Dear Friends:
PATRONAL FEAST – ST. PETER JUNE 29TH: This coming Friday is the day we honor St. Peter. In 1884, we were the first church in the state named in his honor. There is a special Mass at 6pm followed by a pot-luck supper. Please come out and bring a nice dish. Every year this is an enjoyable event. Please bring the children. I want them to remember how the parish they grew up in honored their patron.
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY AWARDS: Again this year, St. Peter’s Catholic School students won some prestigious awards competing with the best students from all 50 states. Mr. Joe Hughes accompanied our students. Adam Dietrich placed 3rd in all the United States in the junior division. Jeff Roop and Reuben Chemmanon placed 4th in the country in their project and best in the state in the junior division. Bayleigh Williams placed 8th in the nation and best in the state in the senior division. Congratulations to each of you and to your parents and teachers.
FORTNIGHT FOR FREEDOM: Jim Coyne and Martha have been organizing the Knights and Ladies and the Men’s organizations so that we can have a continual rosary over the 14 days prescribed by our Bishops to pray for our religious freedom. It began on Thursday and will continue till July 4th. Following the 8am Mass and right through till 7pm when the doors are locked, we will have in our church the rosary recited aloud on every hour and then silently for the remaining time. Some have signed up. We need more to participate. Please be part of this effort to protect our religious freedoms as Catholics. There is no doubt whatsoever that they are under attack.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Claire Stoner and her 100 volunteers including our Life Teen Students and parents and our visiting seminarian, Marlon Mendieta, provided an enjoyable and inspirational week for 224 of our children. Thank you for all the work and all the effort. The decorating, classes, sports, fun, snacks – “Whatever you did for the least one, you did it for Me.”
FR. MIKE BUTLER – THANK YOU: Two weeks ago, I mentioned in this column that our parish will make the final payment on a $353,000 loan we were required to pay off for St. Gabriel’s parish. It was 80% of the total cost and legal fees for the 25 acres of land purchased for the new St. Gabriel Church. The diocese about ten years ago asked our parish to cover that cost because of how generously St. Gabriel’s serves the Hispanic Community. Well, Fr. Butler mentioned at the Sunday Masses to thank the Pastor and parish when you see them. Fr. Edward and I were at a restaurant celebrating our 40th anniversary when a doctor from St. Gabriel’s came over and thanked us for St. Peter’s gift to their parish. It was very nice. What was even nicer, when we were leaving we were told he had paid our bill!
SPIRITUAL CENTER CLOSED FROM JULY 9 -23: It is certainly getting a lot of use. No one ever doubted that our new building would be used. For the past two years it has been in constant usage. We are going to paint the main dining room, the corridors with a semi-gloss and some of the meetings rooms. The carpets are going to be cleaned. Then we will open up all fresh for a whole new season. The entire building, no exceptions, will be off limits until this is all accomplished July 9 to 23. Thank you.
HOLY NAME OF JESUS CATHEDRAL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: I attended a meeting at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Newton Grove on Thursday at which the Bishop kicked off the fund raising for the new cathedral for the second tier of parishes. There are two tiers and we are in the second. Bishop Burbidge has raised in gifts and pledges nearly $30,000,000 and now the last group of parishes will be solicited for pledges. Carmen Bradley and I met with the fund raiser responsible for our parish on Monday. We lined up the schedule for receptions and committee work. Tom von Lehmden has agreed to serve as chairman for the campaign here. He will do an excellent job. We will start toward the end of August. I am counting on the cooperation of everyone so we do the best we can for the Church. We will be looking for volunteers to help us.
VARIA: Michael Vetrano is trying various things to get us singing more at Mass. It seems with the new translation of the Gloria and proper parts and new music people are more hesitant in singing. Once a month he will have a quick practice before Mass. He is also trying to use some old hymns to get everyone singing out again….The plaques are in to memorialize rooms of the spiritual center. Stay posted. There will be a luncheon…. Students from Ireland arrive in Greenville this week for the Ulster Project…. Please patronize those who advertise in this bulletin. They pay for it to be produced…. Next Baptism Class is July 7th, Saturday, at 11:30am in the church.
Gratefully in Christ,
Fr. Justin Kerber, C.P.
