A Note From Fr. Timothy
Gatherings and Food
As Spring ends and Summer begins, the days grow longer and the temperatures warm to the point where it is comfortable to spend evenings and even nights outside. This provides great opportunities for gatherings and events in these months and I am sure that many graduation parties, backyard socials, and sporting events are scheduled for many of our parishioners. These social contacts can be an important part of building community, relaxation and entertainment, while also being beneficial for our own mental health and well-being.
Church parishes will occasionally host or organize events or meals as well to help remind each of us that we are part of a larger family. Attending a festival or a church breakfast can help us meet new parishioners and give us the opportunity to sit down and talk with people we might not see very often. These are opportunities to have deeper conversations than a simple “Hello” as we pass each other entering or exiting the church.
We have received permission from the bishop to begin providing and serving food at our parishes once again. Along with things like funeral lunches, it is now possible to have things like coffee and donuts, or food stands at parish festivals. Hopefully, we will have a number of upcoming events in our Area Catholic Community to attend and enjoy.
I would like to invite all members of our Together as One ACC to join in an event after the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 12th at St. Michael. Since we were never able to officially welcome Fr. Tom Skaja to our parishes as a newly ordained associate when he arrived last July in the middle of restrictions and shutdowns, we decided that we would try to organize something as soon as those restrictions lifted. However, as he mentioned in the bulletin last week, Fr. Tom received a letter from the bishop and will be reassigned this summer to Perham, Butler, Rush Lake and Dent with Fr. George Michael. So our welcome party for Fr. Tom has now become a “Welcome and Farewell” party for him instead.
Please join us in showing appreciation for Fr. Tom’s ministry to our parishes this last year and offering our prayers and best wishes for his future assignments. We will be serving hot dogs and brats with a variety of sides. The serving line and tables and chairs will be set up outside (weather permitting) for all who wish to join us.
We also want to formally welcome Fr. Oswaldo to the parishes. He has been assisting at St. Joseph and St. Michael in various forms the last few years primarily working with Hispanic ministry. He will now be officially assigned as parochial vicar to the four parishes of St. Peter, St. Joseph, St. Michael, and St. Paul.
Let us continue to pray for all priests, especially those going through transition this year, that they might faithfully fulfill their ministry and grow in holiness and happiness. Amen.
Fr. Timothy Gapinski
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