Since the beginning of this year, we have had over 30 households register in the parish so first, I want to say, in the name of all of us, welcome! It’s great to have new people join our community and we want you to know that you are needed and wanted. At all the Masses this weekend, we will ask for God’s blessing on our new parishioners. Don’t worry, we’re not going to call you forward to make a speech or make you wear a T-shirt that says, “I’m new!” We just ask you to receive our prayers and God’s blessing now that you are a parishioner of St. Leo the Great. Again, it’s good to have you here.
The St. Leo’s Seniors had their bi-monthly meeting on August 13th & had a young man who was a magician entertain them. He was quite good but I was hoping he’d make my extra weight disappear. It didn’t happen. I’m glad he pulled some smiles out of his hat to place on the faces in the group though. The Seniors have a good time & enjoy fellowship with each other twice a month. If you’re not a member, consider joining them. They’ll be meeting again this Wednesday at 11:00. Maybe you can do some magic & just appear at their meeting. They’d love to have you.
Last week our teachers started coming in to prepare their classrooms for that day that all children just wait for with excitement and great anticipation—the first day of school! Oh wait, maybe that’s Christmas I’m thinking of. Regardless, they’ll be back in their classrooms next Tuesday, September 2nd. They may not be happy to be back in school but we (& their parents) will be happy to have them back. This week the teachers and school staff will be having a retreat day, faculty meeting and faculty luncheon (Fr. Vesely & I get to go to that too…since we bring the check!). We have a wonderful staff in our school…from Mrs. Weiss the principal (I still remember to spell that with an “a” since she’s our “pal”) to the teachers & the rest of the staff. We will ask God’s blessing on them next weekend.
Do say a special prayer for one of our preschool teachers, Cherise Pacanovsky who had surgery in July & will be in recovery for a few weeks yet. She has a way of making our preschool children smile & she will be missed as the school year starts, but we anxiously await her return. May she receive a complete recovery along with all those in the parish who are hospitalized.