From Our Pastor

From Our Pastor

Dear Folks,

As I type this, we had our first day back at Holy Cross Academy. Wow! I am so glad that I got to spend the day in the school. I said to many of the children that “the building was crying without them all summer.” Ok, that was a little exaggerated, or poetic. But we are truly made for communion with God and one another! A building without life is an empty shell. Thanks for your prayers, that this be a healthy, holy, and happy year for our students.

We are incarnational people. The truth of who we are is known in the light of the incarnation: the great dignity that God became one of us, so that we could become one with Him. It is the great reminder that human nature is a union of the material world (our bodies) and spiritual (our souls). This is why physical presence matters, since it is part of our very nature.

Remember the great theological axiom that grace builds on nature. This is why the sacraments are physical rites where God wishes to give to us the treasures of His love.

I know that many of our parish children are trying to ‘distance learn’ / ‘online study’ / ‘homeschool’ or all the names that we have for the solutions that each family has reached for how to best learn given the state of the world today. I pray for all of our parish students.

Sometimes the Lord pushes us out of our routine to help us focus on the essentials! This can be a time of great learning and personal growth. Remember that the Lord promises to bring good from all things for those who love Him!

I told some folks of one time that I recall my school tried to be creative with new learning methodologies. In 6th grade we were given the math book and told to work through it at our own pace (thank God for the 70’s… and I think the plan was that the teacher provide individual answers to struggling students). However, I worked through the book in a week, excited that I was being unleashed to really learn some math! Opps…. the teacher did not have additional math materials for me so I had to use that class as study hall for the other classes I didn’t love as much! But don’t worry, my worst grade ever in my life was 6th grade spelling….. but that is another story.

Pax et bonum,

Father John Mosimann

XXII Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 30, 2020
Reminder that Masses at Holy Cross on Sunday Are Set Aside for Strict Safety Measures

Reminder that Masses at Holy Cross on Sunday Are Set Aside for Strict Safety Measures

As a reminder, we have designated our Masses on Sunday at Holy Cross Academy for our strictest safety measures during the coronavirus pandemic.  This means anyone attending these Masses are expected to wear your mask properly for the entirety of your time inside the building, to properly social distance, and to respect the requests for the ushers.  We encourage the at risk members of the parish who wish to attend Mass to attend at Holy Cross.  Thank you for respecting the rules and doing your part to help keep the at risk members of the parish safe.

From Our Pastor

From Our Pastor

Dear Folks,

Thank you for praying a rosary for our school reopening. And if you don’t know what I am talking about, go back and read last week’s bulletin note…. better yet, just please pray a rosary for our parish school, staff, and students! This week is our return school under a hybrid model of alternating days and distance learning.

We had this week a day of prayer for our parish and school staffs. I was very grateful for the opportunity to spend the day in prayer with the people who serve you so generously.

Fr. Sina spoke at one point about the Thomistic principle “Quidquid recipitur ad modum recipientis recipitur.” (And no, when he put me on the spot, I could not come up with the Latin! Thank you Google!) The translation: “Whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver.” He applied this to the scripture about spouses loving and respecting each other. He gave context and examples to husbands’ desire to be respected and wives’ desire to be loved! Next time I preach a wedding, I’ll be thinking about the specifics of St. Paul exhorting each of the spouses to love more like Jesus in a way particular to the weakness of each.

Fr. Koehr said something that also stuck with me: going to Mass without engaging in consistent mental prayer is like going to a wedding where you don’t know the bride or the groom! Prayer is that great encounter with the living God, the bridegroom of our souls! And Mass is the wedding feast of the lamb, but we are the bride! Can you imagine going to your own wedding not knowing that it is your big day? Impossible and ridiculous! No wonder we are so easily bored at Mass!

Thanks to all who make our school and parish awesome, and may we all keep growing in mutual understanding, respect, and love.

Pax et bonum,

Fr. John Mosimann

August 23, 2020
21 Sunday in Ordinary Time
Another Email Scam Going Around

Another Email Scam Going Around

There is yet again another email scam going around where parishioners are receiving emails claiming to be from Fr Mosimann. They are not. Father Mosimann will never ask for money or gift cards through email. Please ignore any email like this. They have been reported to the FBI and we are told this happens to churches all around the country. Once again, Father will never send you an email asking for a favor and then soliciting money or gift cards.