Jan 04, 2024

Greetings, 

If you have not had a chance to see it, there is a painting temporarily installed next to the St. Joseph statue in the front of the church. It depicts the Holy Family’s Flight Into Egypt. It was painted by the same gentlemen who painted the St. Joan of Arc painting that is now hanging at the seminary (and should make a visit back to us in May.) The Holy Family painting will remain in the church until the end of the Christmas season at which time it will be moved to the chapel in the rectory.

The Flight Into Egypt is written about in the Gospel of Matthew and occurs shortly after the visitation of the Magi. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and tells him to take Mary and the infant and flee to Egypt because Herod, who feared that the New Born King of the Jews was a threat to his power, was going to seek to kill Him. This scene depicts the many challenges there is in family life and the call to “never give up.”

IN OTHER NEWS:

UPCOMING EVENTS: Here are some events that are coming up soon if you want to mark them on your calendar.

• 12 January at 7 pm, there will be an evening of French music performed on our organ by Ralph Holtzhauser.
• 20/21 January Saint Sebastian Feast Day!
• 20 January Our Annual St. Sebastian Feast Day Dinner. See elsewhere in the bulletin for more details.
• 22 January 7pm Theology on the Rocks. I will be speaking to kick off the New Year. The topic will be how to be a faithful and fa aith filled Catholic during a time when there seems to be so much turmoil in the Church. Scandals, politicians in the Communion line, confusion from the Pope. How are we to be faithful in this mess?
• 28 January Catholic Schools Week Open House
• January is also Respect Life Month. Please keep this cause for the just and humane treatment of all our brothers and sisters from conception until natural death.

THANK YOU: Awhile back I let you know that the parish was experiencing cash flow difficulties. Owing to the delaying of funds coming into the school and the loss of a Mass collection because of the changes concerning the Extraordinary Form. A huge thank you to everybody who is stepping up to the plate. It is greatly appreciated.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck