Pastor’s Letter: June 18, 2023
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
June 13th marked our parish’s 60th Anniversary. What a blessing it has been due to Mgsr Kenny and our founding members who through humble beginnings made it possible for our parish to become the parish we are now. We are planning to do a parish wide celebration on August 26 which will coincide with our Patroness Feast Day – the Queenship of Mary. We are forming a committee to plan our celebrations. Please stay tuned for more details.
July 1st marks the beginning of Mary Our Queen and St John Vianney forming a Family of Parishes. This is in light of our Archdiocese of Omaha Pastoral Planning. We are just a few weeks away and have been working to establish protocols and best practices on how our offices will function. Last Tuesday, we gathered to go through our calendars of both parishes so that all of us are on the same page. We are also going through all the contracts to find ways to save costs. The plan is to combine the services in our offices so that we not only support each other but how our Parishes grow. Please keep our parishes in your prayers.
Our Summer Projects that we are undertaking to update and upkeep our Parish Facilities are going well. This includes the replacement of the upper-level hot water piping with a variable volume terminal unit with a heating water coil in each classroom which connects to the existing ductwork. We will also install a new HVAC unit in the Gym. With the replacement and installation of these new units, it will complete the replacement of the old steam piping in the school which is badly needed given the multiple leaks that we have experienced over the winter. We will then work to decommission all the old steam piping as well as remove all the equipment that is used to support it. We are currently also working out plans to convert our boilers from steam to hot water which will in turn provide more efficiency.
Last Tuesday we had the Men’s club help remove all the old ceiling tiles in two of our classrooms which we are remodeling. The remodel will include new flooring, ceiling tiles and lighting. Thanks to all who help make this happen. We also had the foundation prepared for the installation of the poles for the canopy for our outdoor classroom and preschool playground. The installation of the poles will be done in a few weeks’ time. We also had the inserts for the poles for the directional signage for our campus installed. We have a few more projects that will be listed when the time comes to begin it.
I will be leading a 12 Day Marian Shrines Pilgrimage in October 16 to 27 and would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join me in experiencing the miracles of Lourdes, Fatima and Santiago de Compostela. The highlights of the tour includes Lourdes, Basilica of St Pius X, Santander, Fatima, Barcelona, Santiago and Montserrat. We will be visiting the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montserrat outside of Barcelona, the Grotto of Massabielle, where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette in 1858, partake in a Rosary and Candlelight Procession in Fatima where our Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children – Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco. We will also visit Santiago de Compostela where the Tomb of St James was discovered, Loyola – the hometown of St Ignatius. The brochure for the tour can be found in the Narthex or in the Parish Office. Call the Parish Office if you need any more details.
I will be away attending the Serra International Convention with several Serrans from Omaha in Chiang Mai, Thailand this week and since Thailand is close to home, I will then make a home visit to see my folks. I will see you in a few weeks.
God’s Blessings,
Fr Marc