Pastor's Column for October 3, 2021

So here we are into October already. But this is my favorite time of the year. Now that our pets are blessed, we can move confidently through this fall season & enjoy God’s many blessing on us as well.
Please keep Deacon Pat & Joan Berigan in your prayers as they are on retreat this weekend. I will be on retreat myself next week from Sunday evening until Thursday so you can pray for me as well. This Tuesday, the priests of the Diocese will have a convocation (“a calling together”) with the Bishop for a day of prayer, fraternity and reflection on our ministry. Dr. Robert Wicks, a clinical psychologist & writer who is a well-known speaker, therapist & spiritual guide, will be speaking to us about the intersection of spirituality and psychology. We look forward to the wisdom he will share with us. Again, pray for us as we gather on this day.
This past week we celebrated the feast of St. Vincent de Paul which provided me the opportunity to reflect on the SVDP ministry that takes place here at St. Leo’s. First, thank you for your constant generosity as you drop off food in the baskets by the St. Vincent de Paul shrine in the back of the church, and for your constant donations in the boxes throughout the church which also goes to provide financially for this worthy cause. I also thank all the people of our parish who work quietly yet faithfully to put this food in bags & to distribute it each month to those in our neighborhood who need our help with this basic necessity of life. They are a constant inspiration to me of doing the most important work of the Lord who said, “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers & sisters, you are doing for me, for when I was hungry, you gave me to eat…” May God continue to bless them in this work of love and keep us mindful of the need to support them in this ministry through our constant donations which express our gratitude for all that God gives to us.
As COVID continues to surge, for your protection we have placed air purifiers in all the corners of the church which act as infection-control devices. These remove 99.99% of airborne particles, including pollen, bacteria, viruses and more and are left on all the time. We continue to pray for those who become infected with the coronavirus & especially for those who have died during this pandemic.
My special thanks to Joanne Deranek, our PSR (Parish School of Religion) Coordinator who does a great job in this ministry of Catholic education to our children, and to the teachers who volunteer their time to teach the faith and to witness to it by their own example. I am so grateful for their necessary ministry & invite anyone who would like to join them to contact the rectory office. PSR takes place on Monday evenings beginning at 6:45pm and is an important support to our parents who are “the first and best teachers in the ways of faith” (from the Rite of Baptism) to their children. I look forward to celebrating Mass with them Monday evening.
During the month of October, we dedicate these days to our Respect for Life. We also remember our Blessed Mother Mary during October as well, and these two intersect very well as who respected life more than the mother of the Author of all life? May Mary teach us the sacredness and beauty of life from the moment of conception until natural death, when we can finally join with her and all the saints to celebrate life eternally in God’s kingdom.