- Donna Craft
- August 24, 2023
- 12:48 pm
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
When I was a kid September meant “Back to School”. After the luxury of the lazy summer days, it was back to work and back to busy schedules.
In the years since then the start of school has moved earlier and earlier—eroding the summer vacation for our kids. OLR school got started last week and it has been a joy to see so many boys and girls filling our classrooms. Over 300 are enrolled this year and we are bursting at the seams! Mr. Curtin’s strategy of moving to a classical curriculum and adding grades 9 – 12 has been a wonderful success, and it is great to see our parish school going from strength to strength.
As school gets started it is an opportunity to emphasize the need for education for all ages. JohnMark Cayer has written about the opportunities at OLR to evangelize, defend the faith and learn more about our Catholic faith, and I would like to remind you of the need to support the High School and Middle School youth groups, CCD and adult education at 9:00 on Sunday mornings. This fall Carolyn Watson—retired art history professor will be leading some sessions on the history of Catholic architecture.
The Youth Groups are the main way we continue the religious education for our young people, and adult education and RCIA are the ways we help adults to go deeper into their faith, receive a refresher course and learn more about Catholic history and culture. Please pay attention to the reminders in the bulletin and website and support the various offerings as you are able.
Also, don’t forget our “Give and Take Library” in the Lower Church. There is a basket there for you to donate the Catholic books you have finished with, and you are welcome to take any of the books on the bookshelves. This is not a lending library. Instead, just take what you want and donate what you can. There are also some books on the Rosary and the Divine Mercy devotion that are for sale. Also remember that copies of all my books are also available at the parish office at a special OLR discount.
Keep reading, keep informed. Keep inspired!
Your pastor,
Fr. Longenecker