May 08, 2024

Greetings,

This past week our Parish School Principal, Mr. Rohr, was presented with the Christ the Teacher award which is given by the Diocese to a principal whose school experienced
growth of 50% or better in math and reading in every grade level for three consecutive years in a row. That is a mighty high bar to hurdle, and St. Sebastian Parish School was
one of only three in the entire diocese to achieve this award. It was given to Mr. Rohr, but my congratulations extends also to teachers, aides, students, parents and to all of
you who make our school possible. Well done! Please keep our school, particularly our Catholic mission, in your prayers.

IN OTHER NEWS:

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!: A very happy and blessed Mother’s Day to all of our Moms. May Mary, Mother of Our Lord, intercede for you and bless you in your vocation!

AWAY: I will be gone much of this week, and I am happy to pass along news that Fr. Blau O. P. will be filling in during my absence. You might remember him giving our popular Lenten Mission. Welcome Fr. Blau!

WELCOME: There are a few more people to welcome to the parish this week. Fr. Fred Alexander will be staying at the rectory for a few days as he makes a visitation as spiritual director to the Third Order Carmelites who meet here at St. Sebastian Parish. Welcome!

It is time for seminarians to begin showing up for the summer. Vague plans are forming but from what I can tell, Christopher Villarreal should be bringing his bags into the rectory before you read this. John Scantling will follow soon after. Simon Park is a seminarian from the Diocese of Daegu, South Korea. He will study here at our seminary and, having successfully navigated his formation, be ordained a priest, and serve in our diocese for a few years before returning to South Korea. He was assigned to our parish to work on his English skills, so please engage him in conversation and help him grow in his ability to serve well as a priest.

ORDINATION: Saturday, May 18 at 10am is ordination to the priesthood at our Cathedral of St. John. There is only one man being ordained this year, Deacon Michael Garvin, which is probably why we will not be receiving a replacement for Fr. Bozek when he leaves in May. The following years the numbers hover around 7 or 8, so hopefully then!
Deacon Garvin is a member of St. Hilary Parish. His brothers and their families belong to St. Sebastian Parish and can be regularly seen sitting in the front pews. Congratulations to you all.

ANOTHER CONGRATULATIONS: Trinity Villarreal of our parish has just been appointed to the Bishop’s Youth Advisory Board. Congratulations and well done. Know of my prayers that you will serve well.

LYNN’S FINAL ORGAN CONCERT AS OUR DIRECTOR OF MUSIC: I so hope that you can make it to Lynn’s final concert this coming Sunday, May 19 at 7pm to offer our thanks for so many years of devotion to the musical programming here at St. Sebastian. She will be joined by other musicians and our choir bolstered by returning members creating a very large singing ensemble. The concert is free and open to the public.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck