One of my favorite games to play when I am asked to talk to a class, or a youth group is a game called “Stump the priest.”  The students or teens get to ask me questions and I don’t see the questions beforehand.  I really enjoy the game and in doing so hopefully pass on knowledge to the students.  Every once in a while I get stumped or I have to say I need to look that up.

This past week we had three good events.  There was an anniversary dinner where couples from both Incarnation and St. Francis had a dinner in Friendship Hall celebrating and honoring those who have been married 25, 30, 40, and 50 and beyond.  There was someone who added up all the years of marriage of those in attendance.  It was about 2500 years.  It was a lot of fun and enjoyable.

There were also two sharing sessions where we talked about Beacons of Light, a little bit of history of it and why the Archdiocese promulgated it.  We then also had a small group discussion based upon three questions.  The three questions were:

  1. What amazing opportunities are you looking forward to?
  2. What do you think is the biggest challenge for you?
  3. Where do you see Christ working?

There was a lot of great discussions going on during those sessions.  There were comments made about how both parishes have a lot of resources that can be shared.  People commented on how they see a lot of opportunities and new things that can come from this new family.  People also shared how identity is important and this challenges the sense of identity for everyone.

One of the questions that was brought up was whether either of these campuses would be shut down due to the new Beacons of Light.  That answer is absolutely not.  Both of these parishes are vibrant and have many resources.  It would be impossible to shut down either of the campuses.  At the end of the day we all want the same goal.  We all want this family to be vibrant and active so that we are engaging this community and being a light to the nations knowing and understanding the needs of our communities and serving the people.  This also includes identifying the maintenance needs for the church and also getting designs for them and designs for the proposed narthex.

I am asked this question a lot.  How many families are in the parishes?  To me, that is the wrong question.  The question is whom do we serve?  We serve Centerville, Bellbrook, Washington Township and Sugar Creek Township.  We have the pastoral care of every soul in our family parish boundary.  Together we can serve the people of God.  We are all in this together

Have a blessed week.

In Christ,

Fr. Brian