May 4, 2008    

Dear friends,

The month of May is filled with special celebrations and commemorations.  It is for Catholics a month dedicated in a special way to the Blessed Mother.  On Tuesday, May 6, we will hold a special all-school Mass for the students of Seton Schools at 8:00 a.m. at St. Andrew Church.  The students will honor the mother of Jesus by a May Crowning.  All are welcome to join the students for this Mass.  It would be good for all of us as individuals and families to find an appropriate way to honor Mary whether by praying the rosary as a family or bringing flowers to one of the Marian shrines in our churches. 

Pentecost Sunday will be celebrated May 11.  Pentecost marks the end of the Easter Season.  It is also the day in which we mark the end of the RCIA.  The men and women who have been received into the Church at this year's Easter Vigil will gather at the 9:30 a.m. Mass at St. Andrew for one last time as a group.  At the conclusion of the Mass we will pray over them as they take their place in the Church bringing their special gifts to help us build up the Body of Christ.

May 11 is also Mother's Day.  How right it is that we honor our mothers!  Moms in a special way show us what the love of God looks like as they sacrifice day in and day out for us.  We will have a special prayer for all our mothers at the masses on May 11.  Holy Family Parish will also help us to celebrate this Mother's Day in a special and meaningful way.  The Parish Council is hosting a Mother's Day Brunch following the 8:00 a.m. and the 9:30 a.m. masses.  The brunch will benefit the Mike and Amanda Elstro Thomas family.  In this past year this young parish couple has welcomed a beautiful daughter into the world while, at the same time, combating Amanda's brain tumor.  All proceeds of the brunch will be given to the Thomas family.  Please join us as we honor Amanda and all parish mothers. 

May is also the month in which many young members of the parishes will receive their First Holy Communion.  Many of the children will receive Jesus for the first time in this sacramental gift on Sunday, May 18, at a special First communion Mass at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Family Church.  Parents and parish catechists have been preparing the children for this special day and everyone is welcome to join the children on May 18 as all of us renew our appreciation for this abiding presence of Jesus among us in the Blessed Sacrament. 

May also marks graduations for many of our high school seniors and college students.  Congratulations to all who are celebrating this milestone in life!  The parish family shares in the pride of your families.  Sunday, May 18, all parish graduating high school seniors from all area high schools are invited to the 8:00 a.m. Mass at Holy Family.  The parishes wish to pray with and congratulate our graduates.  Participating seniors are asked to bring their caps and gowns and form part of the entrance procession of the Mass.  The Mass will be followed by a special breakfast for the seniors hosted by our Youth Ministry.

We will celebrate many special occasions in this month of May.  In all of them let us thank God, the giver of all good gifts!

In God's love,

Fr. Todd

                                                                                            Legacy for our Mission

For Our Children and the Future

Dear Friends,

You read in Fr. Todd's letter in this week's bulletin that our Catholic community is embarking on a very important task. This task is to raise funds through a capital campaign for various parish projects as well as building a new gym for Seton High School.

In the course of the next few months you will hear a great deal more about each of the projects chosen, but Fr. Todd, in this weeks letter, has explained each of the parish's desires to either complete previous fund raising efforts such as the installation of an elevator for the school building at Holy Family, or new projects such as repairing the parking lots at St. Andrew or remodeling the bathrooms on the ground level at St. Mary's.

As Fr. Todd has stated,the main project will be the construction of a gym for the high school. Since Seton High School opened four years ago, SCHS teams have played in various "home" gyms. As SCHS continues to grow, it is important that SCHS teams have a true "home" court.

While I will not repeat what Fr. Todd has said in his letter, I would like to add my sincere thanks to everyone who has said "yes" to be a part of the capital campaign leadership team. As Fr. Todd has mentioned, this is a huge undertaking, but with dedicated and committed parishioners we will be able to take this step forward as we all look to the future of our parishes and schools. In the upcoming months you will see and hear a great deal about the various projects and their importance to our Catholic community.

At this time I would like to personally thank everyone who has already offered their time and talents and said "yes" to be a part of the leadership team for this important campaign. Their help, counsel, guidance, and participation is greatly appreciated. In the course of the next few weeks one of these people may be calling on you to help in this important endeavor. Please be open to the Holy Spirit by saying "yes" if asked to participate. The old adage that "many hands make light work" is definitely true.

Thank you in advance for your participation and support. If there is an area of the capital campaign that you know you would like to participate in please use the tear off sheet at the bottom of this letter and place it in the specially marked boxes in the back of each church.

Sincerely,

Jim Mackey,

Campaign Leader

Advance Commitment Leaders

Steve and Cathy Funkhouser

Steve and Angie Hornak

Tom and Cheryl Kitchin

Ron and Donna Stier

Caller Leaders

Joe and Joann Bertsch

Greg and Barb Easley

Tim and Vicki Elstro

Joe and Marilyn Gleason

Brad and Beth Hester

Dave and Kelly Knapke

Bruce and Mary Lee Lingenfelter

Debra and Mark Mader

Mike and Nancy Manning

Mary Ann Mckillip

Bill and Val Ritz

Cam paign Leader

Jim Mackey

Children’s Activity Leaders

Liz Deitsch

Stephanie Kitchin

Tracey Spaeth

Coordinator

Nelson Duphiney

Enlistment Leaders

Mike and Mariann Allen

Bill and Marilyn Martus

Rudy and Debbie Reimsynder

Follow Up Leaders

Brad and Mary Whited

Information Leaders

Ray and Linda Naseman

Jerry and Mary Purcell

Pacesetter Gift Leaders

Pete and Joan Bartel

Bob and Rhonda Dickman

Tom and Joy Holthouse

Steve and Andrea Mosey

Prayer Leaders

Dan Bach

Jim and Evelyn Miller

Steve Moore

Print Communication Leaders

Jeff and Heather Hutson

Special Event Leaders

Jody Marsee

Stacey Smith

Student Activity Leaders

Dan and Tina Reichley

Mary Williams

Visual Communication Leaders

Dave Burns

Sam Krutz

                                                        From Our Man in Rome. . . Fr. Stan    

April 10, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

Several of you have written and asked about the Holy Father's death and the upcoming funeral and conclave.  Since things are quite hectic here, I thought I'd write a "report" for all of you on events in Rome over the last few days.

As you probably know, the Holy Father's health declined dramatically toward the end of last week.  Last Friday it became clear that the Holy Father was likely to pass away and so I went to St. Peter's Square a little before midnight Saturday morning.  (I had been with my friends Dave and Linda Hellmich who were returning to the States in the morning).  The atmosphere in St. Peter's Square was prayerful, but not somber.  There were probably sixty thousand people in the square, including many young people and almost everyone was looking at the lighted windows in the Holy Father's apartments and praying.  Many held candles, and two different groups of youths were singing songs in Italian.  A number of people were waving flags -- mostly Polish and Italian, but there were also some flags from other countries -- and the singing and flag waving reminded me of the Wednesday Papal audiences.  There was some anxiety, but for the most part , the crowd seemed more hopeful.

After two hours in the square, I returned to the Casa Santa Maria at about two in the morning.  It was strange walking through the streets of Rome at that hour on a Saturday morning.  There was quite a bit of traffic and more than a few inebriated college students --many of whom were speaking in American accented English.  The whole thing seemed a bit surreal because it was as if there were two completely independent Romes, one in which the Holy Father was near death and the other in which everything was normal.

Throughout the day on Saturday, the reports on the Holy Father's health grew steadily more grave.  Oddly, I was confident that he would not pass away until Sunday, which was Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast that he added to the liturgical calendar.  I did think that he would probably pass away during the night, so I decided to return to St. Peter's Square after dinner to hold vigil for him.  Two other priests of the house, Fr. Pablo Gadenz and Fr. Miguel Betancourt went with me.  We arrived at about eight o'clock, and the Holy Father's bedroom was illuminated as were the two adjoining rooms of his apartment.  At about eight fifteen or so, the light went out in the Holy Father's room, and we assumed that he had fallen asleep.  There were probably seventy to hundred thousand people assembled in the square.  The mood was more subdued than on Friday, and there was little singing and a single person waving a Polish flag.  We prayed individually for a while and then some time after nine o'clock a group of cardinals came out and led the joyful mysteries of the rosary in Italian.  At the conclusion of the rosary, one of the cardinals announced that there would be another rosary at midnight and a mass at ten thirty the next morning.  He then asked the crowd in the square to pray silently.  Amazingly the crowd, which was composed largely of Romans, who are not known for being a particularly quiet people, complied.  It was so quiet that I could hear the fountains in the square and I was not very close to them.

We prayed for a few minutes and then the other two priests suggested that we head  back to the Casa.  As we were leaving the square, I looked back at the Papal apartments one last time and noticed that the light was on in the Holy Father's bedroom.  Thinking that it was likely that something had happened, I suggested to Frs. Pablo and Miguel that we wait for a few minutes.  Within five minutes a bishop got on the microphone and led the crowd in a series of Hail Marys and the "Glory Be."  When he finished, the Cardinal Camerlengo took the microphone and announced that the Holy Father had passed away at nine thirty seven.  I am pretty sure that would have been about the time that we were finishing the fourth joyful mystery, the presentation of Jesus in the temple.  We silently prayed for the Holy Father for some time and then Fr. Pablo and I returned to the Casa.

It is interesting to note that in passing away on Saturday night after evening prayer 1 of Sunday, the Holy Father did actually pass away on Divine Mercy Sunday, since liturgically in the Catholic Church, Sunday begins with evening prayer 1 on Saturday.  He also passed away on the first Saturday, which is devoted to the Blessed Mother Mary to whom the Holy Father had a great devotion.  Furthermore, he passed away during the octave of Easter, the eight days following Easter Sunday which are considered an extension of Easter.  Finally, if I am counting the mourning days correctly, the mourning period will end on April 11, the feast of St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr, the patron saint of Poland.  I don't think that there could have been  more appropriate day for the Holy Father to have been called from this life.

We are now in the nine day mourning period.  I have concelebrated several masses for the Holy Father including one in St. Peter's, and I will concelebrate another at St. Peter's tomorrow.  I also went to St. Peter's for the viewing.  Fortunately I went at four in the morning on Tuesday, and I only had to spend about two hours in line.  The wait now is approximately twenty four hours and the line extends all the way across the Tiber River.  The Italian police said that they would not allow anyone to get in line after ten o'clock tonight.

I am definitely going to the funeral, but the authorities are expecting more than two million people so I have no idea if I will be anywhere close to the square.  There is a chance that I may be a communion minister.  If I am so blessed, I should at least see the casket.  Even if I can't see the casket, even if I end up on this side of the Tiber, a mile away from the square, I will attend out of love and respect for the Holy Father.

Personally this has been a sad and a joyous time for me.  I am sad because I so admire and love the Holy Father and because I will miss his leadership of the Church and the inspiration and example that he gave me as a priest.  I am happy for him though because I truly believe that he is in heaven with Christ whom he loved and served so well.

Well, I will sign off now.  I will try to write another report after the funeral.  Please pray for the Holy Father, please pray for the Church and please pray for me and all priests.

Peace,

Fr. Stan

From Our Man in Rome. . . Fr. Stan   

April 17, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

In the first report that I sent you last week, I wrote about the days leading up to the Holy Father's death and the night that he passed away.  In this e-mail I will tell you a little about his funeral and the days that preceded it. 

When I awoke, the Sunday morning after the Holy Father passed away, a priest friend of mine, who is also a resident of the Casa, told me that the Sunday Mass had been moved from 11:30 to 11:00 and would be in Italian instead of English, because we had suffered a tragedy in the Casa.  One of our waiters, Vincenzo, a forty-one year old husband and father of two, had been hit and killed by a drunk driver on the way to work in the Casa that morning.  Since the house superior was in the United States, and the monsignor who was covering for him was giving a retreat that weekend, several of the priests in the house who were up early Sunday, arranged for the earlier Mass to allow the other employees of the Casa to attend.  The Mass thus served as a Memorial Mass for both the Holy Father and for Vincenzo.  The day was difficult for everyone in the Casa, but particularly for the employees, because Vincenzo had worked here most of his adult life and had many friends among the staff.

Sunday and Monday were mostly occupied with trying to find out the details of the funeral and the mourning  days.  I personally spent a lot of time on the internet, reading the tributes that so many people of different religions and countries were offering to the Holy Father.  Again and again I found myself being moved to tears as I was reminded of how much he meant to so many people.  I was filled with gratitude to God for having given the Church such a great pastor, and for having given such a great example of what priests are called to be.

The Holy Father's body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica late Monday afternoon.  Some of the priests from the Casa went to the procession, but I didn't hear about it until after the transfer.  I did decide to view the body after I heard about the transfer.  Since the Basilica was to be closed from two until five Tuesday morning, I decided to go about four in the morning, thinking that I could avoid the anticipated huge lines.  Four of us left the Casa at about four and arrived at the line to enter the Basilica at about four-thirty.  The line stretched about two thirds of the way down the Via della Conciliazione, the broad avenue that leads into St. Peter's Square.  The crowd was mostly Italian, but there were people from many parts of the world: a young Irish couple in their early twenties praying the rosary, religious sisters from various parts of the world, Americans, Germans, and people from the Philippines and many other countries.  Everyone was praying for the Holy Father.  Two of the priests who accompanied me, had classes at eight-thirty, and they were not sure whether they would get in before they had to leave.  As it turned out, we picked a good time to be there.  The crowd moved well and we got in the Basilica at around six-thirty.  Because the crowd was building, by Wednesday, it reached the point that the line crossed over the Tiber river and the wait was twenty-four hours, we had to keep moving and could not stop to pray.  I was grateful to have the chance to see the Holy Father nonetheless.

The biggest concern that I had, was how close I would be during the funeral.  As I wrote in the last report, I was determined to go to the funeral, even if the crowds were so large that I ended up miles away on this side of the Tiber.  Many rumors circulated about whether there would be tickets or passes for priests and whether the Casa would be given any.  By Thursday we were given the word that we had received thirty passes, and that since more than thirty of us requested the passes, there would be a lottery to determine who would receive them.  I was fortunate to receive one of the passes, and at dinner, a group of us arranged to go to St. Peter's together at six on Friday morning.  We did not have any idea where we would be with the passes we had.

By the time we arrived at St. Peter's Square, the crowd was already building and security was very heavy.  The passes got us through several checkpoints, and we at last found ourselves in St. Peter's Square, no more than one hundred feet from where the Holy Father's casket was placed during the funeral mass.  I was stunned that we were so close.  I hadn't dared even hope to be so near.

The funeral liturgy was beautiful.  The Mass was mostly in Latin, but there were parts in Italian, Spanish, German, and French.  The second reading was in English and was beautifully proclaimed by a seminarian from the North American College.  The crowd periodically chanted "Santo subito" or "Saint immediately", and some carried signs saying the same thing.  There were many, many  Polish flags in the square, along with flags of other countries including the United States.  Cardinal Ratzinger gave a moving homily that helped remind us of what a gift the Holy Father had been, precisely because he heeded Jesus" command to Peter, "follow me."  The crowd applauded repeatedly, showing their love and gratitude to the Holy Father when the pall Bearers brought his casket out the Basilica, when Cardinal Ratzinger gave his homily, and at many other moments.  One of the most stirring moments for me was when the patriarchs , metropolitans, and major archbishops of the Oriental Catholic Churches offered the eastern rite commendation of the deceased in Greek and Arabic.  It was a reminder of the universality of the Church and of the Holy Father's ministry.  Another emotional moment was when the pall bearers were taking the casket to the interment, they stopped, turned, and tilted the casket so that the crowd could see the top.  On it was engraved the cross and M that formed the Holy Father's coat of arms.  It was a moment for us to say goodbye to a man who had been a father to us.  We applauded and said farewell to the Holy Father.  May he be with our Eternal Father and with Christ Whom he has served so well, forever.

There is much more that I could write, but this letter has become quite long already.  I  look forward to seeing each of you when I am back home in the States.  I will share more memories with you then. 

Please pray for the Holy Father, for the Cardinals as they prepare to select a new leader for the Church, and for all priests.  Please also pray for Vincenzo and his family.  He was a good man and he will be missed.

Peace,

Fr. Stan