Dear Parishioners,

It happens very rarely, but I missed the opportunity to write a column for last weekend as I was on vacation. So let me see if I can get caught up with you today.

Though I had already started my vacation, I did come back briefly to celebrate the funeral Mass for Jack Wygonski, which we had scheduled several weeks before. I had visited Jack in his home on March 1st and had a wonderful conversation with him and with his friend Mary Ann Boyert. At Jack’s request, I heard his confession, anointed him with the Oil of the Sick and then gave him Holy Communion. We talked about how he was the founder of South Hills Hardware store (which the parish and I use frequently). He also showed me a spiral binder of interviews done by the Old Brooklyn Historical Society…they interviewed Jack & there are several pages there about his life and his store. I was sad to hear of his passing and ask you to remember this longtime and faith-filled parishioner. He and Mary Ann prayed the rosary daily. May Mary pray for him now as she did at the hour of his death.

I had a graveside service for Dolores Krilosky this past week at Holy Cross cemetery. She had lived in our parish for many years and sent her children to our parish school. She has been living with her daughter for the last 10 years in South Carolina. So we keep her in our prayers as well that she may rise to new life.

Now that school is out, work has begun on many changes taking place in that building over the summer months. All of the windows will be replaced, along with all the lockers, desks, and cafeteria tables and chairs. Much of the expense for all of this comes by ways of grants we needed to apply for to the government. The windows on the south side of the gym will also be replaced to match the new glass block windows on the north side. We are adding air conditioning to the cafeteria and moving the Principal’s office to the former nurse’s office. I’m glad we are able to make all of these needed changes and the others that have been implemented over the last few years. When I first arrived here & saw the school building for the first time, I could see immediately that it was in need of an overhaul and now, 10 years later, so many changes have really turned it around. Thanks to the leadership of our Principal, Mrs. Burns, and to the hard working maintenance staff for all their involvement in these efforts.

Running a Catholic school these days is more challenging than ever. Not only because of the financial expense (though we are very fortunate to have vouchers available for without these our school would not be opened), but also because of the many shifts in values that have taken place in our culture. With so many abandoning faith, it is a constant struggle to keep a Catholic school not only alive but vibrant and truly faith filled. Due to the effects of COVID and cultural shifts, teachers who are committed to teaching, especially in an environment of faith, are hard to come by. The Diocese is launching an initiative to revitalize our Catholic schools but it does not seem to be as helpful to us as I had hoped as our needs are specific to our location and to our circumstances. Parental support of teachers and Principal have also waned greatly in a culture that does not tolerate the discipline and structure that is required for the education of children. But we are making every effort to be as intentional as we can in keeping our parish school open with a strong commitment to the value of truly Catholic education. Please pray for God’s blessings in this effort as St. Leo’s has a long history of passing on a good education and values of our Catholic faith to children.

Fr. James P. Schmitz