Dear Parish Family,

“Do not forget the works of the Lord!" Psalm 78 calls our attention to the Feast of the Holy Cross which we celebrate today and the most magnificent work of our salvation that God has accomplished through Christ's sacrifice on the Holy Cross. 

 

The Cross recalls the final and definitive covenant God has made with His people. It's not the final covenant because God is tired of making covenants with us, but rather because of the nature of the covenant itself: "I've given you my only Son. What else could I give that would be a greater gift than this?"

 

Due to early bulletin deadlines the past few weeks, I haven't had a chance to write about the school shooting at Annunciation in Minneapolis a few weeks ago. This atrocity has shaken me and many in our school and parish community to the core. The shooting took place during the most sacred time of Mass and with children who are the most sacred and vulnerable members of our human family. This egregious act of violence is yet another wake up call to the reality of violence in our world, and the need for prayer and careful planning to protect the innocent and deter violent behavior as much as possible.

 

Julie Fedak, Principal at St. Mary School, and I wrote to our school families that same day with our prayers and reminders about our school safety protocols. We also listened to feedback and input from our parents expressing school safety during Mass. The following week I met with representatives from the St. Mary Parish Council, Finance Council, School Safety Committee, and School Advisory Council to review parent and staff input on how to best create a safe environment at our school Masses. 

 

Through these conversations, we have agreed to have a police officer present during the St. Mary School Mass in the gathering space and to have greeters at the door welcoming parishioners according to the strategy “The Power of Hello” (look this up for more information about it). We will privatize the school calendar and School Mass livestream link for school families only and those they choose to share the link with. Finally, since School Mass is an extension of the School, we will extend our badge/screening process at School Masses. This last step will take some time to develop as we process through logistics, needed resources, and communication of the new procedures. 

 

All said and done, School Mass will remain open to the people of God and to parents, although new requirements for entry will be made as we enhance our security efforts. We will communicate these requirements and changes as we develop them in the coming weeks. Thank you for your prayers and commitment to giving our children and parishioners a safe and healthy worship and learning environment!

 

We are looking forward to the St. Mary Parish Oktoberfest in two weeks! Our Oktoberfest outdoor Polka Mass will be at noon on Sunday, September 28 followed by Oktoberfest festivities from 1-7 pm. Unfortunately, Bishop Malesic will not be able to celebrate that Mass with us this year due to a foot surgery that he needs to have redone and will need time to heal and recover. I've been in touch with the diocese to reschedule the Bishop for next year's Oktoberfest, date TBD!

  

Fr. Gary, Fr. Fabian, and I are all moved in to the new St. Mary rectory. We are immensely grateful for the prayers and support offered by the people of St. Mary's and St. Patrick's to build the new rectory. We know it will serve the needs of our people and the priests and seminarians who serve here now and well into the future!

 

Finally, please pray for Nathan Soria, a St. Pat's parishioner, who entered Postulancy this month with the Benedictines at Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Postulancy is a time of discernment where Nathan will live, work, and pray with the monks and consider a vocation to the Priesthood  in their Order. Please see Nathan's photo and blurb in today's bulletin.

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow