Pastor’s Letter: July 2, 2023

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

With the realities of a changing world call for new directions to  strengthen parish life across the Archdiocese of Omaha.  Fr Richard Reiser and myself together with  representative members from both our Parishes have been  working since last February in light of our Archdiocese Pastoral Planning that brought St John Vianney and Mary Our Queen to form a Family of Parishes.  What this involves is for  St John Vianney and Mary Our Queen to share a Pastor and an Associate with both sites being utilized for the ministerial needs of the two faith communities.  With the declining numbers in Mass attendance, the decline in population in the rural counties and the growth in a few concentrated counties as well as taking into account the declining priests’ numbers, the Pastoral Plan will create a new vision for how we as a Church will flourish in the future.  For more details, please go  to http://journeyoffaith.org.

The second proposal in light of our Archdiocese Pastoral Planning is for Mary Our Queen to begin ministry for those who are Spanish speaking given the growth in Spanish-speaking parishioners in our area.  This will include having a Mass in Spanish on Sundays. Unfortunately, due to a lack of Spanish Speaking Priests, the introduction of a Mass in Spanish is currently on hold till we are able to have a Priest available.  We are working on some options and will provide more details in the near future.

With our proposal that was submitted to the Archdiocese on how our Parishes will realign resources and work more closely together to become a Family of Parishes approved, July 1st marks the beginning of St John Vianney and Mary Our Queen becoming a Family of Parishes. This weekend’s bulletin reflects this new reality.  In each of our Parishes bulletins dated February 12, March 12 and April 16, we have outlined details of the Pastoral Planning Process.  This includes the things we have done to build up our collaboration and cooperation, how our Offices are going to collaborate and our Sacramental Schedules. As you can see in our newly formatted bulletin, our Weekend Mass times at both Parishes have not changed.

I was fortunate to meet with the Parish Council and Finance Committee of St John Vianney on April 20 and April 26 and am hoping for both our Parish Councils to meet in the near future.  I was also fortunate to meet up with the Deacons of both our Parishes on June 3rd to explain the process and to gather more input.  I do plan to hold a Town Hall meeting to present our vision for our Family of Parishes as well as to answer any questions or concerns.

While we are merging our offices together, the Finances in each of our Parishes remain separate.  What this means is that each Parish is responsible for its own bills.  The merging of our offices and sharing of resources are meant to save costs.

We have two significant anniversaries coming up this year and next year; June 13 marks Mary Our Queen’s 60th anniversary.  We are planning to do a  Parish wide celebration on  August 26 which will coincide with our Patroness Feast Day – the Queenship of Mary.  Please keep that date free.

Next year, St John Vianney will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary. In the spring  of 1974, Fr. Paul Schwaab, past national chaplain of the American Legion was  appointed by Archbishop Daniel Sheehan to serve as the first pastor of a new parish to be established in Millard, St. John Vianney.  The first Mass was  celebrated by Fr. Schwaab in the gym of Mari Sandoz Elementary School on June 17, 1974.

Through humble beginnings, Mgsr Kenny and Fr Schwaab together with the founding members of Mary our Queen and St John Vianney made it possible for our Parishes to become the Parishes we are now.

A Blessed 4th of July to all of you.  We continue to keep all the men and women in our military who keep us safe in our prayers.

Fr Marc Lim