Thank you Father Daniel! Many have said, and I must fully agree, that Saint Pius X hit the jackpot with our Parochial Vicar. Father Daniel is one of the holiest, most thoughtful and generous priests in the world. During my recent bout with COVID, he stepped forward to cover all the Masses last weekend and did so with grace and energy. We are all so blessed to have him with us.

Let’s celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation: This Sunday at 4:00 PM we will have about a dozen confessors available for you. We will begin with a short prayer service and then allow you the opportunity to celebrate God’s great gift of mercy and forgiveness. Please join us.

The School Leadership Council met this past week. One of the major agenda items was communication. Quite honestly, this is the continual challenge not just for the school ministry of our parish, but for most of us. We know that this is a challenge and will continue to work to share the great things that are happening. To learn more about all of our ministries, in addition to the website and the bulletin, check out our Facebook page as well.

Sign up for Flocknotes: As a parish we communicate with Flocknote, a messaging service. In order for you to sign up, you can go to spx.flocknote.com. You will need to enter your name and an email address or a cell phone number (or both). If you enter an email, you will receive notifications that way; if you enter a cell phone number, you will receive notifications through text messages.

Pastoral Council will meet this week. We will continue to talk about our pastoral goals of music ministry, developing a culture of welcome and engagement, and establishing small groups. Last month we discussed some mission projects–more information will be coming after the new year.

All Set For Sunday

• You will find the readings for this Sunday here.
• This weekend we hear the cry of John the Baptist, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Clearly, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one important way we do this. Confessing our sins and acknowledging our need levels the mountains of pride that prevent the Lord from coming to us.
• A second way that we prepare the way of the Lord is by filling in our valleys with prayer. Imagine how much you could assist another person prepare for Christ’s coming by simply asking him or her what prayers are needed, and then taking the time to pray with that person. As a community that seeks to become more welcoming and engaging more deeply in our faith, take the opportunity to pray with another person today.

Announcements

The Catholic Tuition Organization (“CTO”) was established 18 years ago, helping to make Catholic education more affordable for all. Awards are based on need, and grant recipients receive a reduction in tuition of between 10%-49%. This year 42% of our St. Pius students received a grant from CTO. The new Education Savings Accounts (ESA’s) are helping reduce the remaining burden for those who qualify, but CTO is the first source of funding applied towards tuition. For our St. Pius students, the grants from CTO allow more of their ESA balance to be used towards supplemental instruction needs or saved for pricier Dowling Catholic as they continue their faith-based education. Iowa donors to CTO receive a 75% Iowa tax credit, meaning a gift of $1,000 towards Catholic education reduces the donor’s Iowa tax burden by $750 (Federal tax benefits also available). Learn more at www.ctodsmdiocese.org or contact CTO board member and SPX parishioner Kevin Shires at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

December 8, 2023