A New Beginning

This weekend is enormous throughout our Archdiocese. In forty-nine years when they remember the 250th anniversary of the Archdiocese, I’m sure July 1, 2022 will be remembered. Who knows what will take place over the next fifty years. Maybe fifty years from now the launch of the Beacons of Light will be celebrated as one of the boldest and most important moments in our local Church. However it could be a moment that we have to readjust after a couple of years.

I’m trusting in the work of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. In times of peace and in times of distress, the Holy Spirit is at work. The work of the Holy Spirit is primarily sanctification; He makes us saints. May we all walk more deeply on our path toward becoming saints.

It shouldn’t be missed that we officially welcome Fr. Willig to our parishes this weekend. I am very excited to serve alongside him in the Lord’s vineyard. In the middle of June, he came up to visit and it got me very excited for all that the Lord may do in our parishes over the next few years. Fr. Willig is a very genuine man, there is no duplicity in him. He is confident in the Lord’s providence and the way God has guided his life and all of human history. When he visited, we took the altar servers on an appreciation canoe trip. He interacted so easily with our youth. It was very admirable.

This week we begin a new Mass schedule. Thank you to everyone who has had to adjust your routine. Many have had to change the time which they attend Mass and others are adjusting the location which they attend Mass. Please don’t forget to offer up these sacrifices to the Lord. It is amazing what He can do in our hearts when we offer Him the pain, difficulties, and burdens.

Part of the new Mass schedule is flipping the priest rotation. You are used to your priests being at a particular parish every other week. I made this adjustment because Fr. Jerry Bensman will be covering the Sunday morning Masses for me on July 10th. It is easier for him to cover the Masses at Immaculate Conception Sunday morning. Since he is driving 50 minutes on Sunday to be in Botkins, there won’t be confessions before the 8am Mass. There will still be confessions before the 10am Mass though.

Next weekend, July 9-11 I’ll be chaperoning our high school trip to the Steubenville Conference. I have never been to a Steubenville Conference and I’m excited to attend. Last year many of our high schoolers had a transformative experience at the conference. Please pray for all of us. Pray that we have a safe journey and that our hearts may be drawn deeply into the love of Jesus Christ.

For many of our high schoolers, this retreat will be a time of new beginnings. Whenever we encounter Jesus Christ, our life changes. His love and mercy has the ability to reorient our lives and set us on a new course. We always need a conversion. May the Lord Jesus draw us closer to His Sacred Heart every day.

Finally the St. Joseph Fourth of July Festival is Sunday, July 3rd and Monday, July 4th. Please come out and join the fun. I look forward to seeing many of you out there. It is always wonderful to catch up with each other, build friendships, and build up our parish community. Thank you to all of those who have organized the festival and volunteered. This great event wouldn’t happen without you.

Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Sean Wilson