Dear Parishioners,

   As summer nears its end, here in the parish we try to get everything ready for a new school year.  Sacred Heart School is preparing to celebrate the 100^th Anniversary Year and hopefully the celebrations will help to make our great school even better.  Times are tough for everyone but congratulations to those who make the sacrifices to send their children to Catholic School.  I thank God for the Catholic School education I received because I learned that religion is the most important of the subjects we study and requires time and effort just like everything else.  Our Catholic faith is more than just a subject, it is a way of life, to help us through life and lead us to eternal life.  The religious education program (C.C.D.) in our parish does a wonderful job in teaching religion to the majority of the children in our parish.  Janis Batewell has assisted in the religious education office for years but she is now the Coordinator of the program.  As is true for our principal and teachers in Sacred Heart School.  I am certain that Janis and all of our dedicated catechists and helpers do great work (a labor of love) in teaching the Catholic faith.  Father Micciulla is a terrific moderator and support for the program.  Together with Life Teen for high school students, R.C.I.A., Baptismal instructions and Cornerstone retreats, the faith is lived and shared in our parish.  Of course, the celebration of the Mass each week draws us together and shares the very life of Jesus with us.

   Speaking about getting ready for the school year, just a quick word about the parking lot. The work is extensive since the Archdiocesan Building Commission, our civil engineer and others agreed that it would be best to replace the parking lot rather than simply repair it.  It costs more and takes longer but it means that we will have a fine parking facility for years to come.  Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners in the Bicentennial Capital Campaign, we have already raised the money for the parking lot project.  Thank you to those who are still fulfilling their campaign pledges and those who have already done so.

    There is more to write about but I’ll conclude with a note of gratitude for all of the tremendous goodness and generosity in this parish.  Sacred Heart is the Catholic Church at its best, in my humble opinion.  May Jesus bless us and the whole church as we seek to do His will.  Have a restful Labor Day.

                                                           Sincerely in Christ,

                Msgr. Joseph R. Giandurco

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