Tomorrow, we celebrate Labor Day, the last holiday of summer. This is a good opportunity to ask God to bless the work of our hands and give thanks to Him for the gift of work through which we make our living, provide for our families, and share our gifts with our community for the good of all. We also pray for those who cannot find work and may be discouraged, that God will help them through our willingness to reach out and comfort and encourage them. Labor Day, like all of our holidays, should be much more than a day off of work or school, but a day for us to focus on a certain aspect of our relationship with God. On Labor Day, we can focus on the many ways that God has blessed us by giving us all different gifts and talents so that we can share them with one another and so give Glory to God and build up His kingdom here on earth. I hope that your day is a time for recreation and for getting together with family and friends. Of course, a good way to begin the day is with God by participating in the Mass at 9 AM, tomorrow morning, in the church.
FAITH FORMATION YOUTH MINISTRIES will begin this month. Roots for grades Pre-K-4 will begin September 15; Ablaze for those preparing for Confirmation will begin September 29; The Vine for middle school students is scheduled to start September 16; and 10:10 for high school students will begin September 15. Parents, please make sure your children are registered. The forms are available at the parish website (shofjesus.com). EVERY STUDENT IN GRADES PRe-K-12 SHOULD BE REGISTERED FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, WHETHER THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND/OR THESE YOUTH MINISTRIES. This is a very important responsibility for all parents. When you brought your children to the church for Baptism you promised God that you would share the Catholic Faith with them. This is more than just bringing them to Mass on Sunday. It is important that the children come to the age -appropriate Faith Formation Ministry and that the parents take time to talk about what they are learning in their ministry. Please take the time to look at the materials and share with them your own faith and knowledge. This is what it means to be the primary educator of your children in the ways of faith. The Church teaches us very clearly that this is a sacred responsibility given to parents. The MOST important gift you give to your children is your faith in God, for that is what will bring them to eternal life.
UNBOUND is an international nonprofit based in Kansas City, Kansas, and founded by lay Catholics grounded in the Gospel, called to put the needs of the marginalized and vulnerable first. By providing personal attention and direct benefits, we help children, youth, elders and their families in Africa, Asia and Latin America build their unique paths out of poverty. We invite all people of goodwill to join our community and walk in solidarity with the world’s poor through one-to-one sponsorship. The connections we create foster relationships and transform lives across geographic, economic, and social divides. Responsible, transparent financial management is a hallmark of Unbound. We ensure contributions work hard to meet sponsored friends’ needs, resulting in top ratings from independent charity evaluators. In 2023, 90.2% of Unbound’s expenses went toward program support, with more than $114 million in direct assistance to our programs around the world. They are committed to keeping costs low to send the maximum amount of support where it’s needed most. Our sponsored friends, and our sponsors, deserve that.
Next weekend we will welcome Fr. George Brennan who will speak at all the Masses on behalf of Unbound to give you the opportunity to sponsor a child and the family. There will not be a second collection just the opportunity to sign up to be a sponsor. This is a very wonderful organization. I became a sponsor almost 40 years ago and I am truly impressed by the work they do. Check out their web site at, unbound.org, for more information.
THAT MAN IS YOU: Is a men’s program that combines the latest findings of modern science with the teachings of the Church and the wisdom of the saints to develop authentic male leaders capable of transforming themselves, their families, and our society. See the bulletin or the parish web site for more info and to sign up. May God guide you to becoming the man He created you to be.
BECOMING CATHOLIC: September 25 we will begin the classes for Becoming Catholic. The classes are held in the lower level of the church from 7:00 to 8:30pm. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the Catholic Faith or becoming Catholic, please let them know about these classes. Signing up for these classes is NOT a commitment to becoming Catholic. Let’s spread the Good News of Jesus to our brothers and sisters.
Thank you to Fr. Floyd who conducted our Annual Missionary Appeal two weeks ago. Thanks to your great generosity Fr. Floyd collected close to $9,000 for the missions. Fr. Floyd is very grateful for your kindness and generosity as well as the warm welcome he received from our parish family. Please pray for Fr. Floyd and all missionaries of the Gospel.
