As you may know the recent wind storm did some hefty damage to the church roof with resulting leaks near the tabernacle.  You may have also noticed that we lost our large pine tree at the corner of the driveway.  The archdiocese informs us that insurance will cover our damages.  What a crazy winter!  What will February hold in store?

     Some parishioners have commented on the temperature in the parish hall as being a bit chilly.  This is because a 42 year old coil in the heating system died just as the winter began.  Although our heating system was state of the art in the early 1960’s its obsolete now!  This means that you just can’t go to a shelf for a replacement part, it has to be custom made.  I’m told that the installation of the new coil should be completed by the time you read this or within the next few days.

     For the next two months our Generations of Faith sessions will invite us to look at how Catholic Christians answer God’s call to service in the church and the world. Once believed to be the domain of the ordained and vowed religious, we will explore how each one of us is called to a vocation, some to more than one!  However we chose to live out our baptismal call to love and serve the Lord is really our vocation.  Parents, have you thought of your role in the nurturing of the next generation as vocation?  Singles, have you seen your lifestyle as a calling?  What about the career you’ve chosen, the infirmed you care for, the illness you endure?  Could there be something of vocation in all of this?  Come join us for our January and February Generations sessions and hear the stories of everyday folks who have come to see the work of their lives as vocation.

     An important aspect of the call to parish community is a call to serve the community.  This past weekend we called for nominations to the Parish Pastoral Council.  You were invited to put forward the name(s) of parishioners you know who are visionary in their approach, extremely good listeners, who have an open mind, who  respect other points of view and who don’t come to the table with an axe to grind or a specific agenda.  The emphasis on the Parish Pastoral Counsel is the pastoral aspect of parish life.  The PPC is not a voting or governing board of directors.  This is a group of committed parishioners who are called upon as advisors to the pastor in pastoral needs.  In a past bulletin I outlined how our meetings usually proceed.  Key elements to the PPC meetings have to do with the development of a consensus of opinion on a topic and then presenting advice to the pastor.  Sometimes new committees and ministries are given birth at PPC meetings, such as the Social Activities Committee which will be forming soon.  Sometimes the PPC reflects on current happenings in the parish and advises the pastor on addressing particular issues.  This is the way our recent parish-wide meeting was processed.  Rather than “doing” or approving or voting, the PPC‘s mission is to be visionary and suggest direction.  Sitting on the PPC gives you a greater appreciation for the wider scope of parish life. Please pray for those who have been nominated and for guidance as you prepare to elect Parish Pastoral Council members in February.