From the Pastor's Desk

We have been talking about it for years and now it is the reality. The Diocese of Springfield Cape Girardeau has a

priest shortage. In all fairness, many dioceses are faced with the same shortage, more elderly priests are retiring than

are being ordained. What did Jesus tell the apostles and the people, to ask the master of the harvest to send more

laborers. Prayer is the first step in working on the shortage. Another is for families, friends and parishes to support

anyone thinking about a religious vocation.

What does the shortage mean for St. Agnes, in fact for the city of Springfield? Of the six parishes only Immaculate

Conception will have more than one priest. Here at St. Agnes we will no longer have an associate pastor. There will be

some changes since I cannot take on more sacramental responsibilities. As long as I am able to receive help from several

of our retired priests, we will continue to offer the 5:30 pm mass throughout the week along with confessions on

Wednesday and Friday. The weekend mass schedule will not change. The only mass that will no longer be offered after

August 15 will be the 8:30 am Saturday morning mass. Saturdays are a funeral and wedding day, along with

confessions and the Saturday vigil Mass for Sunday.

The past two associate pastors (Fr. Alan and Fr. Timothy) have both held another pastoral assignment and so the parish

has truly had a priest and a half, if I can say that. I myself also hold another assignment along with Sr. Elizabeth

sacramentally caring for the Catholics at South Cox Hospital.

For fourteen years I have been the Director of Springfield Catholic High School Theater. Working with Ann Marie

Coleman my assistant we are both moving into different roles. Madie Wilder will become the Director overall and I am

assuming the role of Artistic Director which frees me from being at the theater every night. Madie has been the

choreographer for the past 4 productions and I trust her completely. I have promised our students that I am not

abandoning them, but I am going to need some free time.

I just ask that everyone be patient and keep me and our parishes in prayer. As we close out the fiscal year I want to

thank everyone for your financial contribution, it has made running the parish much easier when I know that we have the

money to pay our bills on time. Along with the finance committee we have kept the budget as tight as we can, but also as

everyone knows everything has gone up in cost. I also want to thank everyone who have