Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

Folks,

I don’t have the gift of reading souls. I am not St. Padre Pio who had this gift. And there is much rejoicing in the parish and many sighs of relief.

Occasionally parishioners ask me, “what should I do in the parish?” And I respond, “what is God inviting you to do?”

It has been seven years since the parish sponsored “Called and Gifted” to help you discern what God is asking of you. We will again offer this workshop on October 7th! Many parishioners have found that this program helped to give them great clarity on what gifts the Lord has given them, and how to use those to build up His Kingdom!

I encourage all parishioners to sign, up for this workshop, and discern how the Lord is inviting you to share the gifts that He has poured into your soul! For more information, you can watch this 93 second video: vimeo. com/322254299

You can sign up at all Masses this weekend, by the QR code in bulletin, or by paper in the parish office.

Additionally, this weekend, we are rolling out our theme for this year: “Behold, I Make All Things New!” The Stewardship Committee tied our theme to the upcoming diocesan theme and the National call for a Eucharistic revival!

This year we will focus on renewing and strengthening our faith in our Eucharistic Lord, as it is through Him, in Him, and in Him that all things are made new!

Banners are going up this week, the parish leadership dinner is Monday, students return to Holy Cross Academy on Wednesday, and next week we will roll out a prayer for Eucharistic renewal that we will say at the end of every Mass for the year!

St. Mary IC is going back to warp speed! Blessed be the Lord!

pax,

Very Reverend John P. Mosimann, Vicar Forane, Pastor

So Bishop Burbidge appointed me as a Vicar Forane (= Dean). Thank you bishop for your confidence and entrusting this work to me. It is a five year appointment, renewable for a second term at the discretion of the bishop.

Which begs the questions: ‘what is a Vicar Forane? And do you get to wear a fancy new hat?’

First: no new hat.

Second: the position of Vicar Forane, is appointed by the local bishop. His role is to oversee the priests of
a particular area. Each diocese is divided into areas called vicariates. In the United States, the position is usually referred to as a dean and the region as a deanery.

Canon Law lists among the duties of the Dean: to oversee the spiritual needs of the priests in his region, to be attentive to pastoral issues in his region, to coordinate regional pastoral responses, to ensure that religious functions are celebrated according to the provisions of the Sacred Liturgy, to check that the parish registers are correctly entered and duly safeguarded, to check that ecclesiastical goods are carefully administered, to encourage the clergy to attend at the prescribed time lectures and theological meetings or conferences, to visit each parish in the Deanery at a frequency determined by the bishop.

Cliff notes: In essence, the role is to assist the bishop in the smaller but essential matters of the diocese, the wellbeing of the clergy, and the administration of parishes.

Also you still call me ‘Father.’ No new hat, no new trim on my cassock, but I do get to update the bulletin with the title! So the bulletin will have me listed as Very Rev. John Paul Mosimann, Vicar Forane, Pastor.

I am still your pastor, that isn’t changing!

pax,

Very Reverend John P. Mosimann, Vicar Forane, Pastor