Dear Parish Family,

We've entered back into Ordinary Time after the Christmas season concluded last weekend. It's hard to believe, but we are also gearing up for Lent which begins with Ash Wednesday a month from today (February 18)! The progression of the liturgical seasons helps us to focus on various elements of the Paschal Mystery throughout the year. Ordinary Time situates us especially in hearing and answering the Lord's call in the here and now.

 

Our readings today focus on this theme of hearing the Lord's call and responding to Him. Isaiah hears that the Lord wants to make him more than a servant, to make him a light to the nations. St. Paul reflects on being called to be an apostle by the Lord Jesus, and connecting his call to the Corinthians' call to be holy in Christ. St. John the Baptist proclaims that he has been called to baptize with water to prepare the way for the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Our Psalm response ties all of these ways of hearing and answering with the simple words, "Here I am, Lord. I come to do Your will."

 

Like the prophets, apostles, and saints of the Church, God's call for us is ordered to His covenant promise for our lives to bear abundant fruit and redemption in our unique vocations and roles within the Body of Christ, the Church. The Lord is always faithful to His covenant, and He is always speaking to us through the Scriptures, the Sacraments, the Magisterial teachings of the Church, and through all the truth, goodness, and beauty of creation. Even when God's voice isn't evident, when we remain faithful to the call He has set us on, we can say fruitfully each day, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." He will reveal the next step for us in time. Just be patient, stay obedient and hopeful, and trust in Him.

 

We have a number of exciting things coming up this week. This Tuesday, January 20 is Fr. Fabian's birthday! We are grateful for his priestly ministry which blesses us greatly. Also, this Wednesday is our Estate Planning Seminar at 6:30 pm in the St. Mary Banquet Room. Come and learn about putting a will in place for your family and also some simple ways you can include your parish in your will as well to leave a lasting legacy! Finally, next weekend we begin Catholic Schools Week as we gratefully celebrate the gift of Catholic education in our schools. Our St. Mary School PTU will host a special pancake breakfast next Sunday, January 25, in the St. Mary cafeteria as we celebrate the gift of St. Mary School and the support that St. Patrick Parish provides to St. Mary School especially through prayer and the Angel Scholarship Fund.

 

I recall Bishop Malesic's words in our Keeping the Faith initiative, "For every parish, a school." While not every parish has its own parochial school, all parishes are responsible for supporting Catholic education at the local level. St. Patrick's prays for St. Mary School and has generously responded to the Angel Scholarship Fund (ASF) each year, providing more than 10% of our total ASF scholarship potential for the past few years. For a parish about a tenth the size of St. Mary's, this is extraordinary! We thank our parishioners at St. Patrick's and St. Mary's for their ongoing support of St. Mary School and Catholic education throughout our diocese!

 

With tax time coming up, please remember to pick up information in the back of the church regarding the Angel Scholarship Fund. Your investment in ASF is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit reducing the State of Ohio income taxes you owe by providing a tuition scholarship for students at the Catholic school of your choice. Your investment in ASF has already made a tremendous impact on our school culture for students, parents, and our teachers. The best part? We still have a long runway ahead of us. Thank you for supporting our families through ASF!

 

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow