All families and households in the parish by now should have received a mailing from Bishop Parkes about the 2020 Annual Pastoral Appeal (APA). If you did not receive it, that means you are not registered here at Sacred Heart – or – you have changed addresses and not updated your information with the parish – or – perhaps you are not registered anywhere? Perhaps you are thinking, “That’s OK, I am registered with my parents.” True, that’s OK, unless you are a young professional already living on your own, with your own career. There are registration forms in the back of the church (Or click here). Take one, fill it out, and come visit with us the second and fourth Sunday mornings of the month and complete your registration by visiting our “Parishioner Welcome and Registration” events. Continue reading
What’s going on…
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This year is a year of transition for the parish. There are things we do so very well – such as our Lenten, Holy Week, and Easter celebrations. I have been around 12 years now, and these really were the best ever. We have had so many people make a point of sharing how moved they were by the celebrations. One person came up to me after Holy Thursday and simply said, “Wow, wow, wow…” What makes it so moving for people? Everyone is different, but what is constant is the behind the scene work of dedicated people and their ministries: the Décor and Environment Committee, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Ushers, Choir, Faith Formation/RCIA, the Knights, the parish staff, volunteers who pass out palms, greet people and a million other things. So many people are moved by the Eucharistic Procession on Holy Thursday – behind the scene are staff who recruit TPD for traffic safety, who go to the Franklin Street businesses to let them know, who visit the hotels to make sure they know our Holy Week schedule – so many little things – all that make the big thing the amazing thing. 
Most of the time, I use this space in the bulletin to write about one topic. Today’s column is a bit of a hodgepodge – a little of this and a little of that. Maybe this will end up being a stream of consciousness?
Once upon a time, in a parish far, far away it was time for the annual parish fundraising campaign. The pastor arranged to have a man give a witness talk about the benefits of giving. The man was well-known in the parish and in the community at large. He had been very successful in business and was very wealthy. 
I like writing – even if it is a struggle at times. There is something—I don’t know— compelling about it when the germ of a thought begins to take shape and forms itself into a more complete thought. The preparation of a homily is often like that. You sit with the readings for the coming Sunday and let one or more points rise to the surface. Some ideas will be interesting, some will make the list for some future weekend, and every once in a while, the idea is just self-evident. The homily has a beginning, a pointed end, and a clear pathway to get from one to the other. In those moments, it just seems to flow. 
friarmusings 