Dear Parishioners,
A number of items are on my mind as I sit down to write this letter:
-We had the funeral of Doris Phlipot. When I last met with Doris to anoint her and pray with her and bring Holy Communion to her, she spoke to me about the devotion she and Harry had to the Sacred Heart. They had consecrated their family to the Sacred Heart way back when they lived in an apartment over the car dealership. It is a great and powerful practice for a family. When I was in La Crosse, Wisconsin this past October with a group of our parishioners on pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I purchased there a copy of Cardinal Burke’s new book, which is the Rite of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart in a home. If anyone wants to do this in their family, I can certainly help. Also, Doris told me that the Sacred Heart was compelling her to leave an endowment to promote and support vocations to the religious life and priesthood, specifically from our parish. So we are working to put together the charter for such an endowment with the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese. Of course, I told Doris we will be relying on her prayers to encourage vocations from our parish; and she promised to provide them.
-I was pretty impressed with the World’s Fair the Divine Mercy school children put on Thursday evening April 23rd. Each display booth had some facts to learn about a country or state, some graphics to look at, a computer presentation of some sort, and finally some food. The students were very engaging. The turnout from the community was great. The atmosphere was really enjoyable!
-We had the two-day marriage workshop sponsored by the Diocese at our campus this past weekend. I am told the attendance was smaller than last year–the first year we have had it– with only six couples in attendance, but the atmosphere and conversation on the couple occasions I stopped by seemed pretty rich. The first day of the workshop focused on life skills related to marriage. The second day focused on theology of the sacrament and theology of the body. I continue to desire a small team of people in the parish who can take initiative to organize a Theology of the Body event once or twice a year, and think creatively with me for how best to help every parish family understands this gift of teaching from Pope St. John Paul II. For couples who choose a one-day pre-Cana marriage preparation program, instead of the diocesan two-day, we have found a DVD course on the Theology of the Body to supplement their marriage preparation.
-I happened upon the group of hard-working men preparing the Paulding campus prayer garden for a new season. It was a pretty chilly day; and I’m very grateful for their generous hard work and endurance.
-As of the writing of this letter, the air-conditioning headers at the Paulding campus are now complete. I think they look great. One of our own parishioners painted them to make them fit in aesthetically so well. I have not heard the system yet, but we should be trying it out soon. Enjoy the silence… and the extra space in the choir loft!
-The Martin-Riley company, out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was out this past Friday for several hours to inspect everything pertaining to the moisture problem at the Antwerp campus. I’m eager to get their proposal.
-I am trying to stop in on the various spring sports. Somehow I have to get together a list of which students at which schools are in which sports each season. A very gracious parishioner stood with me in the scorching sun at the Wayne Trace invitational track meet this past week to circle every name in the program that belonged to my parish. I was very grateful for such help!
Have a blessed week!
In cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Poggemeyer
