Thank you

Father Daniel and I were both touched and honored by so many folks remembering us at Christmas.  The cards, notes and gifts were such a joy to receive and experience your affection and kindness towards us.  We both tried very hard to send out notes of appreciation and gratitude...in case we missed you, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your kindness and pardon our oversight.  We both are so happy to be a part of the Saint Pius family.

Seminarians

In the past month we have been privileged to have two seminarians join us at Saint Pius.  First, Mike Posegate, a native of our parish, was home from his studies at Loras College and generously served at weekday, funeral and Sunday Masses.  Second, Dominic Nguyen, a native of Saint Peter's Vietnamese Community, was assigned to us by the Vocation Director to complete his 10-day January Term Pastoral Experience from Saint Paul Seminary at the University of Saint Thomas in Minnesota.  Dominic interviewed priests and diocesan leaders about the history and future of the Diocese while living at Saint Pius.  He visited classrooms in our school and faith formation ministries, attended meetings, served at weekday, funeral and Sunday Masses and met many of you.  It was great to have both of these fine young men with us, and it offers us the reminder to pray for them and all our seminarians as they discern God's call to service in the Church.

Reflecting back on nineteen years

 Last Monday, January 22, I marked my 19th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood by Bishop John F. Kinney.  As you can probably relate, I am not sure where the last nineteen years have gone.  As I have shared with you previously, I spent the majority of the time at Saint Boniface parish in Cold Spring, MN, as the parochial vicar (2005--2008), a sacramental minister when I was home (2008--2013) and as pastor (2013--2023).  I have also had the great opportunity to serve as a sacramental minister at Our Lady of Mercy parish in Potomac, MD (2008--2012) during my graduate studies, and as a pastor of Saints Peter & Paul in Richmond, MN (2017--2023), Saint James of Jacobs Prairie in Cold Spring (2017--2013) and Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Rockville, MN (2020--2023).   These past six months as the Canonical Parochial Administrator of Saint Pius have both been rewarding and challenging as I have been also navigating a new way of life.  Above all I am grateful to God for the ministry and experiences with which I have been blessed as a priest, and ask His blessings on the future.  Thank you for allowing me to be a priest in your midst.

News in the Pews

Our Pastoral Council will be meeting on Thursday, February 1 to participate in a training program in order to pilot groups designed to allow people to know and be known by Christ and other people.  These groups are being designed with a "zero-entry" mentality meaning that one does not need previous knowledge or experience and a simple way to engage with a group no longer than 10 people in which the joy and power of a relationship with Jesus Christ might be shared.  The members of the Pastoral Council volunteered to pilot this process in the coming months with an intention to invite others into the experience after we find a proven model that will work for us at Saint Pius.

Our Finance Council was introduced to the first part of our budget discussions last week.  There is a lot more work that needs to be accomplished.

Bishop Joensen announced a "pause" in the process to implement the Des Moines Regional Catholic Schools.  This pause is meant to allow pastors and administrators along with principals and business managers an opportunity to discuss with diocesan and the regional schools leadership the vision and aims for the Des Moines Regional Catholic Schools as well as how to best achieve these goals.  In the short-term this means that there are not changes to our Saint Pius or any Catholic parish school as a ministry of the parish. 

This weekend we will be having a special second collection for the Diocesan Solidarity Fund.  The collection will be used to help parishes in our diocese who have experienced hardships, like Saint Mary's of Hamburg who sustained damage in floods a few years back.  Rather than have special collections whenever these happen, the Bishop is asking for an annual collection so that the funds are available when the need arises. 

All Set for Sunday

The readings for this Sunday can be found here.  Jesus is different.  Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah and so many others all spoken on behalf of God to the Chosen People.  The rabbis all interpreted the Sacred Writings based on what they had been taught from their teachers who passed on what they had received. 

Jesus is different.  Jesus speaks with His own authority.  Jesus is the Word of God.  Allow Jesus to speak to you with this Divine Authority.  Allow Jesus to challenge you this week.  Allow Jesus to affirm you.  Allow Jesus to speak to you.