Pastors Corner

Fr. Michael Olivere

Dear Friends,

We find ourselves as a Church basking in the glory of the Risen Lord in these joy-filled days of the Easter season. Many more people are being vaccinated, offering us the hope that at some point there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel of the COVID virus. It also seems like the darkness and cold of the winter are behind us, as spring bursts in warmth and color all around us. All of this certainly causes us to cry out from the depths of our hearts, “Alleluia!”

Our second grade PREP students and school children will be receiving their first Holy Communion on Saturday, May 8 and our seventh grade PREP students and school children will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation at the hands of Bishop McIntyre on Tuesday, May 4^th. This season of Easter is such a perfect time to celebrate these Sacraments of Initiation, and as a community of faith we rejoice in the great gift of grace that will be given by God in these important sacramental celebrations. I ask you in a special way to remember our young people in these upcoming weeks, that they will open their hearts to the grace that God will so generously bestow on them sacramentally and that, through this great gift, they will not only change their lives but change the world.

Many of you will recall that twice in the past three years I was appointed administrator of Saint Martin of Tours Parish while remaining pastor here at Saint Timothy’s. While I was administrator of Saint Martin’s, the IHM Sisters sadly moved out of the convent and left their work in Saint Martin’s School. In their convent chapel there were two beautiful marble statues, one of Our Lady and the other of Saint Joseph. I was able to acquire the Saint Joseph statue for our use here at Saint Timothy’s. With this statue I would like to build a simple, but beautiful shrine to Saint Joseph, and I believe this year dedicated to his honor is an especially appropriate time to do so.

The shrine will be located at the corner of the rectory lawn where now is placed the big wooden cross (facing the church on Levick Street). My plan is to remove the wooden cross and to place the statue of Saint Joseph on a newly-built pedestal. Around the statue we will erect a brick memorial, where you may donate bricks in memory of or in honor of your loved ones, similar to the brick memorials that are placed in our Marian grotto outside of the church and “C” Building.

You will be hearing more about this Saint Joseph Shrine and the brick memorial in the weeks to come. I ask you to please keep this special project in your prayers, as I place the project under the patronage of Saint Joseph himself, upon whose powerful intercession we depend for so many intentions.

I am happy to inform you that our 90^th anniversary book is completed and is available at the rectory. It is a beautiful compilation of our parish and school history, our present parish life, and our 90^th anniversary year. There are hundreds of pictures depicting not only our parish life and history but also important moments in many individuals’ and families’ lives, especially in the celebration of the sacraments.

There are a limited number of books available. We are asking for a donation of $25 per book. Books may be purchased at the rectory. More information and an order form may be found elsewhere in this bulletin.

Know that you and those you love are daily remembered in my Mass and my prayers.

                                                                                    Love and prayers,
                                                                                    Father Olivere