June 16, 2019

Happy Fathers Day!
To all our fathers, stepfathers and grandfathers, we extend blessings and kind wishes on this Father’s Day. May you know God’s gratitude for all your love and sacrifices made on behalf of your children and family. Know too, the continued intercession of good St. Joseph, the patron saint of all fathers.
You may be surprised to learn that the origin of Father’s Day can be traced back to the ruins of Babylon. Thay have recorded that a young boy called Elmesu carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4000 years ago. Seriously! Elmesu wished his father good health and a long life.
The modern version of Father’s Day originated in the United States and then spread to other countries around the world. For this, we owe thanks to Sonora Louise Smrt Dodd. She was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in her hometown of Spokane, WA in 1909. She thought that since there was a day to honor mothers, why not a day to honor fathers? She felt strongly about the affection she had received from her own father, William Jackson Smart.
Appreciating the increased popularity of Father’s Day celebrations in the United States, President Woodrow Wilson approved of this idea in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge also supported this idea to “establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress on all fathers the full measure of their obligations.”
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. Finally, in 1977, President Richard Nixon established this day as a national observance to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It was in 1978 that Mrs. Sonora Dodd died at the age of 96.

A Prayer For Fathers

God our Father, you govern and protect your people
and shepherd them with a father’s love.
You place a father in a family as a sign of your love, care, and constant protection.
May fathers everywhere be faithful to the example shown in the Scriptures: steadfast in love, forgiving transgressions, sustaining the family, caring for those in need.
Give your wisdom to fathers that they may encourage and guide their children.
Keep them healthy so they may support their family.
Guide every father with a Spirit of your love that they may grow in holiness and draw their family closer to you.
Amen.

Vacation?
School is out and summer is here! Hopefully, you will have an opportunity to take a vacation whether near or far. However, as Catholics, any vacation should never exclude the Lord and going to Mass. Thank God that the Lord never takes a vacation from us. After all, God is the source of our rest and all of life’s blessings – including vacations! What a wonderful opportunity to worship the Lord in the community that we find ourselves, in the company of fellow Catholics – all members of one universal family; that’s the Church!
When making arrangements to travel, it is not uncommon to go online and make reservations for lodging, inquire about recommended places to dine, ask about attractions in the area. Why not inquire as to where the local Catholic church is located and what times that Mass is celebrated. Visit masstimes.org to assist you. To make it convenient for you to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation when you travel, go online to and learn more. Make every journey meaningful by traveling with the Lord!
Kindly remember the importance of your continued financial support of your parish when traveling. Just like our homes, the parish has no vacation from paying the expenses of ministry, utilities, insurance, salaries, maintenance, etc. Thank you for your regular practice of faithful and responsible stewardship throughout the year. And for sure, have a great summer!