Dear Parishioners, +JMJ
In light of the difficult news regarding the Catholic Church in the United States in these last weeks, I beg everybody to be in prayer and fasting. Although there is anger, sadness, frustration, may we be at the same time prayerfully hopeful that Jesus will use this news to bring about still greater and genuine holiness in the Church’s leaders (including your pastor!). Jesus is still the same. The Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings, guided by the Holy Spirit over the centuries, are still the same! Please hold onto Jesus! Please strive all the more for personal holiness in your life! Only this will mean the greatest happiness for you!
This coming Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, I will be doing some work for the Diocese out of town, which is why we will not have Mass or “Gospel with Father” on Wednesday. We will still have Tuesday morning Mass.
We had our school open house this past week, and I am excited about the year to come. For my classroom visits, I will be focusing on an elementary version of the “Theology of the Body”, the teaching of Pope Saint John Paul II regarding marital love. At the elementary level I will not really be teaching human sexuality explicitly, but rather the foundation for further teaching of the Theology of the Body for our students as they grow older. We are purchasing a series called “The Body Matters” for the elementary school. The idea is to teach reverence and respect for the human person, body-soul composite. Growing in their appreciation for how amazing the human person is – body/soul composite – our students should have a better foundation as parents teach them the do’s and don’ts of sexual morality in their junior high and high school years. This program will be a great addition to our curriculum.
Finally, Bishop Daniel Thomas has begun publishing a monthly letter called “Leading the Flock”. Given the Bishop’s desire that his entire diocesan flock see this letter, I am currently planning that most months we will put his letter in place of my letter in the bulletin one weekend each month, to ensure that as many of my parishioners as possible see it. Please remember to keep our Bishop in your daily prayers!
Have a blessed week!
In cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Father Poggemeyer
