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April 27, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
Next week, our Bishop comes to dedicate our altar. We do this because of the very nature and dignity of the altar. The ancient Fathers of the Church did not hesitate to assert that Christ was the victim, priest, and altar of His own sacrifice. In the letter to the Hebrews, Christ is presented as the High Priest who is also the living altar of the heavenly temple. In the Book of Revelation our Redeemer appears as the Lamb who has been sacrificed and whose offering is taken by the holy angel to the altar in heaven.
But in this rite of dedication of our altar, we are reminded that the Christian is also a spiritual altar. Again the ancient Fathers of the Church have this in mind. St. Polycarp exhorts widows to lead a life of holiness, for “they are God’s Altar”. Among others, St. Gregory the Great echoes these words when he says: “What is God’s altar if not the souls of those who lead good lives?....Rightly, then the heart of the just is said to be the altar of God.”
In another image frequently used by the writers of the Church, Christians who give themselves to prayer, offer petitions to God, and present sacrifices of supplication, are the living stones out of which the Lord Jesus builds the Church’s altar.
Concerning the relics in the altar I make this point. All the dignity of the altar rests on its being the Lord’s table. Thus the martyr’s relics does not bring honor to the altar; rather the altar does honor to the martyr’s tomb. For it is altogether proper to deposit their relics beneath altars as a mark of respect and as a symbol of the truth that the sacrifice of the members has its source in the sacrifice of the Head. Thus the triumphant victims come to their rest in the place where Christ is victim: He, who suffered for all is on the altar; they who have been redeemed by His sufferings are beneath the altar.
This arrangement recalls in a certain manner the spiritual vision of the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation. “I saw underneath the altar the souls of all the people who have been killed on account of the word of God, for witnessing to it.” His meaning is that although all the saints are rightly called Christ’s witnesses, the witness of blood has a special significance that only the relics of the martyrs beneath the altar express in its entirety.
My dear people, this dedication of our altar, is a reminder and prayer for our own calling to be strengthened in our dedication to the Lord. May this happen to each one of us.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
April 20, 2008
In honor of the
Consecration of our new Altar
and the
Blessing of our new Sanctuary
by our Bishop,
the Most Reverend Leonard P. Blair,
the pleasure of your company is requested
at a Mass of Thanksgiving on
Sunday, May 4, 2008
at 9:30 in the morning.
To celebrate this special occasion,
Our Host, Jesus Christ,
invites us to join with Him and each other
at His Eucharistic Table
to give thanks to His Father, and Our Father
from whom Blessings of wonderful
gifts and people
have been bestowed upon our Parish
yesterday, today and tomorrow.
April 13, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
This past week the Diocese has sent out to us information about the 2008 Annual Catholic Appeal. As I write this letter on Tuesday, I have not received mine yet. But I am hoping that it will arrive and we will take the time to consider what we will do this year.
The ministries supported by the ACA are very important to our mission of serving people. I realize that we have many requests made upon us. With the present economic situation, I know that these requests will grow. I hope that each family will recognize the importance of this appeal and do what you can do.
When considering a gift, please take the time to pray about it and to make your effort.
More than anything else I ask that each of us give something.
In the past, the number of people who have contributed has been about 25%, and they have done very well. Again this year I ask that each of us to give something. I will pray that we triple our participation. Why? Well, first of all it stretches us to be a part of the bigger Church. Next, it brings about a sense of pulling together and being in this whole spiritual journey together. Then, it tells the Bishop that we support him and his efforts. I know that he does look at the results and he has shared with me that the increase of participants in the ACA is what he considers most important and what it is that encourages him.
It would be nice when he comes this spring to consecrate our new altar that he both feels our support and appreciation this year in the ACA.
Thank you ahead of time.
Peace,
Fr. Phil
April 6, 2008
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
All I can say is “Thank God, we got People!”
Have you heard that old Hollywood expression, “have your people call my people?”
I stopped for lunch today (Monday) and ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen in eight years. After catching up on family, business and mutual friends, he lamented to me how difficult it is for his Christian church to find a new pastor. The last one resigned over the changing teaching of their denomination. The pastor went one way and the church went the other. And this is the third person I have talked to in the past few months whose church is dealing with a very serious shortage of pastor candidates available.
Now, you might be asking, “what, dear Deacon does this have to do with me?”
Well, by coincidence, this weekend we have Fr. Bob Haas here with us to remind us of our Church’s outreach around the world. These are “our People”, priests and lay, from our own diocese we support through our dollars so that others around the world can hear the saving message of Jesus Christ.
This weekend, by coincidence, is the kick off for our Annual Catholic Appeal in support of our Bishop’s outreach efforts. It is only with the support of our dollars that Bishop Blair can continue to send “our People” to us in Sandusky, aka Fr. Phil, Fr. Doug, the new guy Fr. Dave, Deacon Bill and me your humble servant, and others around this diocese and our world! Yes, thank God, we have People!
As St. Paul says, there are many parts of One Body. Let’s do our part and show our love and support for our Bishop by a generous gift to his Annual Catholic Appeal, so that he can continue to attract, train, ordain, and send forth “our People” to us here in Sandusky and around the world!
Keep the Faith,
Deacon Jeff Claar
March 30, 2008
To St. Mary’s Parish and PSR 8th Grade Students,
On behalf of the St. Mary’s Community Supper a “SUPER THANK YOU” to the 8th Grade PSR students and to the members of St. Mary’s parish for the most generous contribution received as a result of the “Souper Bowl of Caring” collection. The “time and effort” of the PSR students and the support of the parish is greatly appreciated.
With the economy, the Community Supper is challenged to keep costs contained as food prices escalate and help from food agencies is non-existent...all the while our client numbers continue to rise.
The Community Supper Program impacts our neighborhoods! We are able to supplement our neighbors meager incomes with a warm meal every week and when available a “take out” dinner as well. Our friends at the Community Supper tell us again and again how very much this program helps them and their families.
The Souper Bowl of Caring contribution is so vital to help us continue to carry out this ministry. We are very grateful for your support.
The Community Supper is totally dependent on “Volunteers and Donations”. It takes many hands and caring hearts to offer the Community Supper to our community...team captains, team members, volunteers, student volunteers, many faithful bakers, financial contributors, as well as donations each week from Routh Packing, Toft Dairy and Krogers.
Out Lady continues to bless the Community Supper Program as we all continue to serve her Son...by serving the less fortunate in our community.
St. Mary’s Community Supper Program
March 23, 2008
Happy Easter to all,
We gather today to worship, celebrate, give thanks, to pray. As you leave from here, I would like to give you something that you can take with you. I trust that it will be helpful to you whether you pray with us regularly or not. The something that I want to give to you is some thoughts on praying.
First, prayer is a conversation or communication with God. In prayer we should gradually open up more of ourselves to God. And we should get to know God better. You may want to ask; what can we say that God doesn’t already know? But this question misses the point of prayer. We don’t speak to God to inform Him, but to become real before Him.
So my next point follows from the first one. The first rule of successful prayer is: Don’t lie to God! In speaking to God in prayer, we must reveal our true and real selves. We must tell God the truth of our thoughts, desires, and feelings, whatever they may be. They may not be what I would like them to be, but they are not right or wrong, true or false. They are me.
Praying to God this way, exposing my raw and naked feelings, frees you and me for the lie of those prefabricated pious clichés that are death to true conversational prayer. We tell God where we really live, in belief and unbelief. We tell of our weariness in answering God’s call, of being a servant who is taken for granted. We speak to God of our neurotic, throbbing emotions, never claiming to have the truth, but always willing to tell my truth.
There is something very healing about “letting it all hang out” with God. So we have to put ourselves on the line the way we are. Charades with God is wasted time. It is important to put ourselves in the posture of trusting God’s greatness and understanding. This is the essential beginning of prayer.
This is my Easter present for you. In my opinion, it is a very important gift for living one’s life.
Christ is Risen from the dead.
Indeed He has risen.
Fr. Phil
March 9, 2008
Dear Disciples of Christ,
Have you ever heard the statement, “God helps those who help themselves?” Not only is this statement unscriptural, it is also misleading. God helps those who know they cannot help themselves. It is in the relinquishing of control, and then recognizing that it is only through faith that help will come. We also hear, “Be Christ to one another.” Did you ever wonder, “How?” I have nothing left for myself, let alone others. Again, it comes in the acceptance that we cannot do this alone, we need God’s help! Thankfully, we know that through the reception of the Initiation Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) we are helped and strengthened to do God’s will—to “Be Christ to one another.” These sacraments are not only needed, but they are necessary to be Christ to one another.
Adventures in Faith is in the midst of gathering together in exploring the Initiation Sacraments with Deacon Jeff Claar. With greater understanding of these sacraments, we can discover new ways to be Christ to others in the Church and in the world. We, of course, recognize that in this discovery, fear and trepidation can, and possibly will, paralyze us from action, but we must not fear - God will help us!
Just as Jesus gave new life to Lazarus, He gives us new life in Him through His resurrection. Let us use this time left in Lent to renew our Baptismal call, to use our gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to strengthen our lives while uniting us to one another through the frequent reception of Eucharist.
Peace,
Sara Fitzgerald
March 2, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
Many of you have requested that the symbols on our new altar be explained. And I am delighted to do so. Each symbol represents an apostle and a special aspect of that apostle. The apostles are arranged in alphabetical order, beginning with Andrew who is on the front left as you walk up and face the altar with your back to the pews.
The X shaped cross = St. Andrew. Tradition has it that Andrew was put to death on a cross of this kind while preaching in Greece.
The Three Shells = St. James the Greater. The escallop shell is the symbol of pilgrimage.
The Chalice and Serpent = St. John. Early Christian writers reported that an attempt was made to kill John by giving him a chalice of poison to drink.
The Crossed Keys = St. Peter. The key is the historic symbol of Peter, derived from Jesus’ words to him: “I will give you the Keys of the Kingdom.” (Matthew 16:18)
The Cross and Loaves = St. Philip. Philip was present when Jesus fed the multitude with the loaves and fishes.
The Ship = St. Jude. The ship symbolizes his missionary journeys.
The Saw = St. James. He died a martyr’s death and was “sawn asunder.”
The Purses of Money = St. Matthew. The purses symbolize his work in the profession of tax collecting.
The Fish and Book = St. Simon. The Canaanite Simon is so symbolized because, as an evangelist, he was a great fisher of men.
The Book and Axe = St. Matthias. This was the apostle who replaced Judas Iscariot and who was ultimately stoned and beheaded after his missionary work in Judea.
The Spear and Carpenter’s Square = St. Thomas. The square represents this patron saint of builders. He was run through with a spear by a pagan priest in India, where he was preaching.
The Flaying Knives = St. Bartholomew. According to tradition, Bartholomew was flayed to death as a Christian by such knives.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
February 17 , 2008
Dear Parishioners,
The transformation of our worshiping space took many hours of preparation and planning. And I trust that like me, you are pleased with the outcome.
I wish to personally extend my thank you to some special people who headed up various groups that insured that the project was done, was done well, and was done as quickly as possible.
Don Nath designed the altar and details.
Tom Sloma heads up the Facilities Committee and Tom had his members make sure that the Church was clean and ready to go for the weekend liturgies. He also oversaw that the various contractors who were needed for the project, were there when they needed to be there to insure the smooth operation for all involved.
Mark Fitzthum was the ‘go to guy’ for answering questions and making decisions on items that came up throughout the project. Mark did a good job helping the workers to do their task efficiently.
Bill Klepper and Bob Schenk donated their time and talent as master carpenters and finishers to make all the woodwork, trim and wood treatment come together. I cannot thank them enough.
The funeral luncheon ladies, the choir with Tim Claubaugh, the SCCS administration and the use of the Chapel during the week, all of them handled the inconvenience that resulted from this project with grace and graciousness.
And to you the people of St. Mary’s, for your support, thank you. In the place reserved for the relics that go into the altar, I have also provided space for sheets of paper that list the contributors to the various renovations that have taken place over the past 15 years.
I invite you to come up after the Masses, to ascend the steps, walk on the platform, inspect the altar and craftsmanship of the project and see the details up close. I will go more into detail with you about the altar and all its symbols later on.
I am making plans for the Bishop to come and consecrate our new altar. I believe that it will take place after Easter. For now, I say thank you.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
February 10, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
Tuesday, Father Dave and I were praying together in the morning, and after the Morning Office was said, he asked me: “What are you doing for Lent?”
Good question! This Lent has come upon me so early and so fast that I told him that I just began thinking about it yesterday. I told him that there were the automatic practices that immediately come to mind: no dessert, extra time for prayer, no T.V, (except the Masters and Final Four) and other things to give up. I know that in my case, some of these practices have multiple reasons or intentions connected to them. Offering some things up would also improve my weight and waistline. But I try to make sure that I don’t let those thoughts keep me from doing something that would be a sacrifice and something good.
Then there are the positive penances: more time for prayer, calling and writing more to family and friends, (I tend to focus more on work than on people and I need to balance that out), proper sleep and spiritual reading to shore up my attitudes and disposition, and just slow down to enjoy the “interruptions” that occur each day. (I marvel how Jesus was so present to the people as they came to Him and how He took the time, made the time, gave the time to listen and do what He chose to do.)
I think you may remember the story of the Professor who retired and at his retirement party was asked to summarize his career. He said, “as I prepared my lesson for class and correct homework, I was often interrupted by students who wanted to come and talk. I always saw these times as interruptions in my work. But now looking back, I see that these moments of interruptions truly were my work.”
One last thing to remember on this Lenten Journey is that one temptation, that when you fail in carrying out your Lenten resolution, you are tempted to give up on it altogether. Don’t be fooled by this ploy of the devil. Just start over! It will be a great reminder that you are in need to the Lord’s salvation and that we cannot do it alone.
And this, my friends is one of the greatest benefits of Lent, i.e. to come to a greater awareness of our need for God.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
February 3, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
The pastor has offered me this space today and I am happy to update on several things.
Thank you from the Holmes Family
Those of you who heard my homily in December recall that I offered the children the opportunity to make Christmas cards for our shut-in parishioners from the giving tree, and that I knew of a family of three children that could use some help this past Christmas.
Well, you outdid yourselves, all of you!
I understand there were so many children around the giving tree in the Commons that you couldn’t get near it, and children, I am sure the folks who received your cards were grateful. Over a dozen parishioners helped make this Christmas better for the Holmes family. Some of you pressed money into my hand after Mass, some shopped, some sent cards with checks…you helped in different ways; and together we were truly good stewards by helping others. All together, we donated over $1,500 in gift cards, bikes for the kids, and a new coat, boots, hats and gloves for each of the three children. The family thank you note is published in the Stewardship section.
Happy Marriage Day
This weekend we celebrate Marriage Day as a Catholic Church. We honor all those who have made this Sacramental commitment. Let’s pray for each other as we continue to live out this Sacrament, and let’s pray especially for those who struggle in marriage, or have divorced. Deacon Bill and I were asked to preach this weekend, not because our marriages are perfect, but because they are just like yours, and we are happy to share this journey with you. May God bless our wives, M.J. and Debbie, for loving and keeping us both!
Keep the Faith,
Deacon Jeff Claar
January 27 , 2008
Dear Friends in the Catholic Community,
This weekend we begin the 2008 celebration of Catholic Schools Week! The theme is “Catholic Schools Light the Way!” We look to the focus of our scripture for direction in our activities and the decisions within our lives. Choosing the appropriate education for our children is one of the huge tasks for parents.
Today our readings focus on:
First reading – Isaiah tells us, “People who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Catholic Schools have helped lift countless generations out of the darkness of ignorance into the radiant light of knowledge. Our schools have given hope to people in all segments of American society.
Second reading – Paul says that “There should be no divisions among you.” Paul continues to preach the Gospel to the Corinthians who are divided into two factions with each following a different leader. Paul continues to preach the Gospel to help grasp the truth of the Catholic faith. We are called to support the truth of the Gospel so that we maybe one with each other.
Our Gospel from Matthew in the last verse is a summary of Jesus’ ministry. “We are called as disciples to teach, proclaim the Gospel and care for the sick.” These are the ministries and acts of service that are primary in Sandusky Central Catholic School.
- SCCS provides a top notch education in human knowledge (Math, English, Social Studies, etc.) and in divine truth (teaching Scripture, ethics, theology).
- SCCS lights the way because our students, parents, faculty put faith into action.
- SCCS reflects high test scores, (100% OGT) and champion academic performance (Academic Challenge). Graduating seniors can enter college with up to 28 college credits with no additional cost. Eighth graders can enter SMCC with two to three high school courses completed.
- The Panther Athletic teams have achieved excellence in the 2007-2008 season.
- Tuition scholarships are available to all who qualify. Other scholarships are available for those who apply and academically qualify.
- The private sector and business leaders are very excited and affirming when our students work for them.
Our graduates have very notable careers.
Continuing the mission of our Catholic School with our scripture focus, perhaps Sandusky Central Catholic is a good choice for your child.
Our Catholic school is the result of our 100 years of commitment to the mission. Today, we stand on the shoulders of giants to continue the mission and gift that our school is to this community.
Sister Mary Jon
January 20, 2008
Dear Disciples of Christ,
As I listened and contemplated on the words spoken in scripture this weekend, I realized how closely knit together John's words and the words prayed in the Eucharistic prayer are. In the Gospel, John sees Jesus coming toward him and he proclaims: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." We, too, proclaim this in our hearts as it is prayed in the Eucharistic prayer, and respond to it by saying, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed." In other words, we respond with a belief statement!
For the past week, we have been gathering together to learn and grow in our faith by attending an Adventures in Faith "Creed" Gathering. All ages had the opportunity to discover new insights on what we believe and why we believe it, so as to recommit ourselves to these beliefs. The Nicene Creed, which we state every Sunday at Mass, is our way of professing what we believe. When we state, "We believe..." we are saying "we set our hearts upon" and "we place our trust in" the words proclaimed. Spending time meditating on the words of the Creed will strengthen and grow our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is when we truly "pray" the Creed, rather than "say" the Creed, that our hearts are opened to the loving relationship that our God is asking from us.
Blessings and Peace,
Sara Fitzgerald
January 13, 2008
Home at last!
Words fail to express the depth of my gratitude for the wonderful welcome you have extended to me on my return to St. Mary’s Parish. In contrast to the Christmas story where there was no room for the Holy Family in the inn, you kept the light on and have made a marvelous place for me. Thank you for having helped me to experience such a meaningful and memorable celebration of Our Lord’s birth.
Many changes have occurred since I left here more than 10 years ago after having been with you for my initial priestly assignment. Most notably, the Church has been restored splendidly and there now is available an impressive comprehensive Catholic K-12 education.
In 1997 I began specialized graduate studies in theology in Washington, DC. Before I completed my licentiate in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America, I also would live, study and work as a priest in Germany for an extended time. The former Bishop Hoffman assigned me as the vocation director for the Diocese of Toledo in 2002. In this capacity as a priest, I worked closely with younger people, helping them to deepen their relationship with God and find their way in life.
Consider with me the following words of Jesus: “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). When we earnestly seek the Holy Spirit, we can rest assured that He will provide us with all we truly need even though our route seems confusing or mysterious or daunting. I know God has led me to you again. Although I always have longed to return, my arrival is not my doing, but His mysterious action. May we give ourselves to Him each and every day throughout the New Year without reserve and boundless confidence.
Fr. Dave
January 6, 2008
Dear Parishioners,
On behalf of Tim Claubaugh, Deb Geason, Ruth Guendelsberger, Monica Deubel, Mark Fitzthum, Mary Riesterer, Deacons Bill Burch and Jeff Claar, Fathers Doug, Dave and myself, we do thank you for your goodies shared with us over the Holy Days. If only the weight would come off as fast as it goes on! But thank you for your good wishes and treats.
The New Year is a good time to reflect upon the closing year and set our direction for the year ahead. This time reminds us that every day of the year is lived just one at a time. Looking back, we can see a year’s change in ourselves. We see the progress we have made as people on our journey. Perhaps we see relationships that have developed because of our growing ability to love. Certainly all of us have some things we regret and some changes we mourn. They, too, have their place as we look back.
The process of becoming more human, becoming a real person, and finding spiritual enlightenment are very similar. They require slow growth over time. We can only follow these paths in small steps, one day or one hour at a time. Many of us grew up in the “quick fix” idea of life and have developed a distorted outlook because of it.
But the beginning of this year says, “Look to this day”.
It is a difficult path to learn, but we only take it in small steps. There are no instant fixes for any human being. Yet, when we surrender to the reality of life, we are given the gift of true humanity. We begin to feel like real people, we begin to love others better, and we begin to more fully enjoy the pleasure of true contact with them.
May this year be a blessed and graced time for you.
Coming to Mass, one Sunday at a time, does wonders for the soul.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
December 30, 2007
MERRY CHRISTMAS FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
It has been a while since I last saw you and wrote to you, so I thought Christmas would be a perfect time to update you on my journey towards priesthood. Currently, I am in the middle of my Winter Quarter at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary and taking such classes like the history of the American Catholic, Eschatology (Study of Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell) & Mariology (Study of Mary), Catholic Social Teachings, Women in the Scriptures, and Singing III. Needless to say, these classes keep me rather busy with numerous reading assignments, paper writings, and examinations – all of which I hope will make me a better servant for God and God’s people.
Other than class work, I am looking forward to being ordained a Transitional Deacon on April 26, 2008 at Cincinnati’s Cathedral – St. Peter in Chains. Feelings of excitement and anxiety fill me as the day gets closer. As a result, I simply pray that God will direct me and use me so as to give me fulfillment and “life.” I also ask for your continued prayers during this time of discernment for me.
After Diaconate Ordination, I still have one year remaining of academics at Mt. St. Mary’s before Priesthood Ordination in May 2009. This last year allows me to practice my diaconate role as well as to further prepare myself for Priesthood through more study and prayer. Even though I desire to be in parish and among the people, I am grateful for this last year and will try to take advantage of it so as to truly and more fully become the person God is calling me to be.
As I conclude this note, I hope and pray that each and every one of you has a Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Praying for you as you pray for me,
Jason
6616 Beechmont Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45230
December 23, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
To all, far and near, I extend to you a warm welcome back to St. Mary’s!
Like the shepherds and wise men, we too make our way to the Christ child to do Him homage. Our presence here is the gift that He yearns for. The gift of our being here, our presence, is what He came for, why He was born and why He died. He came so that we would once again accept Him and His gift of life. The Child of peace desires nothing more from us than the gift of self, and will receive nothing less from us.
In this season of giving and receiving, may we not be so distracted that we miss the true Gift of God. God had placed within each of us the gift for eternal life. We, each one of us, are made for holiness. Yet, so many times we strive for just happiness. If you seek the first, you will indeed achieve the second. But if you seek the second, it will be impossible to have the first.
At this time of year especially, material possessions have great significance in our world. Tangible things can enrich us when we use them and share them to improve our lives and the lives of others. We do not need to be wealthy to share what we have with others. It is the sharing that nourishes us and builds bridges between us.
Wise people have known for thousands of years that a person’s spirituality is deeply affected by his relationship to his possessions. When we respect what we own as a gift from God and share it with others, we grow richer spiritually. May this be the joy of our gift-giving and receiving.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
December 16, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
I would like to draw your attention to our display case and the nativity sets that are there for your viewing. St. Francis called it a “crèche”, the French word for cradle. And it was he who created the first crèche using real people, a real manger, a real ox and ass, and real shepherds.
The Incarnation – Christmas – was a key component in the spirituality of Francis. He wanted to celebrate the Incarnation in a special way. He wanted to do something that would help people remember the Christ Child and how He was born.
It was Christmas Eve in the year 1223. At the appointed time, Francis and his brothers, along with the men and women and children from the area, came to celebrate. The torches they carried lit up the night as they approached the crèche. Once again shepherds were walking in the night to come and adore Him. All were filled with joy over the mystery of the Incarnation. And a great tradition began.
As you look upon your Nativity set, may you remember and celebrate again God’s love for His creation. To show us His abundant love, mercy and forgiveness, He became a person like us.
There is a Polish tradition that I would like to share with you this Christmas. As Jesus is laid in the manger, we are reminded that He did become our spiritual food in the Eucharist. This Christmas I invite you to take the white envelopes that contain unleavened bread that has an image of Christmas on it. They are called “oplatek”.
Before you open your Christmas gifts, the head of the house says the prayer printed on the envelope. We pray that we are God bound to forgive each other all the wrongs, real and imagined, which have been committed through the year. For this reason the Christmas wafer is call the “Bread of unifying Love”.
Enjoy!
Fr. Phil
December 9, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Perhaps you have seen the Advent Meditations in our local newspaper, the Register. It is an effort to reach out to the whole community and to help, for those who choose, to focus on Christmas and its true meaning.
Advent can slip by so quickly that we hardly notice the passing of each day. To help slow the season down and to remind ourselves that Advent is a holy time to cultivate hope and to look forward to the surprising joy of Christmas, I offer you some ways that can help you keep Advent and Christmas in focus:
1. As you shop for the little ones, tell them that they are going to receive three gifts and only three gifts, just as Jesus received the three gifts from the Magi. On Christmas morning let them have the three gifts. We know that they will receive other gifts from the grandparents. But you can make the point that this day is about Jesus.
2. Rejoice! The scriptures urge us to be happy because our Savior has come and will come again. Christ is the source of our hope and lasting peace. Stay lighthearted amid the holiday bustle.
3. Pray, fast and give alms as a way to observe Advent. A moment of quiet prayer, some control of the appetite and giving gifts without expectation of return, can provide perspective on shopping and secular celebration.
4. Light a candle, sit quietly by the Christmas tree, observe the sun at its rising or setting and notice the interplay of light and darkness at this time of year. Jesus has come into the world to be a light for those in the darkness of sin.
As I write this letter, I have not yet received official notification that Fr. Dave Nuss will be coming to St. Mary. But everything that I have heard from you has been positive and I forwarded this on to the Bishop.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
December 2, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Two weeks ago I met with Bishop Leonard Blair asking his permission to continue our new altar and platform project. We showed him our altar design and discussed the desired changes he proposed to the new platform during his visit this past summer.
Our goal is to build a larger platform area to better serve our largest liturgies and make the steps easier to use for everyone, including our older priests. The design also includes handicap accessibility. The platform’s total height will be lowered only four inches, but the steps will be redesigned to be wider and more comfortable. All in all it will be aesthetically pleasing and safer. Our new altar design, that was available for several weeks in the Commons for your perusal, will also double the surface area. Its gothic design will complement the architecture of our Church beautifully.
We have a very good plan to minimize the disruption, but a project of this size will require some understanding on all our parts. Our plan now is that from Monday, January 28th at 7:00am to February 15th, 2008 the Church and Commons will be considered unavailable; except for our weekend Mass schedule. During this time, we will celebrate weekday Mass at 8:15am in the SMCC Chapel. Funeral Masses and luncheons will be celebrated by Fr. Doug or me at either Holy Angels or Sts. Peter & Paul parishes. We will continue to provide the families our funeral luncheon service too. So make plans now not to die during the project!
The offertory collection is used to pay only ordinary ministry expenses: 53% subsidy for SCCS, 20% subsidy for PSR and religious Education, 17% for Diocesan Assessments and the remaining cost are for utilities and maintenance and staff. This is a pretty tight budget and I commend you for faithful contributions. Yes, there will be a cost of about $75,000 for both the platform and the altar. As you know, we use only your special gifts and bequests for capital projects such as this.
To this point I want to mention two things. First, in our new altar, plans have been made for relics to be placed within it. Along with these relics a scroll will be added that will list the names of all the people who have made special gifts and bequest contributions to our parish since we have begun maintaining and enhancing it. This will include any gift, small or big, that has made possible all the improvements of the past 15 years, such as the windows, new organ, reredos and Blessed Sacrament chapel, and other projects large and small.
The second item is as timely. The Pension Protection Act provides that in 2006 and 2007 only, a person age 70 ½ or older is able to gift up to $100,000 from their IRA directly to an eligible charity without incurring any tax for you, the donor, or for St. Mary’s, the recipient. If you have any questions you can contact Deacon Jeff Claar.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
November 25, 2007
Dear Disciples of Christ,
Today is the Feast of Christ the King. It is fitting that we celebrate this feast on the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year. In essence, we are saying “Amen” to the year. Today in the gospel, Jesus did not save Himself, He gave Himself to save us. We must always acknowledge that it is only through Christ that we have salvation. We cannot celebrate the risen Christ without acknowledging the suffering Jesus.
Like the criminal, we need to recognize our own sinfulness and ask for forgiveness. It is the same for us today as it was on Calvary, Jesus reveals what kind of King He is – one who is full of mercy.
Next Sunday the Church begins the celebration of Advent. During this time, Adventures in Faith will be placing some reflections into the bulletin on the Sunday Mass. These reflections are to enhance our participation in the Sacred Liturgy and to help us live the significance of the Eucharist in our daily lives as Catholics.
Take time during this busy season to prepare and celebrate the Jesus that was, the Jesus that is, and the Jesus that is yet to come.
Yours in Christ,
Sara Fitzgerald
November 18, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
May our taking the time to pause and give thanks this week, be a time of choosing to look at the glass as half full.
The attitude of gratitude is not something that we are born with, but it is a quality that we can choose to live by. Just like you and I choose what clothes we are going to wear on each particular day, so you and I also choose what attitude we are going to live with each day.
Just like after awhile we like certain colors and clothes and we wear them a lot, so, after awhile we form our basic outlook on life. One of the attitudes that we can choose to be known for is the attitude of thanksgiving.
Today I want to offer you a prayer of Thanksgiving that you may wish to use this coming Thursday.
PRAYER FOR THANKSGIVING
O gracious God,
Who so generously lavishes our lives with goodness,
create in our hearts a deep center of gratitude,
a center that grows so strong in its thanksgiving
that sharing freely of our treasures
becomes the norm and pattern of our existence.
Remind us often of how much You cherish us,
of how abundantly You have offered gifts to us,
especially in the hours of our greatest need.
May we always be grateful
for Your reaching into our lives
and showering us with Your love.
Amen.
This Thursday at our 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Mass I will pause and bring into my mind and heart, you, the people of St. Mary Parish and I will say “thank you God for each one of them”.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
October 28, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Being a disciple of Jesus is our calling and it is no easy task, but it is often a rewarding one. As we give ourselves by means of our treasure, our time coming to Church and prayer, and the sharing of our abilities, we are shaped and formed into a better person.
We have some needs that you can help with. St. Mary’s does help out in many different ways here and in the community. I am asking you to consider serving on the Board for Kinship here in Sandusky.
Kinship is a supervisory parenting visitation center. Its purpose is to prevent child abuse and neglect of children in our area by providing a space and supervision for parents and children in need of this help. Kinship provides a place where children are able to be dropped off by one parent to be received by the other parent in a safe situation. To serve on this board is to insure that Kinship continues to exist and improve its services.
Fr. James Peiffer has been appointed by Bishop Blair to coordinate Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs. Fr. Jim is asking each parish to provide one person who could and would be the Parish Ecumenical Representative. As that person you would receive information on Ecumenical events, help publicize and promote the local ecumenical events in our Church and area, and to attend an annual meeting put on by Fr. Peiffer.
If the two above requests do not seem to be to your liking, perhaps you will consider using your bright smiley face and caring heart and helpful hands to help serve coffee and donuts after the Sunday morning Masses on the first Sunday of the month. Making people feel welcomed and getting to know new people is a real plus.
If that does not strike you, perhaps you would consider being a baker for the Community Supper Program. Since 1978 St. Mary’s and the people of the community have been providing a weekly meal for those who can use the help. That is a long time of caring and sharing and now I am asking you to help out.
Many people have given some wonderful compliments about the beauty of our Church. And rightly so! Our Church is in need of volunteer helpers for Church cleaning on Monday mornings or on Friday at 1:00 p.m.
Please consider one of the above. You may call Jeff Claar with your answer at 419-625-7465.
Thank you!
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
October 21, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
ATTENTION: FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO RECEIVE THE SPECIAL SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK, THE FOLLOWING IS FOR YOU.
On Sunday, October 28 at the 5 p.m. evening Mass, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be offered to all who are in need of this special grace and who wish to receive it.
If you or a member of your family or a friend wishes to receive this Sacrament, there will be designated seating for you and them close to the front. The ushers and attendants will help seat you.
WHO SHOULD RECEIVE THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK?
Great care and concern should be taken to see that those of the faithful whose health is failing due to sickness or old age receive this Sacrament.
Therefore, a person may be anointed before surgery.
Elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present.
Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this Sacrament.
Definitely, the Church says, they should not follow the wrongful practice of delaying the reception of the Sacrament.
This year we are conferring the Sacrament of the Sick at the ordinary Sunday evening 5 p.m. Mass. Please come or bring a member of the family who would benefit from this Sacrament.
My second important point is to ask you to seriously consider supporting the up coming Public School Levies. Good education for all children is the strength and future of any community. Thank you for your consideration.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
October 14, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
St. Meinrad Archabbey and School of Theology has a long history of service to the Diocese of Toledo. In fact, more than 200 alumni, 79 of whom are priests in the Diocese, have studied at St. Meinrad under the care and guidance of the Benedictine monks.
For 153 years, St. Meinrad’s monks have dedicated their lives to serving the needs of the Catholic Church through their prayer and work. That tradition continues today in the monastic community’s ongoing commitment to providing seminarians with excellent spiritual and academic preparation for the priesthood.
Additionally, lay men and women can expand their theological knowledge through their lay degree program, which offers courses for both full-time and part-time students. Their permanent deacon formation program provides individual dioceses with academic and spiritual formation for their deacon candidates. Retreats and sabbaticals are also available.
As a 2001 graduate, I ask you to be a part of this important work. The monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey encourage you to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. They humbly ask for your financial support and partnership so they can continue their work of serving the needs of the Church.
You will be receiving a brochure and a letter in the mail from Archabbot Justin describing the work of St. Meinrad. Please read the material and prayerfully consider how you can support St. Meinrad.
Fr. Doug
Currently, four seminary students from the Diocese of Toledo are studying at St. Meinrad. The opening enrollment of 95 seminarians in the fall of 2007 represents 26 dioceses and 12 religious communities. In addition, there are 68 lay degree students.
October 7, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
God’s timing is impeccable!
This Sunday is dedicated to Respect Life. Karen Bush has stepped forward to continue the fine work that Pete and Shirley DuBois have done for so many years. It is our chance to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. And this Sunday we conclude our celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
At the time when the Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego in the early 1500’s the Aztec Indian People practiced a religion which made human sacrifices to their gods. Up to 25% of the people were sacrifice. Theirs was a culture of death.
When Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego and left an image of herself on his cloak, it was the image is of an Aztec Indian woman. The black belt that Our Lady wears is a sign of the Aztec culture that she is with child. Over the next 10 years millions of Aztec Indians were converted to the Catholic Faith. The practice of sacrificing human beings stopped. Our Lady’s appearance was the focal point of these conversions. In hers image the people came to know that life is precious, all life. They came to know that God so loved the world, and them, that he sent His Son, born of the Virgin, to save us from their pagan ways.
Today, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a most powerful sign for those who choose to see with the eyes of faith. We, in our affluent and materialistic society, need to be converted from our culture of death to accept and live the culture of life. As in the 1500’s, so today, millions of human babies are sacrificed to the gods of convenience and self-centeredness. It has become our way of life and it affects even people professing to be followers of Christ.
We need Mary to help us to come to a conversion of our hearts as Our Lady was the source of conversion for the Aztec people.
O God,
All life is your gift of love.
Through the intercession of your mother,
May we have the grace to be sacrifice
For those who cannot speak for themselves.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
September 30, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Respect Life Sunday 2007 falls on October 7, the very day of our diocesan patroness, Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary. This year we have the opportunity to proclaim our belief in the dignity of human life through our participation in a national movement called “40 Days for Life”. We, the Catholic Community, are invited to fast and pray from now until the beginning of November.
The focus of our fast is to be one of forgiveness, conversion and prayer for those who provide and assist in providing abortion, those who encourage mothers to have an abortion, and the mothers themselves, so that all may come to understand and respect the truth about the dignity of human life and the rights of the human person from the moment of conception to the time of their natural death.
The call of the late Pope John Paul in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae, The Gospel of Life, is as valid today as ever, that we persist in “a general mobilization of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in support of life.”
If you wish, you can receive more information about this at www.40daysforlife.com.
Coinciding with this national effort is our own Adventures In Faith effort to highlight the Apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe here in the Americas. In the beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary is depicted pregnant, full of life. And from Mary came Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Like all children in the womb, we must speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Getting involved through prayer and fasting is a good start. With God’s help, your effort could mark the beginning of the end of abortion in America.
Plan to be a part of making a difference.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
September 23, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
The Lifelong Faith Formation office, commonly known as Adventures in Faith (AIF) has kicked off the year. In an effort to integrate faith formation for all ages, we have developed opportunities for all people to grow in their faith.
It is recognized that by preparing for an event beforehand, one is much more apt to participate in the event. For example, athletes spend time preparing for their upcoming sports event by learning new plays and practicing fundamentals. This is also true for our participation in Church events. By preparing for the Church event beforehand, each and every one of us will be better prepared to actively participate in it.
Together, it is our hope that Adventures in Faith can offer through a myriad of experiences, ways for all of us to live, learn and grow in our faith lifelong – from womb to tomb, no graduation – continual formation. We should never stop living, learning, and growing in our faith. One of the experiences AIF offers is an intergenerational faith gathering, which prepares us for an upcoming community or Church event.
The first sets of intergenerational gatherings were just completed. Many of us began preparing for the coming of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe by attending the AIF Faith Gatherings (Pre-event). Sr. Joyce Bates presented us with new insights on who Mary is, why we look to her, who she is for us today and what her mission is. Our hope is that all of us will have a better understanding of the graces received through prayer intercessions to Mary.
The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe will be in the Sandusky Community from Saturday, September 29 through Sunday, October 7 (Event).
After the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has left the community, it is hoped that a desire for reflection on Mary – Our Mother will continue. Please look to upcoming bulletin announcements for opportunities to grow in our faith. If you are interested in developing or leading any small groups for faith sharing on Mary, please call the AIF office at 419-625-3692 or email: aif7@aol.com.
Peace,
Sara Fitzgerald
Director of Adventures in Faith
September 16, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
It is not suppose to hurt!
The man began, ‘I know why people turn various shades of red when the pastor gets up on a given Sunday and talks about their stewardship – especially that part of our stewardship we call our “treasure”’. He goes on to tell us why.
When you go to the doctor for a routine physical exam, you are asked to take off your shirt or blouse. Once you do, the doctor begins pressing and probing and poking all around your chest and back. Usually it is not a big problem, maybe a little ticklish. Then, all of a sudden the doctor presses on a new area of your body. Just as suddenly you may flinch and blurt our “ouch”. The physician gets a surprised look on his face, obviously puzzled by your reaction. The doctor says, “I am sorry, but I have to probe that area again”. I promise to be careful and gentle, “as he begins probing that area again. This time he is more gentle, but when the doctor hits the same area you grimace again. The physician says, “I am sorry I had to do that, Mr. Doe, but it is not supposed to hurt there!” That part is not suppose to be sensitive.”
Likewise, when I speak to you from God’s word about your treasure – about the way you manage all the gifts God has given you. When I touch on returning to God a portion of what God has given you to manage and take care of, it is not suppose to be sensitive there! What might it say about us when I talk about stewardship and we yell, “Ouch”. You know, Jesus said that it is not supposed to hurt there!
Usually at this time of year I speak to you about stewardship. This year I am asking that you review your commitment to being a stewardship disciple and decide how you will best use your time, your treasure and you talent in this coming year. Stewardship of Time is the amount of time we spend in prayer and coming to Mass. Stewardship of Treasure is the % of our gross income that we will give to the Lord. Stewardship of Talent is the ministry that we are committing our self to do for others.
May I suggest that we give of ourselves until we feel good.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
September 9, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Last year, the three parishes here in Sandusky joined together to form one RCIA program. RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and is the ordinary way that people are helped to investigate the Catholic Church and to discern if they wish to become members. By working as a team and joining our resources, the program has become a very good one. It is another example of how collaboration works.
When a person comes into the program, he/she may have a Catholic family member or friend that comes with them and becomes their sponsor. A sponsor is a person who is Catholic and who would be a good example and tutor for the new person. They would come with them to Sunday Mass and help them with the responses that are used at Mass and teach them how to use the Missalet, song book and other rituals in our Chruch, such as genuflecting and bowing to the altar. Besides having a family member or friend as a sponsor, I would also like to have a member of the Church be a second sponsor to the candidate. It helps them to feel a part of this big congregation.
This year I am in need of sponsors for the 15 or so candidates that have shown interest in the RCIA program. It would be a truly wonderful way for your own growth and learning about the faith. Give me a call if you are able to help.
The latest report of how well we are doing with the Annual Catholic Appeals shows that as of August 29, we have achieved 65% of our goal with 390 parishioners pledging $40,110 of our $59,731.91 goal. I ask that if you have not contributed yet, please do. Or if you can contribute more, please do. If or when we reach our goal, the diocese will make all the contributions to the 13 Diocesan requests that we used to be asked to contribute to, such as Catholic University, Catholic Relief Fund, Peter's Pence, etc. If we do not reach our goal, then we will be asked to take up special collections for these truly worthwhile needs.
Tickets to the Oktoberfest are being sold in the Commons after all Masses this weekend. The festival is another example of how the three parishes working together with the K of C can achieve wonderful things.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
September 2, 2007
Greetings to all,
Well, it’s that time of year again when the warm summer days begin to fade away, the swimming suits and water boats are placed into storage until next year, the leaves on the trees slowly begin to turn to orange, yellow, and red, and the smell of paper, pencils, and books are in the air. That’s right, school is upon us and like most of your children and grandchildren, I too am back in the classroom, but not without saying farewell first!
I have had a wonderful growing and learning experience here at St. Mary’s Parish this past year! From getting to know the parishioners of St. Mary’s (i.e. the people who make St. Mary’s the parish that it is) to participating in various parish ministries and helping one another grow in the faith (i.e. RCIA, School Teaching, Visiting the sick and homebound, and so forth), I have had just a blessed year while on my Pastoral Year of Internship here at St. Mary’s. And for all this and more, I thank you and your families. Each and every one of you has truly been a blessing in my life.
Other blessings that I have received this past year are trips to Israel and Africa! Visiting the Holy Land in Israel and walking in the footsteps of Christ was simply awesome! And as I walked, I prayed the Scriptures, which seemed to bring all that I read to life much more. All in all, it was a fantastic experience!
Just like Israel, visiting and working with Habitat for Humanity in Africa (South Africa and Mozambique) was also a real neat experience. Being a part of the African culture by eating the local food (i.e. “mealie meal”), seeing the sites and wildlife, and working with the local people left me speechless because I simply enjoyed being in Africa. And given the opportunity, I would gladly return to both Africa and Israel for a second journey with hopes of seeing and learning something new and exciting.
Now that my trips are complete and another school year is here once again, it is time for me to continue my growth and formation and discernment by returning to the seminary like most seminarians after their internship. I would love to stay here at St. Mary’s, but I know that I must return to Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary to finish my education and formation for priesthood. Nevertheless, please know that I will not return to the seminary empty-handed. Rather, I will take back with me all that I have learned this past year and apply it to my studies with the intention of becoming a better minister and servant-leader to God’s people.
As I return to seminary, I invite you and challenge you to please continue to pray for me and all vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated and needed for the Church to continue growing. Therefore, keep inviting men and women to consider the priesthood and religious life. It is such a great life with many rewards!
Praying for you as you pray for me, Seminarian Jason
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
6616 Beechmont Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45230
jjkahle@yahoo.com
August 26, 2007
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
I would first like to thank the ENTIRE staff, for all they did in planning and carrying out my 25th Anniversary weekend as well as you, the parishioners of St. Mary’s, for your cards, gifts, and participation at the August 12, 11:30 Mass and the reception at the Knights of Columbus. I am still honored, humbled, and awestruck by the outpour of gratitude from everyone.
It has truly been an honor to minister to the people of St. Mary’s Church for the past 25 years. Many people have commented on what a successful music program we have here at St. Mary’s Church, however, the music program (or any program for that matter) is only as successful as those that are willing to help with it and maintain it. So my thanks goes out to all of the parishioners of St. Mary’s for all that you do to make our music program so successful.
In 1982, I received my Bachelor’s degree in Music History with organ as my major instrument from Baldwin-Wallace College. When I took this position in the summer of 1982, my plan was to stay two-three years, then move on to get my Masters degree and PHD in Music History. Well, what can I say; time flies when you’re having fun! I can truly say that I look forward to going to work every single day. I don’t look at this as a job, because in my opinion it isn’t work. I look at my position as a ministry or a second vocation.
As many of you probably know, Laura Stellhorn retired as Organist from Zion Lutheran Church after 62 years on the bench there. The way I see it, I have 38 more years to beat her record! That will put me at age………..well, never mind. I’m not planning on going anywhere soon (I’m having too much fun!). My wife, Anita along with our six grown children and two grandchildren, have set our roots in this area a long time ago. Also, the staff here at St. Mary’s is a great staff to work with. I am looking forward to the challenges for years to come!
Again, I would like to thank everyone for all that you did for my 25th Anniversary Sunday. You will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
Tim Claughbaugh
August 19, 2007
Dear Friends,
We are presented with some very puzzling words in our scriptures today. “At this time opposition to Christ’s mission was mounting and He was being honest in facing the fact that His ministry could not be carried out without suffering and death.”
Jesus never promised that the journey would be smooth or easy. It would not be without its crosses. The teaching of Jesus demands acceptance or rejection. If we accept Christ’s teachings, we will be opposed and ridiculed by those who reject it. Somewhere along the line we must make the decision to be followers, disciples of Christ, or not!
One of the ministries of our Church that calls us to discipleship is our Catholic School. Sandusky Central Catholic School has a mission that states:
“A faith community committed to:
Following Jesus
Living the Gospel by
Strengthening the body
Challenging the mind
Enriching the spirit
Forming future leaders for the Church and community”
As a school community we welcome new leadership, Dr. Ken Schmiesing, as principal of SMCC and grades 7-8. His background and professional strength will lead us to new levels of performance. New teachers include: Mrs. M. Oeder, Miss K. Machcinski, Ms. K. Nowacki, Mr. C. Shope, Jr., Ms. S. O’Connor, and Mrs. C. Scherger.
New support staff include Mrs. T. Taggart, Mrs. A. Buehrer, Mrs. C. Schmenk, and Mrs. D. Opfer. We are excited to welcome all of our new folks to the Sandusky Central Catholic Community.
2007-08 promises to be a school year filled with energetic academic programs, extra-curricular activities and most important, religious experiences.
The SCCS Board of Directors serves with tireless hours to plan and vision for our school. Our members include Pete Kowalski, outgoing president, new secretary, Ron Guerra, outgoing vice-president, Steve May, outgoing secretary, Charlie Murray, new member, Jeanne Lawrence, new president, Holly Kromer, vice-president, and our three pastors, Fr. Chris, Fr. Marty, and Fr Phil. Thanks to each member!
The SCCS Foundation does a terrific job creating and investing funds in our endowment where the interest supports Teachers Salaries, Technology, and Tuition Assistance.
We are grateful to the men and women who make up the SCCS faculty and staff for who they are and all of the gifts and talents they bring.
We are grateful for our families who contribute so much to the design of our school.
We are thankful to our parishes for their support and care of the mission of our Catholic School.
We live in a culture that presents many choices and thus it is difficult to sometimes stay focused on our call. The call to be prophets by modeling our lives on Christ is not an easy call. We hope that our Catholic School ministry expresses one way to commit to the call to follow Christ!
You are always welcome to visit our campuses. Keep our school community in your prayer as we do each of you. S.C.C.S. – “Different by Design and Proud of the Difference.”
Peace,
Sister Mary Jon
August 12, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
On behalf of all of us, I extend to Tim Claubaugh our organist and director of music our congratulations for his outstanding ministry to us here at St. Mary’s for these past 25 years.
When he began, I saw pictures of him then, his hair was jet black. His face was clean shaven and his boyish grin masked the talent that his finger and heart possessed for music and ministry.
In 25 years we grew up with Tim and Tim grew up with us. This protestant boy learned quickly the ritual and rites of our Catholic faith. And soon he was seen as the leader and minister that he has come to be for us.
We can only guess at the number of celebrations that he has been a part of in these 25 years. There are the Sunday celebrations of 5 masses a weekend for 52 weeks times 25 years. Then there are the weekday celebrations which would be in the 300’s per year, the funerals for your loved ones and the wedding celebrations. To this we must add the Holy Days, penance services, concerts and special occasions. I would put the number to be over 16,000 occasions where Tim has enhanced the liturgy and helped us to worship and honor our Lord. And we are better because of him.
We may take for granted the hard work that Tim has done for us, until you go to another church and hear the difference. The establishment of cantors for our celebrations and the preparation that is required on the part of all is no small accomplishment. The practice and training of the cantors, the choirs and other musicians we may take for granted, but the results speak for themselves.
Yes Tim, we have grown up with you and you have matured with us. We thank you for your dedication to God, to St. Mary’s and to us. We are better people of prayer because of you. I hope and pray that you have been helped to be a better person because of us. To your wife Anita we say thank you for all that you have done and been for Tim. May you both know our thanks and gratitude for your ministry to us.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
August 4, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
I'd like to share with you a letter I received in the mail this week:
"To the kids and parents from the Y.E.S. Program,
Thanks to all the wonderful and hard working young adults and adults that worked on my house on Taylor Street. Words cannot describe the gratefulness I have for your dedication and hard work you did on my home. You should all be very proud of yourselves. I certainly am very happy with the painting you did. It reaffirms my faith in the young people of today. To take three days of your summer vacation to help paint my house means so much to me.
I will never forget the sacrifice that you gave to benefit my family. Once again thank you and GOD bless each and every one of you for your hard work. Please keep up the great works of the Lord."
Many of you are familiar with the Y.E.S. (Youth Elect Service) Project. This year we had our largest group ever, 65 high school youth and 25 college and adult leaders from our Sandusky parishes and those in the surrounding area. We gathered for four days tow ork together as a Christian community; scraping, painting, and sprucing up homes of those that are unable to do so themselves due to either physical and/or financial hardship. This was our 15th consecutive Y.E.S. Project and we worked on four homes. I thank you, on behalf of all those involved, for your support of this project. Your prayers, financial contribution, and encouraging a yotuh ot join us all helped make this another successful year. Not only did we paint houses, we changed lives. Those we served will never forget our kindness; those who serviced will never forget the experience.
I am thankful for the success of this and other activities our Tri-Parish Youth Group participate in. We took a large group of youth and adult chaperones to the Youth Conference at Steubenville and another group of students participated in the One Bread, One Cup Leadership Retreat at St. Meinrad. Both of these experiences enriched the faith lives of all involved and encouraged us to be more active members of our parishes.
As we "look forward" to the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year, I am excited to be bringing new youth and adult leaders on board. We plan to have another fun and faith-filled year of activities. Again, I thank you for your support and I ask you to encourage the youth of our parishes to join us!
God bless you,
John Collart, Tri-Parish Youth Leader
July 29, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
This past week Jason was off to Mozambique. Fr. Doug was taking a much deserved vacation with friends. Fr. Marty, at Sts. Peter and Paul, was on vacation and Fr. Kris, at Holy Angels, was in Poland visiting family and friends. So I thought that I had better stay around and visit the hospital and be on call. A good idea don’t you think?
This above situation got me to wondering what would happen if there comes the time when there may be only one priest, or maybe two, for this area. I had a lot of time to think about it and here are some of my thoughts. First, the Catholic Church would still exist and go on. For you would still be a faith-filled people. And HE promised that upon this rock HE would build HIS Church and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail against it. That was a very comforting thought.
And then I began thinking, gee, it has been worse. It was less than 200 years when we were a missionary country. At that time the priest would ride from town to town and marry, baptize, hear confessions and say mass for the people when he came through. Then off he would go until he returned a few months later. And the Church endured and grew and continued on. We would be much better off with one priest here than they were, don’t you think? (When Benedict XVI recently visited Brazil, the largest Catholic country in the world, the article mentioned that 85% of the people do not have access to the Eucharist because there are no priests.) We would surely be better off than they are now.
Then I began thinking about how much we would still have going for us. We have two good deacons to baptize, marry, bury, preach and instruct. We have parishioners who are highly educated and capable of doing a lot of ministry for each other. You are already visiting the hospital and caring for the homebound. Many have and are teaching PSR and vacation bible school, praying in small groups and offering the wake luncheons. The maintenance of the buildings and grounds have never been better because of the men and women who serve on the various committees. And soon the new Pastoral Council will be tackling the task of giving direction and leadership for our parish in the coming years.
More and more, with the Oktoberfest, AIF (Adventures in Faith), our centralized Catholic Schools, our Tri-Parish RCIA, Pre-Cana, Natural Family Planning, our Tri-Parish Youth Program there is a powerful direction and motion that has been put in place to help build up the whole Catholic community here in the Sandusky area. That is no small accomplishment considering how loyal and committed each person is to their own parish. But it is the way of the future, to use our resources well.
Gee, what I thought was going to be a downer for me has really opened my eyes to how special you are and how the Holy Spirit will not leave us orphaned. In fact the Spirit is already moving us in the right direction. But it will be good when the other guys return.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
July 22, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
St. Mary’s Parish recently unveiled a new and improved website for our parishioners and visitors: www.stmarysandusky.org. You will find new features and new ways to discover all that St. Mary’s Parish has to offer!
Familiarize yourself with the Parish Staff, their responsibilities and contact information. Read about our Parish History written by the 150th Anniversary Book Committee. Take a Virtual Tour of the Church.
Visit the Parish Calendar to view Mass times, meetings, rehearsals and upcoming events. Each event links you to an event description, location and contact information. Altar servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and Mass Coordinators can also view their 3-month ministry schedule.
Browse through an archive of Mass readings, homilies and bulletins.
Discover everything you ever wanted to know about the Sacraments. Get answers to frequently asked questions.
Look into Volunteer Opportunities at St. Mary’s by learning about our ministries and ways you can join.
Check out the Adventures in Faith (AIF), Parish School of Religion (PSR), Good Shepherd (GS) and Tri-Parish Youth pages. Everything you need is online!
Browse through our Photo Gallery. Get pictures of the K of C Root Beer Float Stand or check out a slideshow of last year’s Oktoberfest.
Donate online! Tithe from your savings, checking, debit or credit cards with our secure online payment program. A one-time payment can be made or weekly/monthly scheduled payments can be arranged.
Explore other Catholic websites and links to bulletin sponsors and local businesses that are online.
The most exciting new feature is the e-Newsletter! Visitors to our site can register to receive emails from the following categories: Parish News, Adventures in Faith, Parish School of Religion and Good Shepherd. Parishioners are highly encouraged to register to receive these important church communications.
Our aim is for you to have access to the latest information directly from the webpage. We’re interested in your feedback! If you have an event you’d like added to the Parish Calendar, contact Rose Nath at calendar@stmarysandusky.org. If you have additional information about a ministry, photos of church events, websites to add to the Links page, questions not answered on our FAQ page, or any suggestions to improve our website, please submit them to Deanna Faber at webmaster@stmarysandusky.org.
Our website is a work in progress! We will always be changing and growing, looking for new ways to fulfill our mission and be of use to you. We invite you to keep returning to us online and discovering what St. Mary’s Parish has to offer.
Deacon Jeff Claar
July 15, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
Respect Life: For as long as I have been here at St. Mary’s, Pete and Shirley Dubois have graciously taken on the leadership role for Respect Life and have kept the wonderful and precious truth of the value of human life ever before us. Pete has a special writing talent that he has used well in preparing the many presentations that we have heard over the years. Shirley has been outstanding in “volunteering” men and women to give the presentation at the masses and arranged for other endeavors of Respect Life. Pete and Shirley are now stepping down from this commitment and I want to publicly thank them for their years of caring. They and I are hoping that you will step forward in order to continue this most important ministry.
Annual Catholic Appeal: Thank you for the support that you have given to the ACA to this point. So far about 9 % of us have contributed to the appeal. I know we can do better. I am asking that we all give something. I am much more interested in the number of people contributing than I am in the amount that is given. This does a number of important things: it shows support to our Bishop, it stretches and expands our concept of Church and ministry, it makes St. Mary’s and me look good, it makes the giver feel better. To this end I am mailing to you another request for you to contribute to this campaign. I appreciate that you take my request seriously and do what you can do.
One Bread One Cup: Last week 8 young adults from St. Mary’s and Holy Angels and St. Peter and Paul took the time to attend a Youth Liturgical Leadership Program, at St. Meinrad School of Theology. A generous donation made it possible for them to attend and I know that it will benefit us in the future. I am truly impressed, and I hope you are too, with the growing development of our Contemporary Choir and our young youth Choir. I expect that these teenagers who will be returning from this conference will bring additional enhancement to both our liturgy and our music.
Bring it to a Conclusion: I hope that you have a sense of pride and accomplishment over what you the parishioners of St. Mary’s have done over the past 12 years or so. We have slowly but steadily worked on maintaining and restoring our Church. The tuck pointing, new gutters and roof repair plus the installing of a new lightening rod system, the restoring of our stain glass windows with new storm windows, the Stations of the Cross, painting the Church interior, erecting our outside lime stone sign, refurbishing the Church doors, re-gilding Our Lady, air conditioning the Church, designing and installing the new reredos, installing a new sound system and our new organ, building the two shrines for Our Lady and the Sacred Heart, remodeling the choir loft, creating a new baptistery, acquiring the Statue of the Pieta, refurbishing the front steps and side walk, and erecting our historical marker, redoing the sacristy and purchasing a few new vestments and processional cross is no small accomplishment. For all of this I thank you. We are almost finished. Our last piece, as I mentioned last week, is to improve the sanctuary platform by lowering it about 8 inches and by widening it by almost 12 feet. This is to be done without any loss of pews, with greater easy and safety in ascending the platform along with providing more space. A new floor covering is being considered along with a glassed in space for parents to take their young children where they can still attend the Mass. We also want to have a nursery space in the Commons.
Don’t you feel proud!?
Thank you,
Fr. Phil
July 8, 2007
Dear Parishioners,
I have missed sharing with you these past few weeks, but I know that what the others had to write about is just as important and informative for all of us. By sharing we come to know and appreciate the ministry that is provided here at St. Mary's. Let me catch you up with some of the happenings that have and will be going on this summer.
OKTOBERFEST: September 22, at the Erie County Fairgrounds. The K of C's, along with the help of the tree parishes, are working hard to bring the Catholic Community together to worship and celebrate, enjoy each other and to participate in our common bond with Jesus Christ and each other. By growing together, we can work more closely together in building up the kingdom of God here in Sandusky.
BISHOP BLAIR'S VISIT TO ST. MARY'S: Our Bishop was very interested in how our Baptismal Font worked out and he was equally interested in our plans to make the sanctuary platform larger and more accessible. His concern is that we do not lower the platform too much, although the agrees that it is too high and too narrow to adequately accommodate room for weddings and for our RCIA rites and rituals. The Bishop truly liked our work on the Baptismal Font and the Church as a whole. He asked that we send to him in more detail the plans for the platform, the altar and the flooring. I will keep you informed on all of this.
RCIA: Last year was the first time that all three parishes joined together to offer RCIA. In the past, all three parishes conducted their own RCIA program. The endeavor was very successful. It is allowing the best to come from all three programs so that we make better use of our resources. After 13 years of leadership, Carol Truman is stepping down from her role as RCIA Coordinator. I am in the process of forming a new team to work with the other parishes for this coming year. This is a wonderful ministry to offer your time and talent.
NURSERY SPACE: A space for parents with little ones will be created in the Commons so that parents will have a place to take their children when they think it is appropriate for them to leave Church. It will be a space that will enable parents to see and hear the Mass on closed circuit TV while offering the little ones a secure space.
ADVENTURES IN FAITH: Our tri-parish endeavor to bring wholesome and special religious education to all ages is beginning its second year. You will be receiving a letter outlining the dates and topics for this coming year. This, too, is a wonderful ministry to offer your time and talent.
Stay tuned, there is more to come.
Love and peace,
Fr. Phil
July 1, 2007
Welcome to the new St. Mary's website! We are in the process of completing the web pages, online calendar and photo gallery. Please bookmark our homepage and check back often for updates. Thank you for your patience as we put the finishing touches on our site!
When viewing PDF files (forms, ministry schedule, etc.) and downloads, it is best to have Acrobat Reader 6.0 or later installed. This site is also best viewed in Internet Explorer.
If you have any digital photos of church events you would like to see included in the photo gallery, please email them to webmaster@stmarysandusky.org. Parishioners are invited to sign up for parish emails be clicking on the Newsletter Registration link.
If you have any questions about our website, please feel free to contact me. If you have general questions about St. Mary's Parish, click on Download Forms, then Feedback Form.
Deanna Faber, Webmaster
webmaster@stmarysandusky.org |
