Taking Care of “Dirty Work”
Easter Thanks!!
Many “Easter thanks” to all those who did so much to make the beginning of our Easter Season a beautiful, wonderful and miraculous celebration!! At Mass we gave thanks for:
- Music ministers: including cantors, musicians and instrumentalists.
- Liturgical ministers
- Church decorators
- Visitors and those making homecomings
- Those who donated flowers in remembrance of a loved one in heaven.
I would like to offer special thanks to church greeters and ushers as well as so many staff members who were present to greet those attending Mass. Indeed, it was a particular joy of mine and I’m sure a joy for Jesus himself to note that arriving parishioners and visitors alike were blessed to go through a wonderful phalanx of greeters incarnating the joy of the risen Jesus!
Among staff members, I would like to offer special thanks to the leadership of Deacon Roger, Fr. Ignatius, Kevin Samblanet and Stacy Stang, who spend countless hours serving and leading us through the preparation and outstanding execution of liturgical ministry!!
A Bishop from Among Us
Two weeks ago, I wasn’t at all surprised when I heard the wonderful news that Cincinnati Archdiocesan priest
Fr. Earl Fernades was named a bishop-elect of Columbus, OH. Let me tell you why I wasn’t surprised.
When I was pastor of Petersburg Parishes and on the administrative team and chaplain at Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney, OH, I was blessed to work with
Fr. Earl for the two years he was assigned as associate pastor at Holy Angels Church in Sidney and on the faculty at Lehman. It was wonderful to work with Fr. Earl and to see how positively he touched everyone at Lehman!
Fr. Earl is one of the most authentically joyful people I have ever met. As a sign of that joy, he wears a constant, dynamite smile. He is positive, content, secure and up-building! Add to that the fact that his gifted mind is able to convey his deep faith through clear and concise speech and “wa la:” you have the making of an awesome bishop!
I’m also not surprised because, if memory serves me correctly, every five years Cincinnati’s archbishop asks priests of the archdiocese to submit to him names of three local priests who would make good bishops. From those names, the archbishop submits a terna (three names of possible future bishops) to the Holy Father during a bishop’s ad limina visit with the pope every five years. I am pleased to say that Fr. Earl’s name was on my list of names submitted to our archbishop for the past fifteen years!!
Congratulations and prayers to Bishop Elect Earl Fernandes! Also, may we continue our prayer for our Local Church, the Church in Cincinnati, as we continue to begin Beacons of Light!
CRS Collection
Along with all churches of the archdiocese, next weekend will be our regularly scheduled, yearly opportunity to contribute to the ministry of Catholic Relief Services.
Of all world charities, Catholic Relief Services stands apart for a number of reasons. The first is that since it is Catholic, it has perhaps the largest networks of human and physical infrastructure of all world charities. Secondly, it is one of the best charities for the high percentage of the donated dollar that goes directly to aid those in need, having very low administrative, advertising and fundraising costs. It is amazing to research how some very popular charities spend shockingly high percentages of donated dollars for administrative, advertising and fundraising.
As a reminder, remember that we held a special second collection several weeks ago to aid Ukrainians through Catholic Relief Services, raising just over $15,000. Thanks to Incarnation Parishioners for reaching out with both hands through that generosity, which was a powerful sign of solidarity and faith in action for the people of Ukraine! For those who might have missed that opportunity or for those who wish to continue to help Ukraine, next week’s second envelope or that special We Share donation will be that opportunity!
Three Humble and Kind “C/Kathys”
Not many parishioners know that staff member Beverly Castaldi, who coordinates church cleaners and who does most of the humble and very dirty work of cleaning the washrooms in church, some parts of the PAC and who also cleans the rectory, is out for several weeks due to a surgery.
Wonderfully, as the volunteer church cleaners are soldiering on without their fearless leader (many thanks to them always!), three “C/Kathys” have stepped up to “do Beverly’s dirty work!!” Many thanks to Cathy Girmann, Kathy Nichols and Cathy Southerland for cleaning church bathrooms over the next weeks. I’m thinking Jesus took care of cleaning the bathrooms in the upper room right after he washed the feet of his disciples!
Sincerely and with love in Christ
Fr. Pat Sloneker