St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Parishioners of SJW:

Welcome to another week of living our faith!  Do we see how fortunate we are to be Roman Catholics?  Is thanksgiving to God part of our daily prayer?  I pray you see the value of being a Catholic in today’s world.  It is an honor to be a baptized disciple of Jesus Christ, a steward for Him of our time, talent, and treasure. 

Speaking of our faith, this Sunday, September 10^th, is the first session for our Faith Formation students.  Another year of learning about the richness of the Catholic faith is here again.  And I want to personally thank Janice Anderson, our FF Coordinator, for all she does for our program here.  Also, to thank our catechists who give so much of themselves each week to ensure that our young people experience and grow in their baptismal faith.

Which leads me to the practice of that faith.  That means attendance at Mass, primarily.

Faith Formation is great.  It is a much-needed service and ministry for a parish to provide for its youth.  To see them learn about Jesus, the Sacraments, Saints, Service, Social Justice, Prayer, the Commandments, etc., is so heartwarming.

BUT---if the young people are coming to FF but not coming to Mass on the weekends, there is a MAJOR problem here.  FAITH FORMATION BEGINS IN THE PEW AT MASS!  It breaks my heart to see parents pick up their children from FF classes on Sunday mornings and walk out of the building to take them home, with me knowing that they have not been to the two previous Masses and are on their way home, missing the 10:30 a.m. Mass.  Faith Formation is NOT more important than the celebration of Mass on the weekend! 

What are we teaching our young people if we bring them to FF but not to Mass?  If we teach them in FF that Mass is important, but fail to exercise that teaching “in the pew,” isn’t that a mixed message, besides being a sin against the 3^rd Commandment?

I implore ALL parents to see that their child(ren) come to Mass.  Here at SJW, the liturgies are very upbeat with beautiful music and good participation.  To have our families attend makes us a better and more engaged faith community. 

As I have said before---in the Order of Baptism, when parents bring their child to be baptized, parents agree to be the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith.  So—let’s teach our child(ren) the correct way to live out their Catholic faith, which is celebrating Eucharist EACH weekend at SJW!

May the Lord direct all parishioners to 700 East Spruce Street on the weekends to gather as His disciples and stewards to give thanks, via the Eucharist—our ritual of thanksgiving!

Your Pastor, Father Joe