This weekend, our Sunday Gospel invites us to ponder what it means to be a faithful and trustworthy steward of all that has been entrusted to us. Thankfully, our patron, Saint Louis IX of France, is a wonderful example of this. Entrusted with both a family and a
kingdom, he strove to be faithful to his duties as both a father and a king. Yet, the most striking feature of Saint Louis is perhaps how he viewed these roles with a humble spirit, leaving him with both the opportunity and the responsibility to point to God the Father and to Christ the King. The authority entrusted to him was ultimately a form of stewardship to responsibly and faithfully care for what was entrusted to him, because it was not given for him alone. I’ll probably say more about that in just two weeks, when we celebrate our parish feast day: The Feast of Saint Louis (August 25). I hope you’re getting excited for that great celebration. I know I am! This weekend, we feature one of our two Saint Louis statues. Our outdoor Saint Louis statue (front cover) sat atop the rock in front of the Church on Park Avenue for many years, as a memorial of Elaine Grundman. Two years ago, a judgment was reached that the natural deterioration of being outside and exposed to the elements for so long rendered it unable to remain in its usual place and it had been recently moved when I arrived at Saint Louis Parish. It had a temporary home by the parish greenhouse, where anyone spending time in our pavilion could enjoy it. Recently, as we have been improving some of the landscaping around the rectory, we relocated it again to a new place of greater prominence, where it can be seen upon entering the parking lot, where most of our parishioners enter, and is nicely complemented by the garden area that surrounds it. The placement of Saint Louis in his new home was a high priority for me and was something I viewed as a very important part of the beautification of our parish grounds. May it inspire all of our parishioners and guests for many years to come to be faithful stewards of what has been entrusted to them.
AWAY FOR TEC CONFERENCE: If you recall, when I first told you of my series of trips this summer, I also mentioned a conference for spiritual leaders in the TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) community. I will be departing this Monday morning (August 12) and will return Wednesday evening. This will require no change in our Mass schedule, as Fr. Spilman is able to help cover our regular schedule of Mass, Adoration and Confessions. Since my “second job” is to serve Peterstown TEC as its new Spiritual Advisor, I am really looking forward to how this will enable me to serve our local TEC community more effectively. Please pray for myself and Dcn. Dan O’Connor (Spiritual Director for Peterstown TEC) and all the participants in the conference.
BACK TO SCHOOL AND TUITION ASSISTANCE: As many students return to school this week, we are very enthusiastic about offering our new tuition assistance program for children attending area Catholic schools for the second year in a row now. This year, your generosity has helped to make it more accessible for twelve students to attend Peru Catholic School and Saint Bede Academy for this 2019-20 Academic Year. If you are considering a Catholic education for your child, whether for this year or in the future, please don’t hesitate to speak with me or with Renee Toomey, who can help with details regarding our tuition assistance.
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Gifford
St. Louis, pray for us!
Blessed Mary, Queen Mother of the King of Kings, pray for u
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