September 29, 2019

A BIG Shout Out!
         Another great year to celebrate and give thanks!  To all who were a part of this year’s Harvest Home Dinner & Festival, thank you for your labors and participation.  This was the 130 ^th such gathering and celebration at Saint Alphonsus.  Like the first time it was held in 1889, it was about families, good friends, and an amazing meal together.  Praise God!  Special thanks to the Lead Committee Members: Lee Anne Davison, Rose Lechmanick, and Sharon Winkler.  What a massive undertaking!  What a witness of teamwork in having almost 40 committee chairs and co-chairs.  Great job!  And to the legions of volunteers and patrons alike, we are so blessed! 
     Thanks to Jack White and his team of volunteers who coordinated the Twilight 5K & Fun Run.  What a great family and community event now in its fourth year!  There was a pump-up in numbers of participants for this year’s run.  This was my first experience Fun Run (though not a participant).  What a great evening of fun, competition and celebration!  It was good to welcome back Fr. Kevin who had the vision for and initiated what has now become a fantastic annual event.  I want to thank Fr. Murphy as well for also joining us for the Sunday afternoon events and dinner.  It means so much when priests who formerly served the parish are welcomed back to the families that they have loved and served.  
It’s amazing what we can do together.  Everyone worked so hard and yet no one walked away a penny richer.  However, we have all been blessed by this experience of working together to support the good works of the Church through our parish and the mission of Catholic education by donating one half of the proceeds to Blessed Francis Seelos Academy.   Again, thank you for your effort and support, and may God be praised in all that we do!
 
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!
     This coming Thursday, October 3, Jeffery Michael Craig, a son of Saint Alphonsus Parish, will be ordained a deacon at Saint Peter Basilica in the Vatican City.  Along with his parents, Glenn and Laurie Craig, are Jeff’s brothers Chris, and Kevin, and his sister Marcie.  The Ordination Mass will include a number of his classmates from across the United States who are studying in Rome while residing at the North American College.
   We look forward to welcoming Jeff home during his Christmas break at which time we will celebrate his ordination to the Diaconate with the Catholic Community of Wexford family.  Please continue to pray for Jeff and his classmates that God will complete the good work He has begun in them.  Please, help to promote a culture of vocations by praying and encouraging our young people to prayerfully discern the gifts God has given them and how they are being called to use them.  This is for the sake of our children's joy and God's glory!  Amen - AMEN!