Mental Health Resources

01-29-2021Weekly Flocknote MessageFr. James Aboyi, V.C.

It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, the news about Coronavirus did not get a lot of attention by many people around the world. The unbelievable rate at which the virus spread across the globe is a reminder of how much we are all connected as one human family and how much we depend on each other to survive. I thank God that we have not had an outbreak of the Coronavirus in our parish community through the year. However, I am aware that a number of our parish families have been affected directly by the virus in different ways. If you or anyone in your family tested positive for the virus, or if you lost a loved one to the virus, please know that you are in my prayers for healing. The mental stress and other indirect impact of the pandemic are equally devastating.

It is good to know that help is around the corner with the limited availability of the vaccine. While the vaccine may help with prevention of further spread of the virus, unfortunately it cannot address the problem of the mental stress we are all experiencing. A number of people have asked me to recommend some counseling programs that share our Catholic values. This is not to discriminate or patronize only Catholic counseling programs, but we are all aware that going to a counselor who shares and understands our values plays a significant role in the healing process. Here is a link to a number of counseling programs listed on our Diocesan website.

Happy Feast of St. John Bosco

I wish our SJB community a happy Feast Day as we celebrate the Feast of St. John Bosco on Sunday, January 31st. St. John Bosco is the Patron Saint of young people and school children. It is no wonder that the annual Catholic School Week is always celebrated on the week of the Feast of St. John Bosco. We are so blessed to have him as the patron saint of our school.

The 47th Annual Catholic Schools Week (CSW) begins this Sunday in all Dioceses of the United States from January 31stth- February 5th. The theme for 2021 CSW this year is: “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” This theme embodies the core values found in Catholic schools across the country; that is, to train the child academically, morally, spiritually, and socially so they can become future servant leaders, faith-filled disciples, and good citizens. The overall goal of CSW is to showcase what makes Catholic schools distinctively different from other schools and to help schools connect with prospective families looking to find the right school for their children, donors, educators, and other community members.

We have several activities lined up for each day throughout the week here in our SJB community. We will begin the CSW with a celebration of Mass on Sunday, January 31st in our parish. Students, parents, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend any Sunday Mass, in person or through our St. Benedict Church live-stream channel on YouTube. Other events and activities include: school-wide Rosary/Prayer Service, Penny Wars, Cans Across the Campus, Field Day, a St. John Bosco Play, and more.

Jamie Bescak will be giving private tours to prospective families interested in enrolling for the 2021-22 school year. I encourage you to sign up for a private tour during Feb. 1st - 4th. Click here for a private tour or give the school office a call at 480.219.4848. (Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d4fa8a82fa1fb6-open )

Latest News from our Bishop!

O Sacred Feast
A Pastoral Letter from Bishop Olmsted to all the Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix

O Sagrado Banquete
Una Carta Pastoral del Obispo Olmsted a todos los fieles de la Diócesis de Phoenix

Have a wonderful weekend and Remain Blessed.
Fr. James Aboyi, VC
Pastor

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