Dear Friends,
As I write this column, our Holy Cross Regional Catholic School is preparing to welcome a team for the Middle States Accreditation process. The school is already fully accredited by the Middle States but periodically, schools are re-evaluated for continued accreditation. Mrs. Healy, our faculty, and staff are truly remarkable and have done an awesome job in preparing the necessary reports and evaluations required for review. It is a monumental project. I know that they will do very well.
Last weekend, Bishop McIntyre celebrated two Confirmations for our young parishioners. They were beautiful celebrations. The Bishop’s homily was very insightful and instructional. A special thank you to everyone who made the celebrations so beautiful and to Mrs. Laura Jusko, Mrs. Kate Chetta, Mrs. Theresa Healy, all the teachers and catechists who prepared the children for this most important day and celebration.
This week we enter November with two special feasts. All Saints, a holyday of obligation, is Wednesday. Masses are at 6:30, 9 AM, 12:05 & 7 PM. Thursday is the feast of All Souls with our regular daily Mass times of 6:30 and 9 AM. These are very special opportunities for us to give thanks to God for all those who have gone before us and entered His everlasting glory; and to pray for all our faithful departed.
Our annual Mass of Remembrance will be next Sunday, November 5 at the 12 Noon Mass. We once again will remember all those who have died this past year at the Noon Mass. It is a special moment for our parish family.
On Saturday, November 4, the feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, our seminarian Jude Arkesh Ragel along with his classmates, including Brad Moss who comes here on Thursdays for Apostolate experience, will be instituted as Acolytes. It is a special day and celebration as they draw closer to ordination to the diaconate and to priesthood. Please keep them and all our seminarians in your kind prayers.
Well, with the beginning of November upon us, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It is always a very special day with family. However, the other day I was doing some errands / shopping and was greeted with a ton of Christmas decorations already out and displayed. It would be good for all of us to take a few moments of quiet and silence before the Lord. We don’t want to rush ahead too quickly like the culture around us. Rather, let us seek to absorb God’s many gifts and blessings which He offers to us day by day.
God bless you, God love you,
Monsignor McCulken
