Dear Parishioners,

This past Monday I woke up with a deep cough. So I laid low during the day, careful not to spread any germs to others (the only time we are called in life not to share is when we’re sick). I didn’t sleep well Monday night, and by Tuesday morning I had no voice. I had a cold at this time last year and I remember that one Christmas…perhaps a couple of years ago…when I lost my voice over that holiday. I’m sure it will be back by the time I celebrate Mass this weekend though perhaps not when I celebrate Mass on the feast of All Saints.

I regret that I may not be able to attend the funeral for Elaine Hocevar, the sister of Doris Neylon who is an active parishioner here at St. Leo and a wonderful support to me and to her fellow parishioners. Gratefully, Fr. Ned Weist was available and willing to celebrate Elaine’s funeral Mass here and I promised Doris that I would be with them in prayerful spirit. Fr. Ned has been a friend of Doris & her family for some time and again I’m grateful for his presence especially when I am ill. Our sympathies are extended to Doris on the passing of her sister and our prayers remain for both Doris and Elaine.

I want to be sure to thank you for the cards and support I received after Michaela’s passing. I always try to acknowledge you when I see you but sometimes a few weeks can go by before I see you before or after Mass and then my forgetfulness sets in but please know I am grateful for your kindness and I ask God to bless you in your compassion. I still miss Michaela greatly but glad I have Abby to spend time with. One of these days I’ll have to introduce you to her so you know she’s not a figment of my imagination!

I also want to warn you that from time to time I hear that someone has received an email which bears my name, or even a text message, asking them to buy me a gift card so that I might help some needy parishioner. A few weeks ago, all of the teachers in our parish school received such an email, asking them to contact me as soon as possible which naturally put them in a bit of a panic! Please know that I would NEVER ask you personally for money, for a gift card or for anything else, even on behalf of a needy parishioner. If you receive a message like this, at least ignore it, but it’s also helpful if you let me know about it so that I can put others on alert. It’s called SPAM in the digital world and sadly some people use it to try to scam others out of money. You are always encouraged to call the rectory office or me personally if you receive such a message so that we can confirm it is a hoax.

I hope you enjoy the book we gave out this past Wednesday on the feast of All Saints which gives some quotes from many different saints. I enjoyed reading it (though I’d read just one or two quotes at a time) & hope it may bring you some wisdom. The saints are wonderful friends who left us some of their God-given wisdom & who even now pray for us on our journey of faith so that we may join them some day. May they always intercede for us!

I don’t need to remind you that the election this Tuesday, November 7th, is a very important one for our state and for our Church. There is a video on our website which I encourage you to watch…it is from our Bishop, Edward Malesic, and I always appreciate his faithful but gentle approach to the difficult & pressing issues we face today. Again I thank you for listening to the voice of the Church on these matters & ask you to vote according to your informed conscience. We are hoping that a NO vote on Issue 1 will protect human life from its beginning and give parents the rights they are entitled to. We leave all things in God’s hands.

Fr. James Schmitz