Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Through mid-March, I was writing a weekly column which appeared in our parish bulletin. It provided me with a wonderful way to convey parish or diocesan news, to reflect on some local, national or international issue, or to give insight into a liturgical season or celebration. With the suspension of our paper bulletin in the middle of Lent, I lost that opportunity. I'm grateful to our Communications Coordinator, Cici Yeager, for suggesting that I resume these messages, which, like this one, will be conveyed to you on Fridays.
I've been part of numerous conversations this summer about how to begin a new school year at our own Sacred Heart Catholic School. We're excited about having all our teachers and most of our students in the classroom every day of the week. (Families were given the option to attend only online, and as of today, twenty students will be participating from home via our Google Classroom system.) Of course, we're all nervous, too. We're confident in the plans we have in place, but we have no idea what the future will hold. I've spoken to many of you who feel the same way about the beginning of a new school year. Clearly, we need to be strengthened by God's special blessing! Please join your Sacred Heart parish family, either online or in person, at Masses this weekend (August 8-9) where I will give a special blessing to those young people heading off to college, and to all those arriving at Averett University for a new school year.
At the Masses the following weekend (August 15-16) I will offer a special blessing to all teachers, including those who will have already begun their new academic year. Then, at Masses the weekend after that (August 22-23) I will extend a special blessing to students who are starting a new school year at any level from preschool to high school, either in person, online, or both. Of course, for many the new year will already be underway, but as the Sacred Heart school year begins for our students on Monday, August 24, it provides a great moment for us to rally around them in prayerful support. If you know somebody who hasn't been attending Mass either in person or online recently, and who falls into any of these categories, please suggest that they participate in Mass on the designated weekend to receive their special blessing! Let's continue to pray for one another, for all students and teachers, and for the swift eradication of this deadly virus.