From Father George's Desk 5/4/2025

I remember well standing in the office at St. John the Baptist in Scottdale (where I was assigned at the time) with my staff on the afternoon of March 13, 2013; we all asked the same question as the new pope  stepped out onto the balcony for the first time on that rainy Roman evening: “Jorge who?”  Over the next twelve years, the Church and the world were captivated by the charisma and inspired by the simple lifestyle of Pope Francis.  As a long-time bishop and pastor and as the first pope from the Western Hemisphere and the global South, he brought many unique gifts and a different         perspective to his ministry.  Building on the writings of his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis made the teachings of our Church accessible and understandable in new and wonderful ways to people everywhere: calling us to reach out to the marginalized, to care for and be better stewards of creation, and to joyfully announce the Good News to the world.  There is so much more I could write, however, I will honor Pope Francis by quoting from his very first major document, Evangelii Gaudium: Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World: “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of   salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ, joy is constantly born anew.  In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by the joy…. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved.”

The College of Cardinals has been meeting over the last week in preparation for the papal conclave, which is set to begin on Wednesday.  During these days of the interregnum (“time between the reigns”) the faithful around the world are encouraged to pray for the Church, and especially for the cardinal-electors.  It is a time for us to make special appeal to the Holy Spirit that He who always stands with the Church as Paraclete, or Advocate, will guide and direct the work of the conclave; to select the universal shepherd that Holy Mother Church needs at this point in her history. Times of transition are often unsettling—what we have known or gotten used to is changing to something uncertain—but they should also be exciting and hopeful.  In every age and in every place the Church faces challenges and opportunities.  We pray that with the Spirit’s guidance our new Holy Father, whoever he may be, will lead the Church, the People of God—clergy, religious, and laity, to meet the challenges that confront us and make the most of the opportunities God gives us to proclaim the Good News and be builders of the Kingdom.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who helped make the celebration of Holy Week and the   Paschal Triduum in our parishes so fantastic! A huge shout out to our Bob Mason, our coordinator of liturgical music, and all of our music ministers who put in so much extra time preparing, rehearsing, and being present for these sacred liturgies. The combined Holy Family/St. John choir did such a fantastic job at the Tenebrae service and at the Easter Vigil and the hand bells, as usual, added such a nice touch to the celebration on Easter Sunday. Thank you all for sharing your gifts with our parish. Thanks also to all of the rest of our liturgical ministers; thank you for giving of your time and talent so generously. Thanks to all who helped decorate and prepare our worship spaces for Easter. I am also most grateful for the assistance and ministry of Deacon Mike and Holy Family parishioner and diocesan seminarian Thomas Oldenburg in planning for and celebrating the liturgies of the Triduum. Finally, I must say that I was so edified and gratified by prayerful spirit of everyone at all of the liturgies throughout the week.  Our parishes’ observance and celebration of these most sacred of days has been a most fitting expression of faith. As we continue our celebration of the Easter Season, I pray that may continue to hear and respond to the call of the Risen Christ in our lives and so grow together.

And, on a personal note, I am most grateful to everyone who remembered me this Easter with cards, gifts and goodies.  I am not very good at getting out thank you cards in a timely manner, but I do want you to know that I am so very grateful for the generosity shown to me from so many.  Please be assured of my continued prayers for you throughout the Easter Season and always.

Congratulations to our young parishioners in this year’s sacramental preparation programs: our children celebrating their First Holy Communion at the 10:30AM Mass today at Holy Family and our parishioners who received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Kulick at Holy Family last Wednesday. Please keep these young parishioners and their families in your prayers as they celebrate these important milestones in their journeys of faith, that they may remain ever close to the Risen Christ.

Our 2025 Diocesan Lenten Appeal keeps rolling along...

• Holy Family has now passed its diocesan target!  That means that everything we collect for the remainder of this year’s appeal will be returned to the parish, assessment-free so that we can get to work on our parish project: addressing the two leaks in the stone work on the façade of the church. •St. John is 75% of the way to its diocesan target; once we pass that, our parish share this year is going to be used to refurbish the crucifix in the church. Thanks to everyone who has already made a pledge or a gift to this year’s appeal. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! •The weekly graphic in the bulletin each week will keep you updated on our progress at both parishes. •Please prayerfully consider your pledge or gift to this year’s DLA in the coming days. You may return your pledge or gift by mail, in person during office hours, drop it in the collection basket, or online.