Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

     This last month has been quite full with different functions and activities.  I love being your pastor. Usually it takes me a few months to feel at home in a parish, but I felt at home right away here.  I’m sure Fr. Matt has similar feelings.  It is a challenge to pastor two parishes, but your patience and kindness have made a difference.   Recently I met with the Parish Pastoral Council and I gave them an assignment to dream about the future of this parish as a way of coming up with a strategic plan.  I asked them to think about where they want the parish to be in five years from now.  I suggested one, that we grow so large we have to add a third mass.  I also would like to see St. John Paul II become a vicariate Youth Ministry Center similar to the way St. Dominic’s has become an area Faith Formation Center for elementary students.  Our parish has some great facilities here that could be used even more.

    I hope you had a great summer.  I wish the students and teachers well as we celebrate Catechetical Sunday this weekend.  We ask God’s blessings upon them and hope they do well in their studies.

                                                                 Peace,

                                                                    Fr. Ron Wagner