On September 5 and 6 we will resume celebrating the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick following all Sunday Masses. Anyone who is facing a life-threatening illness, looking forward to a major surgery or is in overall poor health because of the burden of years may receive this sacrament in order to help them deal with the trial of serious illness.
After evaluating the current religious education program and formation, the staff and I have been praying about how we can best serve the children and parents of St. Paul. We are eager to offer the Family Formation program beginning in September. This program has a new vision with new vitality. During COVID, this program also mitigates health risk to children.
We are less than one week away from the 2020 school auction! This annual event makes a difference for the more than 100 students at St. Paul Catholic School. Tuition assistance helps 90% of our students. Tablets and laptops are now available for ALL students, from preschool up, allowing one to one learning. Safety of our students and staff has been improved including secured entrances and video monitoring systems.
As we draw near to our upcoming pastoral transition, it is important to take some time to reflect. I am happy to be staying on as pastor at St. Paul. Judging from poverty statistics, Marion is the third poorest city in the state (after East Chicago and Gary). We face trying to minister to the poor with dwindling financial and volunteer resources but we know, with God, nothing is impossible. He has already provided for the parish as He alone can do more than once. I feel utterly inadequate for the task of meeting the challenges that face St. Paul, so we will have to trust in God’s providence.
Have you or someone you know thought about becoming Catholic? The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is how the Roman Catholic Church welcomes and teaches those who will journey into full communion with Jesus Christ and His Church! Our first "Breaking Open the Word" dismissal session for the new season of RCIA will be during the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 13. To learn about starting RCIA, please call the parish office (765-664-6345). Have you ever considered sharing or deepening your faith by either sponsoring someone entering the Church OR actually being a catechist (teacher)? If so, please consider the RCIA. You don't need a theology degree or a wealth of personal knowledge about the Catholic faith because we have lots of easy materials to use. All you need is an honest wish to help those who want to join us at the table of the Lord. You can do it by yourself or with a friend or spouse. Share your Catholic faith with those who are searching for their own! If you want to know more about the options, please call the parish office (765-664-6345).
The Catholic Church has declared many saints and it turns out that many of the saints were young! A considerable number were even under the age of 20. Consider the following list: St. Philomena, St. Maria Goretti, St. José Sánchez del Río, St. Dymphna, St. Joan of Arc. What do all these saints have in common? They all had a specific encounter with Christ and they had someone in their life (or in most cases, many people) that were authentic and holy witnesses of what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
Calling all high schoolers and their family members! You are invited to attend the Youth Group Kick-off Night on August 16 following the 5:00 PM Mass. Llamando a todos los estudiantes de secundaria y sus familiares! Usted está invitado a asistir a la Noche de Inicio del Grupo de Jóvenes el 16 de agosto después de la misa de las 5 p.m.
St. Paul Catholic School is currently looking to fill two part time positions, an Educational Assistant and a Physical Education Teacher. La escuela católica San Pablo está buscando actualmente ocupar dos puestos de medio tiempo, un asistente educativo y un maestro de educación física.
When The Catholic Moment called for submissions for the art edition, artists from around the diocese jumped to the occasion. Not only does the diocese hold true works of art within its architecture, sculptures and designs, parishioners from various churches continue to create their own artwork using different mediums. We would like to congratulate our very own Donna Molner for receiving an Honorable Mention for her beautiful work of art. Shown is her portrait of Serene Spring.
Shortly after Bishop William Higi ordained me in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI issued a document that clarified that every Roman Catholic priest had a right, from time to time, to celebrate Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum, the Mass book that the Catholic Church used universally at the opening of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).