It has been a busy few days for our Holy Father Francis. He has given us an Encyclical: Laudato Si: Care For Our Common Home. I don’t want to say bad things about the popular media but…don’t believe everything that you hear. The Encyclical released early yesterday (8/18/15) is a complex and theologically rich reflection on the command God has given to us to be good stewards of his creation. It is important to note that while no other Pope has written an Encyclical many others have written about the need to care for our environment and especially the care and blessings we need for our brothers and sisters. I have only read the first few pages and look forward to a summer of discovering the deeper meaning of our call to care for the world through the love God calls us to share through Jesus Christ. Fr. Robert Barron from Word on Fire ministry has produced a wonderful video (https://laudatosi.com) I would invite you to watch to begin our prayerful knowing of this important teaching of our faith. Or you can read our Bishop Patrick’s statement (www.dsj.org/blog/bishop-patrick-j-mcgraths-statement-on-papal-encyclical-on-the-environment/)

In a second thought for the day, I have just 11 short days remaining in my tenure as your pastor at St. Catherine of Alexandria parish. Last Sunday we celebrated a wonderful gift of thanksgiving in which many members of the parish came to share a moment of blessing with Fr. Andrey and I in the love of God. It is the coming and going that is often the hardest, the saying hello and goodbye that is heartbreaking. One parishioner (thank you Terri) shared a list of what she knew to be the blessing you and I as a parish community have shared in our growing faith and love of Jesus the Christ. It was truly awesome to hear how much we have accomplished and how much more the parish is and will be doing to build a Catholic culture in the South County. I am always humbled by the willingness of so many members of St. Catherine who joyfully step forward and share their gifts of time talent and treasure to care for and be stewards of God’s blessings.

Thank you.

God bless

Fr. Mark