Pastor's Column

     Sister Erin gave us an update last weekend on the state of the parish school. It is very good news to hear that our projected enrollment for the 2016-17 school year is 230 students, up substantially from the 202 students we have presently. As Sister said, we have worked hard to make wise investments in the school, to have the best possible faculty and staff, and to provide an atmosphere of faith which will (and has) encouraged parents to seek out our Catholic faith for themselves and for their children. Our school dynamic has changed over the years along with the make-up of the parish itself, and so roughly half of our students are not of the Catholic faith. But this provides a wonderful opportunity for us to invite others to embrace our faith. We heard last week in the Scriptures that it was God's plan that the Church "open the doors of faith to the Gentiles" when it had previously been the exclusive possession of the Jewish people alone. May God's plan for us be brought to fulfillment by our continued work and through your gracious support. 

    On Tuesday we celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for a centenarian, Lottie Zale, a parishioner who died at 100 years old. Lottie was a member of St. Leo's Seniors but has been living in Florida for the last few years. She was born on July 4, 1915, which means that they had fireworks on the day she was born & then every year on her birthday! I don't know anyone else who shares a birthday with our country but what a day to be born. Please keep Lottie and her family in your prayers as she now begins her life in heaven which cannot be counted in years. 

    Michaela has been looking a bit plump lately so I put her on the scale & saw that she is now over 18 pounds! She's looking more like a sheep than a dog. I know that my weight seems to be growing at a rate similar to hers so it looks like we found a parish that takes care of us too well. So I'll ask that you leave the distribution of treats for her up to me as she knows how to play the game when she runs begging from one person to the next, with that look that says, "I'mbeing starved." I still need a plan for myself but it wouldn't be pleasant to have both of us on a diet at the same time so I'll make the sacrifice & let her go on one first. What I don't do for my pets.