My Dear Friends,

It is that time of year again when the Archdiocese honors those volunteers recommended by the pastor forthe annual St. Joseph medal. St. Joseph is the patron saint of our Archdiocese. He is also an important figurein the Gospels, even though he does not have a spoken word attributed to him. He is traditionally a quiet andunassuming man who went about his business and was a support for his wife, our Blessed Mother, and for herSon, Jesus Christ. He took no credit for the good works that he quietly performed.

Continue

It seems that some parishioners would like to know about our parish council. A parish council is an advisory board of parishioners to help the pastor concerning parish concerns, events and situations. Parish council members should have a pulse on what the concerns of the parish are and be active in helping with possible fundraisers. The pastor may also bring questions to the parish council for advice for something specific.

When we became one parish, St. John Paul the Great, I decided to combine the four parish council of the four previous parishes. But I also wanted a manageable parish council, so I decided upon three members from each church. Some willingly stepped aside before we took a vote. At the end of the process, I had my twelve members from the four previous parishes. They are listed in the parish bulletin. I also added a thirteenth member, from the Spanish community, and the parish council also has ex-officio members that are a part of the parish council because of their role in the church.

Continue