A Heartfelt Thank You…

Dear Parishioners,

It has been a gift from God to be part of St. Jane Frances Parish these past 2-1/2 years. The support shown to me, and the sincere faith of the parishioners, has been inspiring. I’m also grateful for all of the wisdom and camaraderie of Fr. Carl and the parish staff, and also the efforts of the parish secretaries to help keep me organized.

Please keep me in your prayers as I embark on my new adventure in ministry at Sacred Heart and St. Charles parishes. I will remember you frequently in my prayers and as I celebrate the Eucharist.

In The Lord,
Fr. John Jicha

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Very few of us would be as crass as the man in today’s gospel (Luke 14:1, 7-14). However, we all seek approval and appreciation of one kind or another. That’s human nature, and there is nothing wrong with it. It’s how we go about it that matters. The man in the gospel arrogantly grasped for it. He assumed that it was his entitlement to have the place of honor. It was an act of self-pride. However, pride is not a virtue, humility is. The person most highly honored by God was and is, Mary, who is noted for her humility. If we want the highest honor and sign of approval, then we must imitate Mary. Only God’s final approval really counts for anything.

- Fr. Carl

When It Rains, It Pours!

It’s hard to believe that the summer is coming to an end. It seems like only yesterday that I made that wonderful pilgrimage to see the Shroud in Turin and attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau. In addition to the personnel changes I mentioned in last week’s bulletin, we have been busy sprucing up the campus here. The tiles under the pews received some much needed attention. They received several coats of sealer and several coats of wax which will, hopefully, extend their life span. The floor of the school/parish hall has been cleaned and waxed. Finally, the bathrooms in the hall have been completely renovated and are beautiful. With all the expense and hard work put into these projects, we ask you to treat them with TLC so that we can be proud of our facilities and enjoy them for many years to come.

However, there is more to be done. Isn’t there always? The rain these past several weeks revealed some leaks in the church, sacristy, and hall roofs which will need repairs. Thanks, again, for your extra donations to our building and maintenance funds. Your generosity has helped us keep on functioning.

God Bless,
Fr. Carl

Hail and Farewell

“Ave atque vale.” That’s Latin for “Hail and farewell.” This month we say “Hail” to Joanne Haney who joins us as our new Director of Faith Formation or DRE. She will also be our new Youth Minister. Joanne comes to us with vast experience in both ministries, and we are blessed to have her join our staff.

At the same time, we say “Farewell” to Melissa Boyle who has been our Youth Minister for the last seven years, and has been involved in extensive volunteer work for many more years. She will be teaching religion at Seton Keough High School where I know she will do a fantastic job. However, Melissa will not be leaving the parish; she will continue to volunteer here wherever her talents are needed. We wish her all the best in her new career as a teacher and as a mother when her baby arrives this fall.

Finally, we say “Farewell” to Father John who leaves for a new assignment at Sacred Heart Glyndon. Fr. John stepped in and kept the parish running smoothly in the interim between Fr. Cunningham’s departure. He was also a tremendous help when I arrived, providing wisdom and insight into the parish operations and personalities. I wish him all the best in his new assignment.

There will be a farewell reception with light refreshments to honor and thank Fr. John on Saturday, August 28th after the 5:00 p.m. Mass in our Parish Hall.

- Fr. Carl

Antidote for Greed

Last Sunday we heard the story of the rich man whose crops yielded such a rich harvest that he had to build bigger ones to store the extra grain. Jesus said he was foolish because he thought only of himself. He was a poor steward of God’s material blessings because he did not share with the poor and needy, nor did he give anything to support the temple. He was a greedy and selfish steward. This week Jesus gives us the antidote for greed. He tells us to give alms to the poor, for in giving our money to those in need, we gain a treasure we cannot lose, a treasure that cannot be destroyed, a treasure that will last for eternity. All we have to do is be generous stewards of God’s gifts.

- Fr. Carl

Be Both Wise and Happy

The other day on the radio, I heard that many of us are not saving enough money for retirement. We are spending but not saving. In short, we are very foolish, for the day will come when we find ourselves in a financial crunch. We are very unwise.

In today’s Gospel, we hear the story of a rich man who does just the opposite. He saves and he stores away tremendous wealth for the future. Yet Jesus calls him a fool. He is a fool because he saves his wealth for himself only. He was selfish. He should have spent some of his wealth on the poor and the needy. Had he been generous with his wealth, he would have been storing up riches in heaven. He would have been a wise man and a good steward of God’s gifts.

Let us pray for the grace to become better stewards of God’s gifts. Certainly we have to save for our future financial needs and not waste money on frivolous pleasures. But we also need to be generous in giving of our time, talent, and treasure to God. Then we will be both wise and happy.

- Fr. Carl

Appreciate the Giver

Near the end of World War II, my father’s ship was in Shanghai, China for some time. One day he came upon a beautiful cedar chest with all kinds of figures and scenes carved into the wood. When he approached the man who carved it, the man asked for more money than my father could afford. So each day my father went back to bargain, and each day the price dropped a little. Finally, after a week the price came down enough to where my father could afford it, and he bought it. His persistence paid off.

Today’s scripture lessons teach us a similar lesson with regard to prayer. Abraham’s persistence delayed the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham’s bargaining with God would have spared these two cities from destruction if only 10 good men could be found. Unfortunately, there were not even 10 good men, and those two cities were destroyed. In the gospel, after Jesus gives his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, he reminds his disciples to be persistent in their prayers. Basically the God to whom we are praying is a loving God who wants to give us what is good for us. However, he wants us to appreciate what he gives, and if we get what we want too easily, we neither appreciate the gift nor the giver.

-Fr. Carl