Dear Friends of our Pastorate,
This weekend, we celebrate the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In our Gospel this weekend, we hear the parable of the Rich Fool. This parable is in response to the man who asks Jesus to tell his brother to share the inheritance with him. Both are dealing with Greed, which is one of the seven deadly sins. Greed focuses us too much on a desire for things instead of desiring God. We fall into a state of greed when wealth or power becomes more important than being generous with our time, talent or treasure. The rich fool in today’s parable decides to build additional barns in order to store his abundant harvest instead of sharing his blessings with others. As Jesus instructs us in the Gospel, strive to become rich in what matters to God.
I would like to thank Michaela Stanton and her volunteers who hosted an awesome Vacation Bible School at OLC this past week. Thanks to everyone who has helped transform the Gathering Place into a cabin in the woods of Alaska, where our youth learned that Jesus is the True North who will guide us in our daily lives. Check out OLC’s Facebook page for pictures of the great time had by so many volunteers and participants. Please keep our Pastorate’s youth and volunteers in your prayers as they continue to come to know God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.
Please keep our middle school participants and high school peers in your prayers this week as we offer Summer Mission – Part 2, taking place August 5–6 at St. Jane Frances. We have had an excellent turnout of teens who wish to serve the Lord by serving others in our local community. Special thanks to Carrie Hilmer and Diana Healy for their behind the scenes organizational work to make this event so successful.
Enrollment for Religious Education, Middle School, and High School Youth Ministry has begun. Please go to our websites (stjane.org or olchesapeake.org) to register your kids for our faith formation programs, which begin in September. This year, we will also be offering opportunities for families to participate in our faith formation offerings as we have been asked to do by Archbishop Lori.
Also at Archbishop Lori’s request, we are beginning our three year process of moving the age of Confirmation to age 9. This year, all incoming 8th graders and 9th graders should be enrolling in our standalone Confirmation program (including all students in Catholic Schools.) If you have a child entering 8th or 9th grade this fall, please be sure to enroll them in our Confirmation preparation program in addition to Middle School and High School Youth Ministry programs.
Mark your calendars for the Solemnity of the Assumption, a Holy Day of Obligation (think Opportunity) which is Friday, August 15th. Masses will be offered on Thursday, August 14th at 7:00pm at St. Jane, and Friday, August 15th at 8:30am (St Jane), 12:00pm (OLC), and 7:00pm (OLC).
Thank you for keeping our Pastorate of the Visitation—Our Lady of the Chesapeake and St. Jane Frances—in your daily prayers!
God Bless,
Father Steve
