 Fr.
Tom's Tomes July 16, 2006
I would like to welcome Fr. Dan Reardon back home. Fr. Dan has a few days off and is visiting his parents and sister in the area. Fr. Dan asked if there was something he could do for me and I invited him to celebrate this Saturday’s 5:30 pm Mass. I appreciate his willingness and openness to come and share his priesthood with us. This Saturday I attended the weddings of two children of classmates I attended Seminary High School with in Kansas City. I started my journey to become a priest by attending St. John’s High School Seminary and graduated in 1974 with 12 in my class. We continue to get together and enjoy the company of one another. It happened that both of these weddings fell on the same day. I want to thank the two women who volunteered to keep the books straightened in Church. This is a large undertaking to go throughout the church to put the music book and missalette in order. I would invite all parishioners that at the end of Mass to neatly place the books back in the book racks on the pews. This helps to keep our church clean and neat. Also if you use any Kleenex or anything else to please remove the trash with you when you leave church. Many people pray in our church on the weekends and it is good to keep it clean. Work is moving along in our Early Learning Center Building to brighten it up and to expand the capacity and room for the children. During the summer the After School Program and the Preschool program rooms moved upstairs. We have also made a larger space for the infants and toddlers. The Early Learning Center is a great place for your child or children. If you have a child whom you would like to place in a caring and loving place please call Pam at the Bishop Hogan Learning Center at 646-3070. We continue to strive to improve the quality of care and learning we are offering to the children who are in our Early Learning Program. This is a parish sponsored program. I believe it is one of the best in Chillicothe and it would be great for all of our parishioners to support our efforts. The Early Learning Center has also started a couple of new programs this summer. We brought back the Summer Program for school aged children. They have participated in activities such as swimming at the city pool, gone to the library and other activities to provide a fun filled day. Also we are beginning a program for parents who are looking for care for a child or children if they would like to go shopping, get a hair cut, or just have a half day where you can get something done quietly. This service is on an availability option and you need to call the center to find out if there is room to have your child attend. We are careful to follow the child to provider ratio. Your child, grandchild or friend’s child will have a fun time at the Early Learning Center. Since the red building had an extra room available for use the Confirmation Class is fixing up the room for their meetings and activities. This past week on Tuesday and Thursday evenings many of the current Confirmation students helped to fix up the room for their activities. There is still work to be accomplished and we are hoping to have the room finished before school starts. We do have a request that if you have a nice working table lamp at home you are not needing the Confirmation room needs about 4 or 5 lamps. If you would like to donate the lamps please call Kim at the parish office. There may be a few more needs for this room as time goes on and we will let you know the needs through the information in the bulletin. School will be starting in approximately a month. This week I would invite all families to look for a letter inviting you to consider giving a gift for tuition assistance. I know this is very beneficial to children who need help in attending Bishop Hogan grade school. Last year this appeal letter went out later but I would like to do it early so that as families come in for final registration if they need financial assistance they will be able to find know early in the year if they will be receiving tuition assistance. School families will be receiving letters in about 10 days or so with the dates for the opening of the school year, teacher assignments and other information. My focus this week will change to beginning the school year and improving the quality of education offered at Bishop Hogan. Please pray for our school and parish as another year is quickly approaching. God bless each and every one of you. |