Dear Parishioners,

The Ministry Fair weekend is here at last! We have all been working so hard, planning and preparing for this weekend through the year. I am so excited and looking forward to the fun after all the Masses this weekend. The overall goal of the Ministry Fair is not to just showcase our ministries, but to provide opportunities for everyone to get involved in the different ministries they feel called to join. Every Catholic is called to participate in building God’s Church through our services in different ministries. Everyone has different talents and something to contribute to the growth of the parish community. The Ministry Fair gives us the opportunity to know what ministries we have available and what each ministry does.

Dear Parishioners,

This week we welcome the beautiful month of October. October is quite unique for several reasons. Significant within the first week, on October 4, is the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi when many people have their pets blessed. The blessing of pets on the feast day of St. Francis is not an official practice of the Church, but more of a private devotion. It originated from the biography of St. Francis, which shows that he loved animals so much that he called them brothers and sisters. There are so many stories about St. Francis’ friendship with animals. One of the most famous stories about him holds that he tamed a wolf, that used to terrorize the people of Gubbio village, by just asking it to be friendly with the people.

This year, our St. John Bosco community will observe their symbolic blessing of pets on Friday, October 4, right after the morning Mass. We will have the general blessing of pets on Saturday, October 5, at 10 am in the north parking lot. Please hold and stay with your pets. Remember to bring the cats and dogs (in particular) on a leash or be ready to separate fights.

Dear Parishioners,

The Scripture Readings today invite us to reflect on our roles as Stewards of the Lord and His Church. Many priests feel very uncomfortable preaching or talking about stewardship in the Church, mostly because it is often associated with soliciting for money. However, the Church’s teaching on stewardship means more than that. A steward is someone who is entrusted with the responsibility of managing something on behalf of the owner. Our Christian understanding of stewardship takes its root from God’s command to Adam and Eve when he said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth” (Gen 1:28).

Catechetical Sunday

This weekend, the Church celebrates Catechetical Sunday when all those who serve in Religious Education and Formation Programs are blessed and commissioned for their ministry. The theme for Catechetical Sunday this year is “Stay with Us.” We are blessed with 56 volunteer Catechists in our parish. Last week, I was so excited to see our children and Catechists when I visited the classes to welcome them back to the 2019/20 RE program. I thank all of our Catechists for responding to God’s call to serve our parish community through their ministry. Let us give them our support as they help our children and teens grow in their faith. The following Q & A from the US Bishops Conference website might help to clarify some of the questions you might have concerning Catechetical Sunday.

Welcome Back to the Religious Education Programs

I welcome our children, parents and Catechists back from summer break to the 2019/20 Religious Education Programs. Special welcome to the new families who are joining our RE programs this year. Classes will start for all grades this week. I thank our Faith Formation staff and volunteer leaders for their commitment to help our children grow in the faith. This year, we are blessed with twelve new volunteers, for a total of 56 Catechists and Core Leaders!

Happy Grandparents’ Day

I wish all grandparents in our community a Happy Grandparents’ Day and God’s blessings as we celebrate the Grandparents’ Day this weekend. One of the most exciting blessings in life is to live to see one’s grand- and great-grandchildren. The roles of grandparents are becoming increasingly crucial in our time than ever before. This is mostly because grandparents bring stability to families, especially as parents are often increasingly busy with dual career demands, education, long-hours jobs, out of town commitments, etc. Naturally, grandparents have a kind of unique connection with their grandchildren that strengthens the family bond in a special way.

Dear Parishioners,

New Liturgy Coordinator

I am pleased to announce that the parish has hired a new Liturgy Coordinator, Mr. Luis Rodriguez. Mr. Rodriguez comes with five years of experience in liturgy and music from Holy Spirit Parish in Tempe. He has also studied extensively in music and business administration, and can speak several languages. Please join me in welcoming Luis Rodriguez to our parish community!