HAPPY FATHERS’ DAY!  

We join together this weekend to thank God for the gift of fathers and fatherhood.  We live in a time where “father” has become negative—think paternal, patronize—and the role of the father has been down-played.  It becomes more important for us to celebrate fathers as gift from God, who is the perfect Father.  As our school children often sing, “He is a good, good Father.”  We pray that our fathers can draw inspiration and strength from the saints as they live their vocation to love their wives and give life to their children.

ALL SET FOR SUNDAY

The readings for Sunday can be found here.  We are challenged in our readings this weekend to surrender to God every thing we believe we have and trust that He will bring forth great things.  When we look at creation, we see God doing exactly this—He takes a seed and brings forth giant trees.  He takes a human person and brings forth a mighty nation.  He takes bread and brings forth His Son into the world.  Look around and see the great works of a Father who loves us.

NEWS IN THE PEWS

• JUNE 30 is the date for our training for Liturgical Ministries.  When we announced last week, I forgot about a major event in Council Bluffs (see below) on June 23.  We will train existing and new folks as lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and sacristans after the 11:00 AM Mass.  Please join us!
• The National Eucharistic Procession  is coming to the Diocese of Des Moines through Council Bluffs on Sunday, June 23. Details for the Serra Route through our Diocese can be found here.  If you are able, please make the pilgrimage to Council Bluffs for this amazing event.
• We are still seeking to hire someone to lead our Worship Ministries at Saint Pius.  This leader will work with Cathy and Ben (who has been serving as an intern) to direct all aspect of our community’s liturgical ministries, including music.  Please join me in praying a Memore daily for our Blessed Mother to intercede for us in finding the right person for this ministry.
• As you may have noted in these posts, we are going to be restructuring our professional folks at Saint Pius.  The titles and direction of our ministries are going to be going through transformation to bring us into alignment with Bishop Joensen’s vision for the Diocese and our visioning work with the Pastoral Council.  In August we will inviting you into deeper relationships with Christ and with each other—truly, more to come.
• Iowa Catholic Radio would like to start broadcasting morning Masses from Saint Pius in a rotation with other parishes.  In order to do this, we need to raise about $1400 more—thanks to our Holy Name Society and Outreach Committee who have already given donations to make this a reality.  Please contact Dean if you would like to help us out.
• Summer Projects are under way.  I need to make a clarification as I think I may not have spoken clearly on this topic.  Our normal operating income coming from your regular tithing through envelopes, automatic payments, web site donations, etc. supports our regular operating expenses (payroll, utilities, insurance,  routine maintenance, etc.).  The Saint Pius reserve funds and special donations pay for our major projects.  The Finance Council authorized us to be able to spend up to $300,000 for these special projects this summer.  Some of the projects are required by state and local authorities (updating the sprinkler system in the school); others make our campus safer (fixing the concrete, repainting the parking lots lines, fixing the retaining wall).  We also need to be the best stewards of our resources (adding bathrooms to the preschool program is much less expensive and easier than hiring additional staffing to maintain adult-child ratios).  The Finance Council and its Building and Grounds Committee prioritize our special projects list and advise on implementation.  Of course, we always pray that nothing major happens that requires immediate attention (retaining wall, A/C units that break).
• Father Daniel and I are also developing our liturgical wishlist (bringing the tabernacle into full view in the church, additional counter and storage space for vessels and music ministry items, a vestment set for major celebrations with enough chasuble and dalmatics for our assigned priests and deacons plus guest concelebrants, the ICR request above).  You will hear about these in the coming weeks and months as well. 

LET’S KEEP PRAYING

There is lots happening in our world around us.  Please keep praying for and with each other.  Everyone needs prayer—be courageous as a disciple of Jesus and pray!