From The Pastor’s Desk

Each year as schools let out for the summer and as they begin in the fall, I urge parents to not forget their children’s spiritual life–the most important part of educating a child. All outside activities need to be balanced. Perhaps the best way to keep our families together and our young people strong is to keep God in the picture always. Do not wait until a crisis comes into your family’s life; come to church regularly on Sunday, and pray together as a family. Work your spiritual life and language into everyday conversation. School also brings new opportunities for parents to teach their young people respect, service, and to take responsibility for their actions.

Parents who always come running to straighten situations out for their children are missing good teachable moments. Don’t pass up an opportunity to give your kids practice in figuring things out for themselves while they are still young. Many times it is tempting, in our fast-paced world, to do things that kids should do for themselves. It’s quicker and we are pressed for time. No parent wants to see their child in trouble, but children need to learn that poor choices bring consequences that sometimes are not pleasant. There are many ordinary opportunities to explain to young people that just because their friends are allowed to do something, doesn’t mean that they should also. The sooner parents become parents, rather than their child’s best friend, the more respect their child will have for them. They have best friends; they need parents who will teach, guide, set limits, and provide discipline. All of this will help them deal with peer pressure today, hard-to-deal-with bosses in the future, and to be able to follow rules and laws.

I want to thank all those who worked last year and gave money at Irish Game Night. Funds from that fundraiser helped pay for new doors and locks in our schools classrooms which is for added security which the school board made a priority for the school year 2019-2020.

I want to thank Dan Byram for cutting overgrowth shrubbery by the south sidewalk and for cleaning out the shrubbery bed by our St. Agnes sign.

I want to thank all of our Bingo workers, who spend one Wednesday evening a month working our St. Agnes Bingo. The money that has been raised for our parish is huge. This year the great amount of our bingo money saved from the past year and half paid $43,000 to remove the Loretta House, $7,000 for the fire hydrant and $165,000 to build the storage building that is allowing us to move stuff from the school hallways, small dining room, the offices, from the garage so that all our cars can now be parked in the garage. A thank you to all of you who work or come to play bingo. We are also looking for more volunteers to help on Wednesday evening. I go every Wednesday that I do not have rehearsal and truly enjoy working. Please contact me here at the parish if you would like to volunteer for this ministry.