people who might be interested that our R.C.I.A. program is about to begin! Starting Tuesday, September 6th at 7:00 p.m., we will have our first class for all inquiring about becoming a Catholic. If they are nervous, come with them to meetings until they feel at home. Those who have gone through the process can witness that it is an amazing process.
Go therefore and be ambassadors for the Lord!
New Life
August 21, 2005
At long last, life has returned to the campus! Welcome to all of you who are newly arrived in Knoxville and the University of Tennessee, and welcome back to you all who have been away for the summer. I hope that everyone is tanned, rested, and ready for what is to come!
Much has happened over the last number of months that I want to get you all caught up on. One large issue that I will write more about soon is Paulist Fathers strategic planning process which will come to a conclusion in October and its possible impact on us here. As always, I remain very optimistic about our ministry here in Knoxville.
But before we get into any of that, let us first welcome our newest parishioners. This weekend we will have special events for students at the Sunday evening Mass. Next weekend, to make registration weekend a more pleasant event, there will be a light reception after each Mass. Also, members of the pastoral staff and parish council will be available after the Saturday night and Sunday morning Masses to welcome new parishioners and answer questions about membership at John XXIII. If you’ve been around for awhile and still have questions, you are invited as well!
Let us all pray that the Spirit may grace us in abundance this academic year!