Church Blog

Dear Parishioners,

Well, here we go again.  Another page on the calendar has turned.  We are into the month of September.  This weekend is Labor Day Weekend.

Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s.  The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community.

I would also strongly suggest that we as Catholics don’t forget God on Labor Day.  Labor is a privilege.  When we work, we give glory to God Who alone gives us talents and abilities needed to build up the Kingdom of God.

As is our schedule for civil holidays, we have one Mass on Labor Day, Monday, September 5, at 9:00 a.m.  Please try to attend.  Keep also in your prayers those who are looking for suitable work.  Ask Saint Joseph, the patron of workers, to pray with us and for us.

Do you know someone who is interested in the Catholic Church?  The R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) begins here next Tuesday, September 6.  Wouldn’t it be great if you were God’s instrument to bring someone to the fullness of Faith in the Catholic Church?  There is also more detail in today’s bulletin.

Keep in mind also that the R.C.I.A. is actually for folks in more than one category:  Most people who come to the R.C.I.A. are curious about the Catholic Church; they want to know more; they will consider joining the Church at the Easter Vigil.

Other people are welcome to come to R.C.I.A. who are already baptized practicing Catholics who simply want to know more about their Faith.  R.C.I.A. is also a good refresher for baptized practicing Catholics who have not yet been confirmed.  And, of course, we also welcome any Catholics who have been lax in the practice of their religion.  They are those who need “more practice!”  All are welcome.

I went to the Jimmy Buffet Concert the other night.  To my mind, it was great!  I’ve been a Buffet fan for years.  It also seems as if a good number of parishioners are too.  I hoped I would not be recognized in my Parrothead biretta and grass cassock, but they found me.

I must admit that a couple of Buffet’s songs are in poor taste, but for the most part they are about simple things like cheeseburgers, sailing, volcanoes, fish fins, or a pencil thin mustache.  Just being at the Verizon Wireless Music Center is an experience in itself—over 24,000 people singing, carrying on, mostly just having fun.

What’s this got to do with Church?  Well, I noticed that one reviewer in a newspaper gave the concert a very poor review.  I just wonder if he was at a different concert.  I could not disagree more.

It’s been on my mind lately that all too often we base our opinions about the Church on what somebody has written.  All it takes these days is a printing press or your own web page on the internet—instantly, you’re an expert!  I don’t think so.  Be careful of what you read about our Church today.  We know that our own parish is vibrant, our own archdiocese is growing.

Now, if we all depended on some of these so-called experts, sociologists, and theologians we would think that the Church is in big trouble.  I don’t think so.  Watch what you read in all of these supposedly Catholic journals or web pages that abound today.  But above all, come alive—participate fully in the life of your Church and your parish—then judge for yourself.

That’s the connection between what I want to say this week about the Church and the Jimmy Buffet Concert.  O, other than the fact that Jimmy himself was once an altar boy.  I wonder if any of our own servers will be famous someday.  Who knows!

Let me again mention our Saint Luke Fiftieth Year Celebration!  The kickoff to our Golden Jubilee Celebration as a parish is Saturday, September 24.  From noon on that day we will have our first-ever “Jubilee Jam Parish Festival.”  That evening, the 5:30 p.m. Mass will be our first liturgical celebration to kick off an entire year of festivities.  I encourage everyone to get on board in whatever way you can to make our “Jubilee Jam Festival” a grand success.

Next Sunday is September 11, Patriot Day.  It’s the tenth anniversary of the horrible attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on our country.  Our weekend Masses will include special prayers for our country and for the victims of these terrorist attacks.

Remember ten years ago?  I sure do, it was the day my dad was buried.  But on that day people predicted that our whole country would forever fall to our knees in prayer asking God for mercy.  Churches would be full.  Healthy patriotism would rise.  Didn’t happen.  Keep this in mind as we prepare for next weekend’s civil and spiritual observances of “9-11.”

Of one thing I am convinced; of one thing I am certain:  Providence never fails!

Faithfully yours in Providence that so far has not failed us,

Rev. Joseph F. Schaedel