Catholic Schools Week

01-27-2019Weekly ReflectionFr. James Aboyi

Dear Parishioners,

This week we observe Catholic Schools Week in all Dioceses in the United States. Catholic Schools Week is an annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It is observed beginning the last Sunday in January and runs all week. The theme for 2019 is "Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed." There will be several events and activities throughout the week, both at the Diocese and also in our parish and school. The high point of the Diocesan event will be the celebration of Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral at 10 am on Wednesday, January 31. This will be followed by the Catholic Schools Rally at the State Capitol.

Here, in our parish and the SJB community, we have several events lined up for each day throughout the week. We will begin our observation of Catholic Schools Week with a celebration of Mass on Sunday, January 27 here in our parish and at Corpus Christi. Students, parents, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend any Sunday Mass at St. Benedict, and the 8:30 am and 10:30 am Masses at Corpus Christi. The events and activities of each day through the week will be dedicated to a special theme. The theme for Monday the 28th is "Celebrating Your Community," Tuesday is "Celebrating Your Students," Wednesday is "Celebrating Your Nation," Thursday is "Celebrating Vocation," and Friday is "Celebrating Faculty, Staff and Volunteers." The high point of our celebration will be the recognition of the feast day of our patron saint, St. John Bosco, on Thursday with an Open House, a play about St. John Bosco, and other events. We will end the Catholic Schools Week celebration with a special Mass at 11:15 am on Friday, February 1. I invite everyone to come and join us!

I want to thank all those who participated in the Pro-Life March last week. I was very impressed to see the number of young people that participated this year. As we all know, being Pro-Life is not just about abortion, but it is about the protection of life from the moment of conception to natural death. This is not just about taking a political stand, but it is about our religious, moral, and civic obligation to speak for the voiceless, to stand for the helpless, and protect vulnerable infants and adults at all times. Something tells me that a time will come when people will look back at this generation and thank the Catholic Church for standing courageously for Life, just as people now look back to the time of slavery and thank those who even gave their lives to end the slavery.

Thank you and Remain Blessed.

Fr. JamesBACK TO LIST